Phobia of Vomit

What is a Phobia of Vomit?

1 in every 200 people has a full-blown phobia of vomit

A phobia of vomit is known as emetophobia. Research suggests that around 8.8% of the population have a fear of vomit, but for only around 1 in every 200 people (0.5% of the population), this becomes a full-blown phobia. To be diagnosed with emetophobia your fears must have a significant impact on your life: for example interfering with relationships or work.

For example, some women avoid getting pregnant, or home school their children. For some people, their phobia is so severe that they avoid getting general anaesthetic if they need surgery, or even avoid chemotherapy.

Although most sufferers fear both themselves and others vomiting, some people ONLY fear themselves vomiting, or ONLY fear others vomiting. These variations can all have a significant impact on your life.

How do I know if I have a phobia of vomit?

Most people don’t LIKE being sick, but they don’t feel anxiety if they, or others are sick. They know it will pass – like having a cough or cold – and are able to get on with life as soon as they feel better, often quickly forgetting they were ever ill.

For people with a fear of being sick, avoiding getting ill or seeing other people vomit becomes a preoccupation. There is a huge amount of anxiety around the idea of vomit, meaning they go to great lengths to avoid exposing themselves to anything that could make them ill. They will feel incredibly anxious if they feel sick, using ‘safety-seeking’ behaviours to try to feel better such as taking anti-nausea medication or drinking ‘stomach settlers’ such as peppermint tea.

If they are ever actually sick, they will analyse everything that could have possibly caused it and make an effort to never be in that situation again. They might even have superstitious thinking around it e.g. ‘I was wearing this outfit that day, I’ll never wear it again,’ or ‘I walked under a ladder so I had bad luck.’

Safety-seeking behaviours can become harmful

People with a phobia of vomit can have a highly restricted diet of ‘safe’ foods – commonly a ‘beige food’ diet as foods like crisps and pasta are least likely to cause food-borne illness. They may repeatedly clean surfaces or wear gloves when preparing food, and obsessively check sell-by-dates. This anxiety can become so extreme that people avoid even the slightest risk of exposure to vomit: missing out on seeing friends, going to school, going on holiday, taking public transport or taking medication with nausea as a side-effect.

The phobia can result in eating disorders like anorexia nervosa or ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), and anxiety disorders like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)/

How common is a phobia of vomit?

It’s hard to say as there have been no good large-scale surveys conducted. The research that has been done into emetophobia suggests that between 0.1 to 8.8% percent of the population have a fear of being sick. This is quite a range! These varying figures likely depend upon whether the researchers assessed participants for a ‘fear’ of vomiting or solely focused upon a severe ‘phobia’.

These prevalence figures suggest that up to 30 million people in the US alone suffer from a fear of vomit, but it’s not widely understood or known about. Many people with a phobia of vomiting are often too ashamed to talk about their problem or feel very misunderstood when they try to. We’re working to change this, through education and awareness, setting up the first Emetophobia Awareness Day in 2014.

Is emetophobia treatable?

This can be a very isolating phobia, particularly if you feel afraid to open up about it to friends and loved ones. It can feel complicated and like it’s part of you. Something you’re stuck with for life. But in reality, it is a highly treatable condition. With specialist help, it can be effectively overcome.

Conclusion

A phobia of vomit, also known as emetophobia, is a specific phobia that can have a significant impact on a person’s daily life. If you or someone you know is afraid of vomit, it is important to seek help. With proper treatment from specialists who understand emetophobia, you can start to live a healthier, happier life.