And many people who have this disease are only now beginning to realize how many others are battling it as well.
So to help educate people a little more about the disease, provide advice for those who are struggling with it, and show consideration for others who are struggling with it, BuzzFeed is running a blog called “BuzzFeed.” Clinical Psychologist Kirren Schnuck, Ph.D.She has been working in the mental health field for over 20 years. I felt 10 times calmer.
Schnack explained: Emetophobia Emetophobia is an extreme fear of vomiting that can interfere with daily life. “Emetophobia can cause your life to become dominated by trying to avoid situations where you might vomit.”
People suffering from this phobia may avoid certain drinks or foods, avoid places that may induce vomiting (such as theme parks with rides), obsessively check expiration date labels on food, avoid alcohol, and become intensely frightened when they see people who appear unwell.
Dr. Schnack said emetophobia can be diagnosed at any age, but it often begins in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. “I’ve even seen middle-aged adults with this phobia. It can be triggered by a traumatic vomiting experience or witnessing someone else vomiting, or it can develop without any traumatic event,” she added.
According to Schnack, people with emetophobia often become overly sensitive to the physical sensation of nausea. “They may also wash their hands excessively to avoid contamination with germs that could cause vomiting. Patients often experience physical symptoms of anxiety, such as increased heart rate, sweating, and dizziness, especially when they feel triggered, and they also constantly think about their fear of vomiting.”
Emetophobia is different from normal nausea, which is more acute, temporary, and less intense. “Typical nausea and retching do not disrupt your entire life or cause extreme, long-term psychological distress. Normal nausea is unpleasant, but manageable and proportionate to how people respond,” Schnack clarifies.
Schnack said emetophobia usually requires specialist treatment.Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) It is a well-proven treatment that helps you recognise and confront negative thoughts about vomiting, and replace them with more realistic thoughts. Exposure therapy “And for some people, this treatment is very effective because it involves gradually exposing them to the vomiting triggers and then building up from there. It teaches the patient to tolerate the anxiety and control their fear response without actually vomiting.”
According to Schnack, relaxation training and mindfulness are also good self-help techniques to reduce the overall anxiety associated with emetophobia.
While it is not always possible to completely prevent emetophobia, there are ways that may help reduce the risk. Schnack said that teaching children that vomiting is a natural process that expels toxins from the body can promote a healthier view of the illness. “This will reduce the fear associated with vomiting and help them understand why it happens. Teaching strategies to deal with general anxiety can also increase resilience and reduce vulnerability to developing a phobia. If it is due to a traumatic vomiting experience, seeking psychological support at the right time and discussing the event can help you process it at the time and prevent it from becoming a phobia later on,” she concluded.
