Although nobody finds fun feeling badly, influence or any other condition that determines nausea and potential vomit (e.g. pregnancy) create particular difficulties for individuals who suffer from the so -called “phobia of vomiting“O emitophobia.
Emerophobia is excessive and unjustified fear of vomiting.
Although it may seem like a simple phobia, this can also constitute a symptom of social anxiety or agoraphobia.
Sometimes it emerges in childhood and, if not treated, can turn into a chronic problem.
There is also the possibility that develops in adulthood, sometimes after a negative experience linked to a health problem (for example, after having had food poisoning or after having had a serious and uncontrollable vomiting episode).
Emerophobia in children and adolescents
The consequences associated with the fear of vomiting They can be extreme.
In children the fear of vomiting It can involve the refusal to go to school and the avoidance of other public places.
Those who fear that they can have nausea or to vomit, in fact, can avoid birthday parties, sports activities or appointments, and also lunches or dinners in restaurants. Losing these activities can affect relationships and have a negative impact on social development.
Even if persistent social problems are not developed, the child with phobia of vomiting In any case, it will feel a lot of sadness, anxiety and anguish.
Phobia of vomiting in adults
Also adults with fear of vomiting They can be significantly invalidated by their symptoms.
They can do more absences from work and avoid the work that implies travel, affecting the opportunities for advancement of career.
They fear the meetings, during which they could feel trapped, and avoid some responsibilities such as speaking in public.
This may imply that otherwise bright and capable individuals remain in jobs that are below their real skills.
THE’emitophobia It also affects pleasure trips and eating outside and can devastate couple relationships.
Women with phobia of vomiting They can be extremely anguished by the thought of being pregnant and having normal morning nausea, and some may even choose not to have children because of the fear of recurring vomiting during pregnancy.
Clearly, this can have profound and lasting negative effects on an individual’s life.
What is emitophobia
THE’emitophobia It is defined as an excessive or irrational fear of the act, or the possibility, to vomit and is associated with a series of symptoms such as, for example:
- Avoid foods or smells associated with past episodes.
- Hold your breath when you are in the middle of the people.
- Avoid garbage and other foul -smelling and dirty things.
- Consume excessively vitamins.
- Wash food excessively.
- Excessively clean the surfaces on which foods are prepared.
- Avoid non -packaged foods.
- Throw away the food before they reached the expiry date.
- Sniff and check the food excessively.
- Cook more than necessary food to kill potential pathogens.
- Avoid foods never tried (or enter extremely anxiety when you eat foods never tasted).
- Always eat the same (limited) foods to avoid stomach agitation.
- Avoid foods that seem “strange”.
- Use antacid and antiemetic anticids in advance.
- Avoid eating outside the house.
- Check where the bathrooms are placed (when you are away from home).
- Limit travel away from home (stay at home, avoid social activities).
- Avoid going school or work.
- Eating only foods that have already eaten other people before.
- When eating in public, monitor the reaction to other people’s food.
- Worry excessively for food allergies that have not yet been documented.
- Avoid speaking in public or other situations in which staying at the center of attention is required.
- Avoid meetings or other situations in which you might feel trapped or situations in which it is not easy to go out in case you feel bad.
- Avoid planes, machines, and/or public transport, in order to avoid feeling trapped.
Rarely, however, cases of fear of vomiting (Emerophobia) which really represent simple phobias.
Those who have the terror of vomiting they are often affected by social phobia or agoraphobia.
The difference between these two conditions is that individuals with emitophobia associated with social anxiety would be able to face the idea of feeling badly in a distant or isolated place relatively (for example walking alone in the woods).
Agoraphobic people, vice versa, could find the same distressing circumstance because of the difficulty of asking for help (if needed).
Therefore, theemitophobia linked to social anxiety mainly concerns the social consequences (embarrassment, shame, etc.) of feeling bad in public, while the one linked to agoraphobia rather concerns the fear of not being able to receive help or be able to escape in this event.
