How does phobia of vomiting develop? How to overcome

For people with vomiting phobia, life is a big adventure where you could vomit at any time. Because they are afraid that they or others will suddenly vomit uncontrollably, they avoid anything that might cause nausea and actively restrict themselves in their lives. So how do you overcome fear of vomiting?

Symptoms: Food nausea leads to anorexia

Many children and adults have vomiting phobia, which is a persistent fear of others or themselves vomiting. Once they feel something a little bit wrong in their stomach, or just hear disgusting words like "vomit", they will panic: I feel like I'm going to vomit! I can't eat! For this reason, some children refuse to go to school, refuse to take the bus, and refuse to go to their friends' homes to play, just for fear that they will suddenly vomit and it will be difficult to clean up. Many people carry plastic bags with them to deal with vomit. Some adult patients avoid eating out at restaurants, drinking alcohol, and even dare not go on dates, drive, travel, or speak in public for fear of vomiting. They often also suffer from social phobia, fear of unfamiliar environments, fear of flying (fear of flying), etc., and stay away from "disgusting people" who they think are prone to vomiting. Some women are reluctant to get pregnant because of their fear of vomiting, in order to avoid the classic pregnancy reaction - morning sickness.

When it comes to diet, people with vomitophobia have a set of rules. They frequently check the freshness of their food, wash ingredients repeatedly before cooking, and overcook them for fear of eating pathogens that would make them vomit. Some people felt sick after eating a certain food 10 years ago and never ate it again. Due to dietary restrictions, many people are underweight. Dr. Frank Dattilio, an American clinical psychologist, has encountered some teenage patients who developed a fear of vomiting and atypical anorexia after vomiting due to a viral infection.

How does phobia of vomiting develop?

American child psychologist Dr. Tamar Jones believes that this is due to the power of suggestion - say the word "vomit" to yourself a few times, and you will feel a little anxious; if you say to yourself "If I vomit...", you may start to feel nauseous. Vomiting phobia is not just about the look, smell, and personal experience of vomiting; it’s the anticipation of vomiting that’s more damaging. Some patients feel that their digestion is not good, so they often take their temperature and pay attention to any physical sensations, such as hiccups. These behaviors make them more and more sensitive to vomiting. In fact, there is no need to worry about vomiting, because vomiting rarely happens, and many people only vomit a few times in their lives. Joneski said that even if you think about vomiting all day and feel uncomfortable in your stomach, it is still not enough to induce a vomiting reaction, because the human body will not easily waste its energy and materials for empty worries.

A survey found that patients with vomiting phobia often have unpleasant experiences related to vomiting, including gastrointestinal discomfort, vomiting in public, and witnessing others vomiting. These occasional events are remembered so vividly that they can even remember what they were wearing and what the weather was like when they vomited.

How to overcome fear of vomiting?

Some doctors suggest the use of sedatives and antidepressants for treatment, while some doctors believe that gastrointestinal medications are also effective. Some doctors are against using medication, fearing that it will make patients feel sick. However, some doctors prescribe emetics to patients to make them understand that vomiting is not a big deal. Jones believes that patients cannot prohibit their thoughts, but rather change their reactions after the thoughts appear. She suggested writing down the fear of vomiting and the actual situation on paper and comparing them. For example, worrying that vomiting will make you uncomfortable for a long time or even require hospitalization, but rational thinking will reveal that this is an exaggeration of fear and a distortion of the facts. People around patients should be sympathetic to them and understand their feelings instead of arguing with them or trying to convince them that "it's okay."

In terms of psychotherapy, Joneski recommends that patients gradually adapt to different levels of "vomiting" and eventually achieve desensitization:

1. Write or say the word "vomit" and its synonyms. 2. Try to listen to the sound of vomiting. You can find audio on the Internet or ask your family to imitate it. 3. Try to put a spoon or lollipop at the root of the tongue and slowly probe deeper. Feel a little bit of nausea, but don't induce vomiting. 4. Try to hold some soup or vinegar in your mouth and then imitate vomiting into the toilet. 5. Watch videos of vomiting, such as travelers suffering from motion sickness.