Emetophobia: The Fear of Vomiting
Author: Sabrina Brijbassi
Published: March 2023
Emetophobia, otherwise known as the vomit phobia, is characterized by an overwhelming and disproportionate fear of the acting of vomiting either by oneself or others. This condition is categorized under “specific phobias” in the current (5th) edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-V). While true emetophobia at its most severe occurs in about 0.1% of the population, the milder form of this phobia is more commonly occurring in 3.1 to 8.8% of the population. Women are four times more likely to suffer from emetophobia than men. This condition can happen spontaneously or as a result of a traumatic incident of vomiting. The idea of vomiting is usually not welcomed by most people, but those with emetophobia are wholly repulsed by anything relating to vomit, from the sound to the words relating to vomit to even just thinking something relating to vomit.
What to Look Out For:
In addition to the repulsion around vomiting, individuals may also have an overwhelming sense of losing control, worries about becoming very sick, and tendencies of avoidance to remove contact or association with anything related to vomiting. In many cases, there is a tendency to monitor and check interoceptive stimuli in one’s body, such as feelings of nausea, to the point that it would be more likely that they would actually feel sick. To be diagnosed with emetophobia, the avoidance response must be very distressing and have a significant impact on the person’s life.
How It Can Have a Negative Impact:
Those with this specific phobia engage in a lot of avoidance behavior where they may avoid people, places, and things associated with vomit and avoid activities that could increase the likelihood of vomiting. They may avoid crowded places or situations where they would not have easy access to get away in case they become sick, such as being in a mall, on a plane, or even in a hospital. In more severe situations, individuals can avoid certain foods for fear of vomiting, which can affect their health and weight. Overall, emetophobia can have a negative impact on the individual’s ability to function day to day as well as their relationships with others.
How Emetophobia Is Treated:
Fear of vomiting can be tricky to treat; however, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) has shown to be the best form of treatment for emetophobia. CBT with ERP is a therapeutic modality focused on exposing the individual to the scenarios and things that create this fear around vomiting. For example, if a child is afraid of vomit after vomiting on a playground, therapists may revisit the playground with the child or look at pictures of it while talking about the vomiting scenario.
Treatment also includes looking at pictures, videos, and sounds of vomiting or even recreating fake vomit to simulate the real thing. The goal is to face one’s fears, challenge those distorted thoughts and desensitize or habituate to these experiences so that they may be less distressed and able to better function in their daily lives without the constant worry of vomit or vomiting. While it may be difficult to imagine consistent exposure to the very stimuli one may avoid with emetophobia, the eventual habituation of these anxious feelings and distress gets easier and faster over time.
With determination and consistency in facing these fears, individuals will be able to get back to the life they want for themselves. If you or someone you know is impacted by symptoms of emetophobia, contact the FLOAAT Center to get the help you need today!
