Read About Emetophobia And - Can It Be Treated?

Emetophobia, which is also known by the simpler name fear of vomiting is a word which is derived from the Greek word emesis, which means vomiting, and the word phobia - irrational fear. . It is a very little-known phobia, but one of the most common - according to one UK website it is the 5th most common phobia in the world..

Many emetophobia sufferers stay quiet about it because they're embarrassed over it, so that's why there is so little publicity about it. This makes finding good treatment harder as well. It is indeed a disorder with grave consequences, because with other phobias it is normally possible to avoid the object that the fear is directed at. When you're afraid of air planes, you can take the car instead.

But with emetophobia the problem is serious because there is no where to escape - you are, essentially, afraid of yourself. Some people have tried, but it really is not possible to run away from yourself, which means an ever-present fear. Life really is tougher for emetophobia sufferers, and they have a higher risk for depression and anxieties.

What causes one to suffer from this condition? The emetophobic individual usually has had a traumatic bout of vomiting when young or witnessed one, and this created a lasting impression. Many times the child's parents have also played a considerable role, i.e. by causing the child to feel excessive guilt.

People who suffer from emetophobia very commonly share many similarities. Some examples would be not eating so-called "unsafe" food, not travelling or limiting travel, even in a car, abstaining from alcohol, and so on. Other fears include being afraid of eating in public or simply anywhere where the individual cannot control how the food is prepared.

Another accompanying fear is the fear of people who are sick. This should be a good hint at what causes this phobia and could help along in developing treatment for this condition.

There have been very little studies done so not much can be conclusively said. Science has not given any certain explanation to the causes behind this fear. People who are themselves suffering from emetophobia probably can make an educated guess into why they are phobic.

There have been attempts at curing fear of vomiting, and some of them are more effective than others. Hypnosis has been claimed to work, as well as cognitive behaviour therapy - which basically is about learning to take control over your thoughts and redirect them.