Emetophobia is a strong fear of being sick. Most people don’t like being ill, so this is a natural fear to have. However, a person with emetophobia feels an unhealthy amount of fear when it comes to being sick. They worry about it constantly and may avoid a number of activities and places just so they won’t risk being nauseated by something they encounter.
Many women with emetophobia are faced with a difficult decision: to be a mother or to avoid pregnancy. Morning sickness is a common ailment associated with pregnancy, and having to experience their worst fears on a regular basis is too much for many emetophobic women. There is also the worry about dealing with a child’s illness after the birth. A parent wants to be able to offer comfort and support when a child is ill, but for an emetophobic that could prove to be too much.
Traveling by car or by plane can also be necessary as a parent, but some people with emetophobia dislike these things because they increase the likelihood of being ill (motion sickness, air sickness, etc.). Picking up the kids or taking them out to eat may be simple to a healthy person, but for a person with emetophobia it can be a great challenge.
How can you be a good mother or father to your child if you are so terrified of being ill (or seeing someone else being sick)?
A mother in the UK faces a similar dilemma in a piece for The Times. She discusses the issues she has had as an emetophobic and as a mother of two.
If you want to know what kind of advice is offered to the mother with emetophobia, you can visit the link to The Times seen below.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/families/article3738282.ece
Photo Credit: bubbo.etsy.com via Compfight cc
