Emetophobia is the fear of vomit or of vomiting. People who have the disorder may fear being physically ill themselves or seeing others become ill. Some sufferers even fear the word “vomit” and avoid saying the word; sites aimed towards helping emetophobics often censor the term (“v***t”).
Finding information about Emetophobia can be difficult. One article from 2008 calls it one of the “least studied phobias.” Some sources claim Emetophobia is very common while others say it is quite rare. Generally, people have some degree of fear of vomiting, but emetophobics fear it to the extreme.
Most available sources agree that there are more women than men with Emetophobia. Six to seven percent of women are said to have it as compared to two to three percent of men.
Emetophobics may develop some harmful behaviors such as:
-avoidance of certain places and situations
-a limited, inadequate diet
-difficulty going to work or school
Emetophobia and Women
Emetophobia also has some negative effects that are specific to women. Because of their intense fear of vomiting, female emetophobics may develop a fear of being pregnant. This would of course be difficult for a woman who truly wants to become a mother but is too afraid of the nausea pregnancy will bring.
A fear of pregnancy caused by Emetophobia can also hurt relationships. An emetophobic may avoid getting into a serious relationship because she worries about revealing her phobia. If she does get into a relationship, her partner may not understand why she is afraid to have children. An emetophobic’s parents may put additional pressure on her to have children as she ages. In all of these situations, Emetophobia can put a strain on a relationship and strongly affect a woman’s life.
Emetophobia can also make it difficult for women to be around children. Female emetophobics sometimes try to avoid young children and infants because of the possibility that the children will become sick. These women don’t necessarily dislike children, but they are overwhelmed by the fear of possibly seeing a child become physically ill. Emetophobics who are women may also fear being around children because of the fear of being exposed to germs, which in turn could lead to illness and vomiting.
Women with Emetophobia are usually aware that the disorder is not easy to treat. This can discourage them from speaking with a mental health professional about the issue. Male sufferers similarly have difficulty bringing up Emetophobia to doctors and mental health specialists. Emetophobics don’t always realize that there are other people with the condition. They may also feel uncomfortable bringing up their fear if they don’t know it is a real disorder.
Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor or your psychiatrist about Emetophobia. There’s no reason women or men with Emetophobia have to suffer alone. There are other people struggling with the same illness, and there are options if you’re willing to seek them out.
