Emetophobia is an extreme fear of vomiting. It is not only a fear of vomiting on oneself, but also a fear of hearing or seeing vomit. Like other types of phobias, emetophobia is a specific phobia, where the sufferer will feel an intense and even irrational fear of an object or situation. 

This fear is still relatively rare, but is more common in childhood, although it can occur in any age group. People with emetophobia tend to have certain mental health conditions, such as depression, fear of food, anxiety disorder, panic disorder, eating disorder, or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Symptoms

Anxiety and a tendency to avoid situations where the risk of experiencing or seeing people vomit is high are 2 common symptoms of emetophobia. However, this fear affects everyone in different ways. People with emetophobia may have certain behavioral patterns that others do not, such as: 

• Avoiding the use of the word "vomit"
• Not wanting to eat or drink anything new
• Eating slowly, very little, or only at home
• Smelling or inspecting food to make sure it is not spoiled
• Throwing food away when it has not yet expired
• Cooking for too long
• Cleaning all eating utensils excessively
• Avoiding unpleasant odors
• Not wanting to touch a surface that may contain germs
• Taking antacids to prevent nausea before it occurs
• Keeping a towel next to the bed
• Learning the most effective way to get to the toilet in a new place for the first time
• Experiencing anxiety when traveling long distances by car

In addition to anxiety, each person with emetophobia will have their own characteristics

Causes

The most common cause of emetophobia is a bad experience with vomiting (either self or others) and the risk becomes higher when a person has vomited at an inconvenient time or location, such as in public. The higher the frequency, the higher the level of fear. 

On the other hand, emetophobia may also be related to a person's fear of something that they cannot control in any way. Vomiting is not something that can be controlled easily, for example as a result of food poisoning. This is when the fear of vomiting becomes even greater.

Emetophobia is often caused by bad experiences with vomiting.

Diagnosis

In a specific phobia, in this case emetophobia, the condition is diagnosed by assessing whether the fear interferes with and even negatively affects daily life. This can range from the body's response to the thought or sight of vomiting, avoidance of certain situations, or other mental health issues.

Treatment

There are 3 main strategies to help minimize the fear of vomiting. The first is with therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, or hypnotherapy.  Second is with medication, such as antidepressants and gastrointestinal medications. Third is with lifestyle practices, such as relaxation techniques and self-care.

In conclusion, emetophobia is an extreme fear of vomiting. Not only when seeing vomit, but also just thinking about it. A person will experience anxiety and tend to avoid certain situations where the risk of vomiting cannot be controlled.

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