What Is Emetophobia?

 

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Emetophobia (can be pronounced as either EE-MET-OH-PH-OH-BEE-UH or UH-MET-OH-PH-OH-BEE-UH) is an anxiety disorder. It's an intense and chronic fear of emesis. It can be so severe, the sufferer might get anxious even just by seeing a certain word!
Emetophobia is also known as Specific Phobia Of Vomiting (SPOV)

Emetophobia is an intense, debilitating fear of vomit and/or vomiting. Some people may be worried about only themselves vomiting, only others vomiting, or only vomiting in public or around people. Although it's most common for emetophobes to have all of the above fears. Commonly associated fears include fear of germs, fear of gagging, fear of feeling nausea, fear of getting diarrhea, fear of losing control, fear of norovirus, fear of any GI issues, etc.

Symptoms:
•Extreme/persistent fear of vomit, vomiting, germs, viruses, nausea, etc.
•Hesitation or refusal to eat.
•Certain "rituals" such as avoiding certain bathrooms, certain places, certain foods, or certain routines.
•Frequent nightmares relating to vomit.
•Handwashing more often than the average person your age.
•Fear or worry about going to school/work.
•Hesitation or refusal to use all or certain forms of transportation or public transportation (planes, boats, buses, cars)
•Frequent "what if" statements, such as "what if I get sick?" or "what if I catch it?" (meaning the virus).
•Obsessions with anti-nausea medications, sanitizers, hand wipes, soap, mint gum, and/or other nausea preventions/remedies.
•Fear of germs.
•Hesitation or refusal to go near a person or animal who is feeling ill.
•Fear of going in hospitals or doctor's offices due to the possibility of coming across someone who is ill or coming in contact with a virus.
•Fear of coughing, choking, and/or gagging.
•Fear of visiting the dentist, doctor, or person who is ill.
•Fear, hesitance, or refusal to brush teeth, or may brush teeth too frequently.
•May drink too much or too little of water.
•Hesitation or refusal to participate in certain activities, such as activities that require eating, exercising, parties, traveling, or socializing.
•May have a fear of being alone or being in a crowd.
•In children, may be scared of being separated from parent/caregiver.
•Frequent feelings of nausea and/or stomach pains.
•Fear, hesitation, or refusal to taking certain or new medications.
•Anxiety and panic attacks
•Overly observant towards people to see if they look or act ill.
•General low feelings, such as sadness, irritability, loneliness or shyness, timid feelings, suicidal or self injurious thoughts or behaviors, etc.
•Avoidance of certain rides at theme parks, such as rides that are too fast, go upside down, or spinny rides.
•Has safe foods and unsafe foods, such as only eating bland foods that are easy to digest, or avoidance of spicy foods, fast food, or desserts.
•May experience anxiety around things that were associated with a vomiting incident, such as certain clothing, certain tv shows (even if the tv show has no vomit in it), certain foods, certain places, certain bathrooms, or even certain people.
•Hesitation to watching new movies or tv shows.
•Seems to be a perfectionist and be a "clean freak".
•External locus of control.
•Rapid mood swings.
•Withdrawn from social activities.
•Loss of interest in going places, socializing, and things they once loved.
•Intrusive or obsessive thoughts and behaviors.
•Anxiety around social events, food, or parties and get togethers.
•May sleep too much or too little.
•Seems to have a certain position which calms them down, such as walking, sitting down, sitting up straight, slouching over, or laying down.
•Avoids using certain words, such as vomit, puke, or throw up and may censor them. For example: v* instead of vomit)
•Hatred/dislike of being touched, touching things other people have touched (like tables, doorknobs, tv remotes).
•May have an exaggerated fight, flight, or freeze response or may seem easily startled.
•Avoidance of restaurants, undercooked or overcooked food.
•May have dry or chapped hands/skin from over-washing.
•Refusal or hesitation to eat in certain places
•Fear of becoming pregnant or being a parent
•Fear of being around small children
•Fear of traveling or going on trips and vacations
•Obsessions with staying healthy
•Avoidance of alcohol
•Repressed/suppressed memories
•Physical symptoms such as trembling, dizziness, nausea, headaches, dissociation, depersonalization/derealization, increased heart rate, hot flashes, chills, sweating, fainting, exaggerated fight/flight/freeze response, seizures, hypervigilance crying, screaming, slurred speech, talking too fast or not at all, panic attacks, etc.

(Note: you do not have to have every single symptom in order to have emetophobia)

 

Causes of emetophobia:
Traumatic experience where nausea or vomit plays a part (for example, a stomach virus, food poisoning, surgery, pregnancy, motion sickness, experiencing someone else get sick, etc)
A history of abuse (especially if the emetophobe was once punished for something related to vomit)
Witnessing a death (again, especially if vomit plays a part in it)
Terminal illness
Disease outbreaks
External locus of control
Family history of anxiety/depression
There can also be no apparent cause.

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Other common disorders and behavioral issues sometimes seen in emetophobes:
OCD, PTSD, ADD, depression, other phobias, agoraphobia, social anxiety, self harm, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, separation anxiety, panic disorder, etc.

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Emetophobia can appear in anyone. Emetophobia has been reported in people as young as toddlers, to people as old as elders.
Emetophobia can strike at any time, any age, any lifestyle, any race, and any gender.

Emetophobia is under-researched and under-diagnosed, despite there being millions of sufferers.

There is treatment. Medication and CBT are just a couple things that can help. There is hope.