Nausea and vomiting are somatic reactions to anxiety, overexertion, mental or physical fatigue, stuffy rooms, shaking in transport. This is also a normal reaction to poisoning, aversion to some smell or disgust to some picture before your eyes. And if some people coexist normally with such features of their body, others are afraid that an attack of vomiting and nausea will find them in the most inappropriate place. Psychology will tell you what the phobia is called, why it occurs, and what to do.
Specific causes of emetophobia (vomitophobia)
Emetophobia is the name given to the fear of nausea and vomiting. An alternative name for the phobia is vomitophobia. A person experiences a panic attack at the mere thought of becoming ill in a public place. The patient worries that he will find himself in an awkward situation or that no one will help him. In severe cases, a person is even frightened by an attack of nausea in moments of solitude. In this case, the fear of nausea is associated with hypochondria and loneliness.
What are the causes of emetophobia:
- Childhood psychotrauma. Vomiting and nausea are unpleasant symptoms. This condition is especially difficult for children, because they do not understand what is happening to them. Which can make them very scared. The second possible psychological trauma is inadequate care for the child and fear due to the fact that the baby became ill, and no one helped, cleaned up, or changed clothes. The third reason is reproach from parents. Some mothers and fathers, instead of calming and caressing the child, shout at him. The fourth reason is ridicule by peers if the child becomes ill in a public place.
- Psychotrauma in adulthood. For example, a person felt bad in a crowd of people and almost lost consciousness. Or a person has experienced severe poisoning, after which he is afraid to eat in public catering and is afraid that he will become ill again. And sometimes a phobia develops after an unsuccessful attempt at poisoning with pills or after an alcohol overdose.
Some people are not afraid of vomiting, but of other people's nausea. In this case, the reason may be hidden in associations from the past, often from childhood. For example, a child observed a constantly drunk father and witnessed his attacks. Or the child observed a serious illness of a loved one (for example, an ulcer, oncology). Or a child witnessed the death of a person with the presence of vomit.
Symptoms
- Avoid vomiting on TV or in movies;
- Obsession with the location of bathrooms;
- Avoid all unpleasant odors;
- Avoid hospitals or sick people;
- Inability to describe or hear words such as "vomiting";
- Excessive preemptive use of antacids;
- Avoiding places where you felt unwell;
- Avoiding eating food away from home;
Nobody likes to be sick, but it is excessive avoidance and fear that characterize emetophobia.
If a person's daily life is severely interrupted by this fear, then it may be diagnosed as a specific phobia. Excessive worry about vomiting can also lead to symptoms that a person is trying to avoid, such as nausea. When people begin to understand that anxiety at work is not just a stomach bug or poor diet, they may realize that they are unlikely to vomit, even though they may feel like they will vomit.
We suggest you read: Pseudobulbar syndrome
Signs of fear of vomiting
When a person’s well-being deteriorates, they panic, which only further aggravates the situation. The more a person thinks about how bad he feels, the worse he becomes.
What is characteristic of an emetophobe:
- eats only at home, prepares his food exclusively from proven products (fears of poisoning);
- thoroughly and often washes hands, food, kitchen (fear of infection);
- avoids traveling on public transport (for fear of contracting a rotavirus infection);
- avoids public places (fears that he will become ill);
- carries a first aid kit;
- refuses foods that, in his opinion, may cause nausea.
Diagnostics
For diagnosis, the psychologist uses a psychotherapeutic conversation, which helps to collect an anamnesis. Sometimes the specialist conducts auxiliary tests, for example, the Yale-Brown scale (detection of OCD) or the Spielberger-Hanin test (detection of anxiety).
Celebrities and phobias
Celebrities were no exception in terms of the presence of phobias. In many cases, fear of a gag reflex is one of the symptoms. For example, Benedict Cumberbatch suffers from stage fright and every time he gets sick before a performance. Adele is a singer who also suffers from a phobia. From the fear of performing in Brussels, she vomited directly on the audience. She herself admitted that she often has panic attacks.
Vomitophobia can and should be treated. There are different methods, the choice is up to the patient. But you need to understand that fears of something greatly influence a person’s life and can lead to isolation and complete loneliness. You need to not run away from fears, but start treatment on time. This is the right way to continue to live a full life.
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The impact of a phobia on life
Sometimes, against the background of emetophobia, anorexia and obsessive-compulsive disorder can develop. When a phobia is associated with hypochondria, a person may engage in self-diagnosis and self-medication, which is dangerous to health and life. Women with a fear of nausea and vomiting are afraid of pregnancy, men are afraid of the baby spitting up. Thus, the phobia reduces the patient’s quality of life and limits it.
Famous people with emetophobia
Emetophobia has been diagnosed in Charlie Brooker, Denise Richardson, Ashley Benson, and Christina Pazicki.
How to get rid of the fear of nausea and vomiting
How to get rid of a phobia of vomiting and nausea? Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy helps treat emetophobia. For complications, secondary neuroses and panic attacks, the psychologist prescribes medications.
Professional help
Depending on the specific case, the particular client and the medical history, different methods of psychotherapy are used: Gestalt therapy, hypnosis, cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, neurolinguistic reprogramming, shock therapy (immersion in a traumatic situation under the supervision of a psychotherapist). Additionally, the client is taught self-regulation techniques and auto-training. To treat children, it is recommended to use play therapy, fairy tales and hypnosis.
When treatment is necessary
In what situations should you consult a doctor:
- nausea persists for a day or longer;
- a person withdraws into himself, becomes uncommunicative, detached;
- loss of appetite;
- a person refuses water;
- anxiety persists for three days or longer;
- herbal sedatives do not calm;
- there are problems with sleep.
