What is emetophobia?

Emetophobia is an intense phobia that causes overwhelming, intense anxiety pertaining to vomiting. This specific phobia can also include subcategories of what causes the anxiety, including a fear of vomiting in public, a fear of seeing vomit, a fear of watching the action of vomiting or fear of being nauseated.

The root word for emetophobia is "emesis", from the Greek word emein which means "an act or instance of vomiting" with "-phobia” meaning "an exaggerated usually inexplicable fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation.

There is a strong agreement in the scientific community that there is no specific cause of emetophobia. Some emetophobics report a traumatic experience with vomiting, almost always in childhood, but many do not. Some experts believe that emetophobia may be linked to worries about lack of control. Many people try to control themselves and their environment in every possible way, but vomiting is difficult or impossible to control

Treatment may be physical (drug therapy) or psychological. Some psychotropic medications (such as benzodiazepines and antidepressants) did help and gastrointestinal medications were also beneficial.

Exposure methods may help; using video-taped exposure to others vomiting, hypnosis, exposure to nausea and exposure to cues of vomiting. Systemic behavior therapy, psychodynamic and psychotherapy have also shown positive effects.