Whilst no one likes to feel nauseous or to vomit, for some people this can be a serious problem that interferes with their day-to-day life.
Emetophobia, or a specific phobia of vomiting, is characterised by a marked fear or anxiety of oneself vomiting or seeing others vomit. It can be associated with a fear of losing control or being unable to escape from a place or situation.
It is often accompanied by distressing physical symptoms of anxiety, such as increased heart rate, changes in breathing, feelings of nausea, and light headedness. People often monitor themselves or others for signs of illness and avoid places or situations that that they believe will increase the likelihood of vomiting.
People may repeatedly check best-before dates of food, avoid cooking or eating certain foods, wash and clean themselves excessively to reduce the risk of contamination with disease, and seek reassurance from others.
Emetophobia can become very severe if left untreated, including weight loss or injuries associated with excessive cleaning. It can have a significant negative impact on a person’s quality of life, interfering with their ability to complete daily activities. Emetophobia also appears to be highly co-morbid with other anxiety conditions, including OCD and panic.
Fear of vomiting is estimated to affect up to 8% of the population. It is more commonly reported in women than men and typically begins in childhood. It is often misdiagnosed due to a seeming overlap in symptoms with conditions such as health anxiety, OCD, panic disorder, and eating disorders, especially when accompanied by food restriction and weight loss.