Emetophobia: The Fear of Vomiting, An Anxiety Disorder

Fear of throwing up is known as emetophobia. It is a specific phobia of vomiting and a subtype of an anxiety disorder (SPOV). When someone has emetophobia, they may have extreme anxiety about both seeing other people vomit and getting sick themselves. 

Understanding emetophobia 

Phobias are the most prevalent form of anxiety disorder, affecting 19 million people in the US, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. 

Emetophobic individuals may be more likely to experience depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, or OCD, according to research. 

Causes: 

The precise causes of emetophobia are not well understood. Some people think that this phobia emerges on its own or following a distressing event that involves vomiting. Another hypothesis is that this phobia may be caused by genes or other biological or psychological causes.  Anxiety might also result in nausea. This makes them more anxious about feeling or getting unwell, which can become a vicious cycle. Additionally, nausea can be brought on by stomach illnesses, motion sickness, excessive eating or drinking, allergies, and dietary intolerances. 

Symptoms:

Emetophobia is an extreme dread and anxiety of getting sick or witnessing someone else get sick. Additionally, they might experience severe anxiety in the following scenarios: 

•  being unable to locate a bathroom 
•  being unable to control one’s nausea 
•  choking on phlegm 
•  making themselves look foolish in front of others 
• visiting a hospital 

Even more dangerous than vomiting might be someone’s fear of becoming ill. However, because they believe they must stop or avoid routine tasks that can make them unwell, this anticipation can significantly lower their quality of life. 

Preventive Measure:

To lower their risk of vomiting, a person could employ preventive actions or avoidance techniques. These may consist of: 

• avoiding new foods and drinks, as well as those that have previously made you throw up. 
•  staying away from odors 
•  staying away from restaurants 
•  limiting travel or social engagements 
•  avoiding using the terms “vomit” or other words that conjure up images of it 
•  avoiding medical institutions and hospitals 
•  extra hand washing 
•  excessive antacid use 
•  excessively keeping an eye out for their own and others’ illnesses 

The fear of bacteria and germs, or eating disorders including disorders of avoidant or restricted food intake, can occasionally be confused with emetophobia. 

This is because someone who suffers from emetophobia may refrain from touching doorknobs or flushing toilets with their hands to limit their contact with germs. They may also only consume food that they have prepared themselves or that hasn’t come into contact with their hands. 

Even though food is healthy and close to expiration, a person with the disease may discard it if it is unsafe. 

Significant weight loss is a possible side effect of these practices, which is also a sign of eating disorders. However, in emetophobia, the fear of vomiting rather than the fear of gaining weight or worrying about one’s looks drives food avoidance and weight loss. 

TREATMENT: 

Emetophobia can be treated with therapy, medication, or a combination of the two. 

Behavioral and cognitive therapy: 

The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is base on the notion that ideas and bodily sensations are interconnecting, is to alter a person’s thoughts and behaviors. 

A therapist will help a patient with emetophobia reevaluate their thought patterns or actions that encourage anxiety related to vomiting during CBT. Outside of therapy, they employ useful tools to help manage their illness. 

There isn’t much research on specific emetophobia therapies. The first randomized control experiment to examine CBT’s impact on this condition, however, indicates that therapy is very effective. 

Psychodynamic therapy may occasionally be beneficial for persons who suffer from several phobias. 

Prevention of exposure and reaction: 

Emetophobia can also be treating through exposure and response prevention (ERP). It is a form of therapy creating especially to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is effective to progressively expose someone to their triggers while abstaining from their compulsions. Through this exposure, a person can see that there is less danger and upheaval associating with vomiting than they initially think. 

ERP is a difficult form of therapy. Before beginning the sessions, patients should be in good enough health because once the therapy gets going, anxiety levels may rise. 

Three stages make up the ERP process: 

• Psychological signs: 

With the assistance of their therapist, a person will produce the physical symptoms of nausea and vomiting in a controlled manner. This is referred to as symptom cue exposure or interoceptive cue exposure. Doctors will continuously assess the patient’s anxiety levels and may prescribe exercises like spinning or other techniques for causing nausea. 

• Environment-related factors: 

A person will go to locations they usually avoid or avoid because they pose a danger of making them throw up, like bars, restaurants, or public restrooms. Additionally, they will consume things they ordinarily avoid to gradually increase their tolerance and reduce their anxiety. 

• Exposure: 

A doctor may urge a patient to pretend to vomit once they are familiar with the physiological signs of anxiety and the environmental factors that contribute to it. The purpose of this practice is to lessen the anxiety of being sick. 

Medication: 

Drugs accustomed to manage depression and anxiety disorders comprise selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). 

 These medications might lessen anxiety and possibly aid in managing someone’s fear of taking part in daily activities. Additionally, antidepressants might assist a patient throughout therapy. 

Conclusion: 

The intense dread of vomiting or witnessing others vomit is famous as emetophobia. It is a form of anxiety that can coexist with other mental wellbeing problems like generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. To control their fear of throwing up, a person may avoid some aspects of their daily life. This may harm them because they are less inclining to meet up with friends and family, go out in public, or socialize in bars and restaurants. Emetophobia has no specific treatments, but talking therapies for OCD and phobias have been successful. Along with these methods, antidepressant drugs like SSRIs or SNRIs can help people feel less anxious and depressed.

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