Emetophobia: The Irrational Fear of Throwing Up

     The TV character Monk has many phobias. He is afraid of frogs, heights, milk, and just about everything imaginable. It is comical to watch him deal with his phobias. However, many people suffer from phobias for real. It is not comical in reality. Some of the most common phobias are fear of spiders (arachnophobia), fear of heights (acrophobia), Fear of lightning and thunder (astraphobia), and fear of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia). Everyone is afraid of something. However, a phobia is the irrational fear of something. When a person has a phobia, they become very anxious. Sometimes they cannot even function normally when the thing they are afraid of is presented to them. A more uncommon phobia is emetophobia, fear of vomit. No one likes to vomit. However, those who have emetophobia can become physically ill because of their phobia.

     A person who has emetophobia has an irrational fear of other people vomiting or vomiting themselves. This person can be perfectly well, but will become ill when he or she hears that someone else has a stomachache. This person will actually avoid certain situations for fear of becoming ill. For example, a person with emetophobia will go out of his or her way to avoid people who have a stomach virus. A mom who has children who are ill will stress over the fact that her kids might throw up. People with emetophobia will fight the need to throw up themselves and sometimes become weak and shaky if he or she thinks that might happen.

     Those who suffer from emetophobia will usually be uncommonly aware of food sell by dates and will not eat or drink food that might be outdated. Some emetophobiacs are also germophobes because they do not want to get sick. They ask others how they feel quite frequently and worry if someone they know is ill. Emetophobiacs are extremely paranoid and can even become ill when talking to someone on the phone who is suffering from a stomach bug. If an emetophobiacs child actually is ill he or she will ask the child over and over again how he or she is. It is not just a concern. It is an obsession where the emetophobiac is concerned.

     If an emetophobiac is in the restroom while someone else is getting sick he or she will rush as fast as possible to leave the restroom and worry for days whether or not he or she is going to get sick too. For example, I have emetophobia and I used to use the public restroom at work because it is next to the kitchen, where I work. One time while I was in the restroom stall, one of the kids came in. She was sobbing. I asked her what was wrong. She said her tummy hurt. I said I was sorry as I quickly finished up. I left the room as fast as I could in a panic. Then I worried for several days that I might get ill, to the point of sleepless nights. I stopped using that that restroom. I walked down the hall to the staff restroom, which was much more inconvenient.

     Just as with any other fear or phobia there is a cause for emetophobia. However, it is not clearly defined. It could be that the person with emetophobia had a traumatic experience with someone being ill at one time or another. It could also be that a person has had a bad experience when he or she was ill. Possibly, there was a big trauma involved with being sick. In my own experience with the illness, I am not sure what caused me to be so afraid of throwing up. I have always been afraid of throwing up from as far back as I remember. I remember when I would get a stomachache as a child I would literally shake all over. My mom would comfort me and tell me it would be alright but I was still petrified. I still feel the same way and will walk around and do whatever it takes to prevent throwing up. I also still get shaky and panic when I feel nauseated.

     This phobia can have a strong effect on the quality of the sufferer's life. There is treatment however. A person can use self-help techniques or therapy. With self-help it is important that the emetophobiac faces his or her fear head on. That is not always easy. It is easiest for people to avoid things they are afraid of. With emetophobia a person using self help would need as much exposure to someone who is vomiting as possible. The fear will hopefully diminish with exposure. Eventually this might lead to the realization that there is really nothing to be afraid of. If self-help does not work then it is best to seek therapy.

     Next post I will write more about my experiences with this phobia.

References:

Segal, J. Phobias and Fears. www.helpguide.org

Veale, D. Emetophobia Specific Phobia of Vomiting www.overcominghealth.com