Emetophobia: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment

Emetophobia is the intense fear of vomiting, which can cause stress and anxiety when feeling nauseated, seeing vomiting or people vomiting, and causing the person to worry excessively about the risk of vomiting.

Like other types of phobia, emetophobia does not have a specific cause, but is more common in people who have had negative experiences involving vomiting. Discover the most common types of phobia.

If emetophobia is suspected, it is important to consult a psychiatrist. Although there is no cure, symptoms can be controlled through appropriate treatment, which is usually done with psychotherapy sessions.

Main symptoms

The main symptoms of emetophobia are:

• Fear of vomiting, feeling nauseated or seeing vomit;
• Excessive concern when seeing and/or hearing people vomiting;
• Don’t stop thinking about the possibility of vomiting or other people getting sick;
• Avoid specific situations for fear of vomiting, such as car trips, boat trips or eating out;
• Eating less food and/or liquids, which can lead to dehydration or weight loss;
• Take medication regularly to avoid vomiting unnecessarily;
• Do not use medicines prescribed by your doctor due to fear of causing nausea.

Furthermore, the fear of vomiting or seeing vomit can be intense and lead a person to have a panic attack in the most severe cases, causing symptoms such as chest tightness, nausea, feeling short of breath or tremors. See more symptoms of a panic attack.

How to confirm the diagnosis

The diagnosis of emetophobia is made by a psychiatrist based on the characteristics of the symptoms presented, such as their intensity and the situations in which they arise, and the impact of the symptoms on the person’s life.

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The doctor may also recommend consultation with a psychologist to better evaluate symptoms and rule out other problems, especially some types of anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder and agoraphobia. Check out the main types of anxiety disorder.

Possible causes

Emetophobia does not have a specific cause, but it seems to be more common when the person has had a bad experience in the past involving vomiting, such as having vomited in public or having suffered illnesses that caused intense vomiting.

How the treatment is carried out

Treatment for emetophobia is usually done through psychotherapy sessions, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, to help the person develop strategies to better deal with their fear. Understand better how cognitive behavioral therapy is carried out.

Other treatment options include hypnosis, group therapies and the use of virtual reality technologies, so that the person can gradually interact with the stimulus that causes fear and learn to better evaluate the situations in which they arise.

In addition, sometimes medications, such as benzodiazepines and antidepressants, may also be indicated to help control symptoms, but this will depend on the psychiatrist’s assessment.

Does emetophobia have a cure?

Like other phobias, emetophobia has no cure. However, symptoms can be controlled through treatment indicated by a doctor and tend to decrease as the person learns to deal with fear in some cases.