Emetophobia is the fear of vomiting or watching others vomit. For some, even anticipating vomiting can lead to them feeling anxious and panicky.
The treatment for emetophobia is different to other phobias, it can’t be done in simply a few sessions like other phobias.
Other phobias cause fear and panic but normally only when people come into contact with the thing or situation that causes their fear such as spiders, dentists, getting on a plane.
Emetophobia can feel so complex as the fear and anxiety is continuous. It can be debilitating seriously impacting the way people lead their life. Often people find they are nervous about seeking medical help as they don’t like being around anyone who is sick or might be sick. People often refuse to go to pubs, clubs and out and about. They are nervous of eating all or some foods in case they make them sick.
When the phobia is really intense, it can really impact everyday life. Normal things like eating out, travelling, visiting friends or family, attending medical appointments are all seen as potential issues. This can lead to intense anxiety and panic disorders, sometimes leading to depression, and in severe cases agoraphobia, OCD and social phobias.
Hypnotherapy can help by first of all starting to reduce the anxiety, by helping to ease the fear response back to normal levels. I don’t go back and analyse why this fear has developed. We look for small steps to help the client move forward (even before we do hypnosis). As it’s a complex condition, it can take a period of time to resolve this issue. Working on a weekly basis, clients begin to notice that their general stress levels start to subside and the anxiety about vomiting will lessen until finally it’s no longer a worry.
Please get in touch if a fear of vomiting is ruling your daily life. It’s a debilitating phobia and can be helped by hypnotherapy. I’m always happy to have a quick chat over the phone. My initial consultation is free and online so you don’t need to commit until you’ve met me and heard about how I can help.