What Is Emetophobia?
You’ve probably come to this page because you’re either curious about emetophobia, you think you may have the condition or you know someone who has it. No matter what your reason is, I’m glad you’re here.
My name is Vera and I’m here to help.
So, What is Emetophobia?
Very few people have heard the term emetophobia or know what it means. The root of the word comes from the Greek words ‘etmos’, meaning to vomit and ‘phobos’, a fear. We have all been familiar with other fears, such as the fear of heights (acrophobia) or the fear of spiders (arachnophobia). But, emetophobia, that’s usually a new one to most people.
Hiding a Fear
One of the aspects of any phobia, depending on the person involved, is a desire to hide that fear from other people. No one likes to admit that they aren’t in complete control of their life. An irrational fear certainly makes one feel out of control or at least not in control.
Some people, because of their personality, don’t mind letting the world know that they have a fear, no matter how irrational or silly it may sound. But most people are in the first group in that they will do almost anything to hide that fear. As a result, they find all kinds of ways to get around the fear, often going out of their way to deny that they even have a fear.
Emetophobia certainly does qualify as something you would want to protect from general knowledge, doesn’t it?
Another aspect of any phobia is its irrationality. It might not make sense to be afraid of vomiting, but it is still a very strong fear.
Now that we know, at least at a basic level, what emetophobia is, let’s take a closer look at it.
Aspects of Emetophobia
There are various ways that emetophobia is represented. You may be afraid of the act of vomiting, or of seeing the actual result of vomiting, or of simply feeling nauseated. Your concern may be not so much about yourself but of seeing or hearing another person vomit.
As I discussed earlier in this article, people with the fear of vomiting will go to great lengths to hide and/or avoid the act of vomiting or the sight of vomit.
If you are the type of person who enjoys going to social gatherings where alcohol is normally served, you are probably pretty familiar with the fact that other people who attend such gatherings may drink too much. One of the possible results of over-indulging in alcohol is vomiting. So, how do you think that would affect your enjoyment of that party? To put it mildly, you would want to avoid that type of situation at all costs. This would cause you to stay away from bars, parties, Christmas gatherings, even family dinners where liquor is served. A major downer for your social life.
Even though 1/3 of all pregnant women never have morning sickness, a woman who is considering getting pregnant may have second thoughts about it because she is afraid that she will fall into the other 2/3 of the group which does have some form of morning sickness. This could cause a great deal of anxiety if she really wants to have a child. As if she isn’t already quite anxious about her vomiting phobia.
Career Choice
Another area where emetophobia could have a major impact is in the choice of a career. One of the requirements for a career in the health field is a sincere desire to help other people.
Imagine that you are a caring person who would be a wonderful doctor or nurse if only you didn’t have this fear of seeing another person vomiting. Because, let’s face it, the people who come to see a health professional are often sick, and although it’s unlikely that they would vomit while they are with you, there is an outside chance that it could happen.
At this point you should have a good idea what emetophobia is and how it can adversely affect a person’s life.
To read more about emetophobia, see my article, Is There a Cure For Emetophobia?
Additionally, for an in-depth review of the Emetophobia Recovery System, see my article, Emetophobia Recovery System Review.
Be sure to check out my Emetophobia Video.
