VOMIT PHOBIA

Vomit Phobia: Understanding the Fear of Vomiting

Vomit phobia – also known as emetophobia – is a specific phobia characterised by an irrational and intense fear of vomiting and/or seeing others vomit. It is a debilitating condition that can significantly impact a person’s daily life, relationships, and mental health. Research suggests that 85-97% of emetophobes are women.

A phobia of vomit is considered by many to be the most debilitating and frightening of all phobias due to the negative impact it has on sufferers’ lives. Many vomit phobics also have significant anxiety and depression, and associated conditions such as phagophobia (a fear of gagging, swallowing or choking), a fear of pregnancy, eating disorders, social anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Vomit phobia tends to be severe and can significantly affect the sufferer’s ability to lead a normal life. Most sufferers go to great lengths to avoid exposure to vomit and anything that could make them unwell. Many have rituals and safety-seeking behaviours that take significant time out of each day, such as checking and re-checking expiration dates and obsessive hand-washing.

 

Read about our unique programme to overcome vomit phobia (aka emetophobia) Emetophobia-free is the only proven, predictable cure for emetophobia. 6-8 week home-study, evidence-based training programme.

 

 

 

People with this phobia feel out-of-control and stressed by the fears and worries that plague them constantly. They tend to avoid public transport and long drives. They may be teetotal or heavily limit their alcohol consumption, and avoid pubs or clubs where others drink. Sufferers worry a great deal about hygiene, and are often obsessive about cleanliness and sanitisation. They may take time off work or school when viruses are going around. It is also common for people with this phobia to be very careful about food preparation and overcook food, still doubting even then whether it’s cooked enough.

How is the condition likely to progress?

For the majority of sufferers, anxiety around vomit begins in childhood – around age 9 – but it can become more prevalent in adolescence or adulthood. For many, their fear ‘comes and goes.’ Stressful life events may make it feel like the phobia has ‘come back.’ They may feel fine for a while because there are no ‘triggers,’ but significant life events such as pregnancy and bringing up young children can result in the fear intensifying again. Some people even avoid pregnancy because this fear is too powerful. If left untreated, the condition is likely to persist.

Is Vomit Phobia Treatable?

Yes! It is highly treatable. Vomit phobia can feel complicated and isolating, but there are distinct thinking patterns that all people with this phobia share: for example perfectionism, all-or-nothing thinking and disgust propensity (a strong aversion to bodily fluids and functions, which women are far more likely to have due to societal conditioning).

Vomit phobia is often described as a secret phobia, because sufferers tend to keep it to themselves that they are suffering from it. Partly this is due to social anxiety, but it’s mostly due to the worry about feeling out of control if someone else knew about it… desire for control plays a huge part in the formation and maintenance of this phobia. Click on the image on the right to hear our recent podcast on this subject…

 

As well as this, emetophobes almost always have a strong desire for control. In fact, vomit phobia is a lot more about fearing being out of control than it is about fearing vomit (if you think about it, that’s what vomiting is right?) This is why exposure therapy isn’t necessary to treat this fear: it’s all about building coping skills and educating emetophobes about how their mind works and why they have this phobia.

Conclusion

Vomit phobia is a fear of vomiting/others vomiting that affects mainly women. It is far more prevalent in the population than people realise. It seems like a complex and unique phobia, but whether you are a sufferer, a loved one or a therapist,  it can be treated and overcome. You can be calm and fear-free.

 

Have you listened to our recent Podcasts?

 

 

 

 

Check out our Recovery Videos pages

 

 

 

Other Emetophobia information for you…