Sick and Tired: Living with Emetophobia

Sure, nobody likes to throw up, but Emetophobia, an intense fear of vomiting, is so much more than that. It’s also a lot more common than you might think. It often begins in childhood or adolescence but doesn’t discriminate across the lifespan. 

Individuals living with this phobia may fear one or many aspects of vomiting including but not limited to: nausea or the anticipation period, the loss of control that comes with throwing up, vomiting in public, or seeing other people vomit. 

Because nausea is also a common anxiety symptom, this can create a vicious cycle. Nausea leads to anxiety, anxiety leads to worsening nausea, which causes more anxiety -- you get the point. This phobia can be debilitating, often impacts many aspects of one’s life and leads to avoidant or ritualistic behavior. 

Common Situations Often Avoided Due to Emetophobia

• Certain foods that made the person sick in the past or that they deem “unsafe” for various reasons*
• Eating out at restaurants or fast food places
• Places in which they or someone they know has gotten sick
• Riding the school bus (for adults public transport or riding as a passenger in a car)
• Public restrooms or other “germy” places
• School 
• Rollercoasters or theme parks

*In severe cases, due to food avoidance, malnutrition becomes a concern. Emetophobia often co-occurs with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Check out my blog from March 2025 about ARFID for more information.

Do you or your child constantly check expiration dates? Refuse to wear clothing they associate with feeling sick? Frequently ask you for reassurance that they aren’t sick? Excessively wash their hands? According to the Child Mind Institute “almost 50% of kids with a fear of vomiting have symptoms of OCD, a disorder in which the child develops rituals to quiet their overwhelming fears.” This is much more common with Emetophobia than say, a fear of spiders. 

At A Little OCD Treatment Center, we’re ready to help you or your child lessen the grip Emetophobia has on your life. We know it takes guts to face this fear, but if you’re sick and tired of dealing with it, reaching out is the first step.