How to Get Over It: Fear of Vomiting
This week, Real World Health Care provides information on the fear of vomit by sharing an article originally published by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. We encourage you to visit the ADAA blog to read or take part in the lively commentary discussion that follows the original post for additional insights.
Editor’s Note: Nausea and vomiting are two common side-effects of chemotherapy. Even if cancer patients don’t experience these side-effects as part of their treatment, the threat looms large, which can have a significant impact on one’s quality of life.
Ken Goodman, LCSW, Clinical Fellow, Anxiety and Depression Association of America
If you have a fear of vomiting, just reading the title of this article might make you a bit queasy. The mere mention of the “V word” might send you into a state of anxiety. If you can relate, I encourage you to press on despite your worry, so you can take the first steps to overcoming it.
Emetophobia?
No one enjoys vomiting and everyone thinks it’s disgusting, but most people are not afraid of it. But if you suffer with this type of phobia (specifically known as emetophobia), you are not only repulsed by the idea of vomiting, you fear it. Many people say that the anticipation of vomiting is often worse than the act itself.
And because you don’t know when it will happen, you are constantly on guard, rearranging your life to ward off any possibility of puking.
What Causes Nausea?
Stomach discomfort and nausea can be caused by motion sickness, a stomach bug, food poisoning, excessive eating or drinking, food intolerance and…anxiety!
That’s right. Anxiety and worry can cause stomach discomfort and nausea. And if you don’t vomit when you’re anxious…you won’t!
Treatment Works
Treating vomit phobia is best accomplished through cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP). Treatment involves correcting faulty beliefs, reducing avoidance, and confronting challenging situations step-by-step. You are given tools, a new perspective, a winning mindset, and a strategy for facing your fears. Your motivation for ending your suffering is important because the therapy does take time, hard work, and courage. You must have self-discipline and determination to win. And if you do…you can beat emetophobia!
Learn more about vomit phobia.
Ken Goodman, LCSW, practices individual and group therapy in Los Angeles to help anxiety and OCD sufferers free themselves from debilitating fear. He is the producer of The Anxiety Solution Series: Your Guide to Overcoming Panic, Worry, Compulsions and Fear, a step-by-step self-help audio program. Visit his website.
Now available – Ken Goodman hosts an ADAA webinar on “Overcoming the Fear of Vomiting.” Watch the video on ADAA’s YouTube channel.
A Message from Our Sponsor:
As the founding sponsor of Real World Health Care, the HealthWell Foundation is committed to helping patients get the medical treatments they need, regardless of their ability to pay. We’ve seen first-hand how financial distress can impact the health and lives of individuals and families. Cancer patients with behavioral health conditions are particularly hard hit; according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), patients with some forms of cancer incur $8,000 more per year in health care costs than cancer patients without behavioral health conditions.
In keeping with our mission, we are pleased to announce the introduction of a new Cancer-Related Behavioral Health Fund, specifically for treatment-related behavioral health issues in cancer. The Fund will provide financial assistance to individuals with a diagnosis of cancer to help with cost-shares (deductibles, coinsurances and copayments) for covered services rendered by behavioral health providers (psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical counselors, and licensed social workers).
We invite readers of Real World Health Care to learn more about this new Fund and how you can support it by visiting www.HealthWellFoundation.org.