In this case, you should immediately contact a psychotherapist. Additionally, it may be helpful to see a therapist. This is necessary to examine your general condition. Prolonged fasting and refusal of water can lead to dehydration. This is also necessary to exclude an organic cause of nausea. If you often vomit and feel nauseous, then you need to consult a gastroenterologist.
Impact Processing
How to overcome the fear of vomiting? Visualization, creating exposures, and watching videos have a positive effect in treatment. Group therapy is helpful.
It is important! Immersion in frightening situations should be strictly under the supervision of a psychologist.
Emetophobia and anorexia
If a person has once experienced severe poisoning, then in the future he may develop a restrictive food intake disorder. Due to the fear of nausea and vomiting or because of an aversion to food, certain smells and tastes, a person develops anorexia.
Getting rid of a phobia on your own
You can fight a phobia at the initial stage on your own. And willpower, methods of self-regulation and rationalization will help with this. How to overcome the fear of nausea? Learn meditation and relaxation, practice these methods daily and use them in moments of panic.
“What should I do if I am afraid of nausea due to real attacks?” you ask. Determine the cause of nausea. To do this, you can use the psychosomatic theory. Remember in what situations you say “this makes me sick.” That's where you need to look for the problem.
Cases that do not require treatment
Nausea is a sign of physical and (or) mental fatigue. Sometimes, to normalize the condition, it is enough to rest, sleep, and unwind.
What indicates overwork, which does not require the help of a doctor:
- nausea is unobtrusive, intermittent, not accompanied by vomiting;
- nausea lasts less than an hour;
- abdominal discomfort is directly related to stress (increases and weakens according to emotional changes);
- I only feel sick during a very strong shock, and not during every exciting situation such as a conflict, speaking in public, etc.
You can cope with this condition on your own. The methods described below will help.
Physical exercise
Stress provokes the accumulation of energy in the muscles and an increase in adrenaline levels. Exercise will help restore a healthy balance. Sit down, run, walk up the stairs, do push-ups, do any set of exercises.
Normalization of breathing
Tachycardia and increased breathing are integral companions of tension and arousal during stress. Breathing exercises will help you calm down. Force yourself to breathe calmly, after a couple of minutes your breathing will normalize.
How to breathe correctly to calm down:
- inhale deeply through your nose, inflate your stomach at the same time;
- hold your breath for 5 seconds;
- Exhale slowly through your mouth while simultaneously drawing in your stomach.
For better relaxation, you can close your eyes and imagine or remember something pleasant.
Relieving abdominal muscle spasms
Nausea occurs due to spasm of the abdominal muscles. Therefore, it is useful to give physical activity not only to the whole body, but also locally to the abdominal muscles. Take a deep breath and at the same time tense your abs as much as possible. Hold your breath for 5 seconds, exhale slowly and relax your stomach.
Washing
Washing with cold water allows you to distract your brain and body. Cold water constricts blood vessels and lowers temperature. Wet your hands with water and apply them to your face, repeat the procedure several times. But you shouldn't take a cold shower. This will only make the stress worse.
Acupuncture against nausea
There is a massage point on the inside of the wrist. Light exposure to it helps relieve nausea. Massage clockwise, pressing lightly on the point. You can use the method for every attack of nausea.
Treatment of emetophobia
Addressing this fear through therapy, medication, or a combination of both can help a person reduce their panic reaction to vomiting and train the brain to distinguish between anxiety and illness. Anti-anxiety medications can help manage the physical symptoms of panic. Exposure therapy is commonly used to treat emetophobia, allowing the person to gradually adapt to situations that contribute to illness-related anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy can also help a person challenge irrational thoughts about vomiting by reminding them that it is a rare occurrence and that they can get over the embarrassment. Emetophobia is treatable, so don't hesitate to talk to a psychologist or your doctor.
Be objective
To overcome your fear of vomiting, it can be helpful to focus on the facts. Ask yourself: “How many times have I vomited in my life?” Then ask, “How many days have I adjusted to life because of this fear?” If you have emetophobia, you may find that you have made significant changes in your life because of something that happens very rarely. Learning to see that anxiety leads to fear and nausea rather than actual illness can help you overcome and dispel your irrational fears. However, since this can be difficult to do alone, a consultant can be a great resource to help you be objective.
Be honest
Feelings of embarrassment and embarrassment can deter people from speaking out about their emetophobia. They may make excuses for skipping dinner with friends instead of telling the truth about their fears. When you can be honest with loved ones about your struggle with emetophobia, you will have more support when you try new foods, travel, or engage in any other activities that may trigger your phobia. Many also find that when they can be honest with others about their phobia, they can begin to be honest about the need for help and support to overcome their phobia.
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Be persistent
Don't be afraid to be specific about the situation and be persistent when asking for help. Don't dance around the subject—just tell your doctor or counselor that you have a fear of vomiting that is controlling your life. No professional will be surprised or confused by this fear, so you don't have to worry about embarrassment. Emetophobia is a common phobia that is treatable, so the more information you give a professional, the better they can treat you. If you feel a professional is ill-equipped to help you, be confident and ask for a referral to someone who can.
No fear should dictate how you live your life, and the fear of vomiting is no exception. Consider how you can seek help today to overcome the fear that is holding you back from living your best life.
Prevention
An active lifestyle and positivity are the main means of prevention. It is useful to communicate with animals, loved ones, and friends. If you have chronic gastrointestinal diseases, it is important to visit a doctor in a timely manner and always have the necessary medications on hand.
It is useful to increase the overall stress resistance of the body. Learn to switch your attention and get distracted. Try this exercise: take a blank sheet of paper, draw a straight line along it, think only about the line itself, as soon as you catch yourself distracted, return to the line again by willpower, make a “notch” and move on. Later you will be able to track the dynamics of the exercises. The fewer deviations from a straight line, the better you have learned to control yourself.
