Emetophobia
Emetophobia is the fear of vomit or vomiting. Emetophobia causes significant distress in sufferers including depression, social and professional impact, behavioral avoidance, eating avoidance, rituals, and more. People who suffer from emetophobia may live in constant anxiety avoiding food, places, smells, work, school, travel, and engage in behavior such as excessive hand washing, taking antacids, checking bathroom locations, checking for signs of illness and more.
See a complete summary of emetophobia from the Anxiety & Depression Association of America.
Emetophobia impacts an estimated 8.8% of people with 0.1% experiencing severe distress. Research shows emetophobia can be successfully treated with a variety of techniques, however, sufferers of emetophobia often don't seek treatment due to feelings of shame or fear of what is required in treatment.
Emetophobia is a particularly impactful phobia. First, vomiting is a bodily function, and there is no escaping our bodies, so sufferers of emetophobia live with their fear at every moment. Second, in this phobia nausea is both a trigger and symptom, meaning emetophobia sufferers experience a rapid and powerful negative feedback cycle. This leads to powerful trigger associations - which can include reading, saying or hearing words, images, smells, places, or anything past associated with vomiting like colors, or certain clothing.
Emetophobia is the specific fear of vomiting, your own or others. It feeds itself: anticipatory anxiety triggers nausea, the nausea confirms the fear, and avoidance (of food, travel, sick people) makes the fear bigger over time. Bia will teach you the science behind phobia and help you practice evidence-proven skills in incremental steps. Bia uses graduated exposure to stimuli (words, then images, then sensations), interoceptive exposure, and response prevention to break the avoidance and checking patterns that keep the phobia alive. You set the pace, you are in control of your recovery.
Common signs of phobia
- Anticipatory anxiety before meals or in public
- Hyper-awareness of stomach sensations
- Fear of food poisoning, pregnancy, or others being sick
- Avoidance of restaurants, travel, sick relatives, or specific foods
- Checking behaviors (looking up food, taking medication preemptively)
- Intrusive thoughts about vomiting
Our clinical approach: graduated exposure with response prevention
Recovery
Research shows, you can take your life back from phobia. The same mental process that causes phobia can be used to unlearn it. You deserve a life free of phobia.
Research shows phobia can be overcome in small, incremental steps.
Recovery with Bia
Bia's mission is to make phobia recovery accessible to all by lowering the barrier to getting started and encouraging follow through. You are in full control of the pace and order of your journey, from the comfort of you own home. With Bia, you will learn essential concepts - why phobias form and how they can be unlearned, and practice new skills in a safe environment.
If you are currently in therapy, Bia can be a great tool to help you apply your skills and track your progress. If you are not in therapy, Bia is an easy way to start on your journey and explore what is possible.
Common questions about phobia
Will I have to vomit?
No. You do not have to vomit to overcome emetophobia. Bia does not ask you to do this. There are no tricks, traps, or surprises. You are in control each step of the way. With Bia, you will learn about anxiety and practice new skills in incremental steps.
I've had emetophobia for decades. Is recovery still possible?
Yes. Research shows that recovery is possible despite decades of living with phobia. The brain is incredibly good at re-wiring with evidence, which our guided exercises will help you build.
What if my fear is specific to myself, or to others? Will this work for my specific fear?
It is very common to feel that your fear is special and treatment wont work. You will find that anxiety is less about the specific fear and more about the choices we make in response to this fear. This puts us in control of our recovery and also means we can use the same skills and techniques regardless of what specific thing we are afraid of. That said, Bia uses specially built lessons and exercises for each condition to help you build skills specific to your needs.
Can I do this if I'm pregnant or have morning sickness?
Yes. Bia includes modules specificity designed for parents and expecting parents.
Resources
Here are some other resources that might be helpful:
