Definition of Emetophobia

Emetophobia is the irrational and intense fear of vomiting. It causes anxiety when one is exposed to vomiting. It may include fear of seeing vomit, fear of vomiting in public, fear of being nauseated or fear of watching other people vomit. Individuals with emetophobia may experience fear to one, some or all of these occurrences. Emetophobia comes from the Greek word “emein” and “phobos” meaning vomit and fear. Emetophobia is considered one of the most common types of phobias; however, there is only limited research on it.

Fear of Vomiting

Aside from the actual sight of vomiting, people may also have intense fear when they hear that someone feels like vomiting or has vomited. Phobias, by definition, are always illogical, but to the person, it is always very real and present. All kinds of people may experience emetophobia. Children, adolescents and adults alike may suffer the psychological condition.

The most imminent effect of emetophobia is hiding the presence of the condition. This is because the sufferer does not wish other people to think that they are not in control of their lives. The irrational fear is recognized by the person, but they still feel that it is very real in the moment.

Symptoms and Signs of Emetophobia

Symptoms of emetophobia may include:

• Intense fear of vomiting
• Fear of becoming nauseated
• Fear of seeing someone vomit
• Fear of seeing a vomitus
• Fear of hearing that others are nauseated
• Fear of hearing that someone has just vomited

Once the person is exposed to any of these elements, it results in behavioral as well as physical manifestations due to the sympathetic stimulation. These include:

• Diaphoresis

People with emetophobia, who are exposed to their fears may manifest diaphoresis or intense perspiration.

• Palpitations or tachycardia

The sympathetic nervous system is also stimulated because of the fight or flight reaction to witnessing or experiencing vomiting. As a result, all the vital signs are increased including a fast heart rate.

• Nervousness and shakiness

The phobia may also result in an increase of firing of brain signals to the rest of the body, leading to tremors.

• Increased rate and depth of breathing

The breathing is also fast and may result in hypocapnea.

• Increased blood pressure

Patients may also experience temporary elevation of blood pressure that usually subsides once the object of fear is removed.

• Flushing and feeling warm

There will also be flushing and feeling warm, followed by a feeling of cool perspiration.

• Increase sensitivity to stimulation
• Mania or depression
• Intense feeling of dysphoria

There may be intense feeling that you are out of control of your life.

The manifestations usually last until the psychological sight of vomiting is removed. Patients may continue to have recurring thoughts about the situation.

Causes of Emetophobia

The causes of emetophobia are vast. One study by a doctor at Harvard Medical School has seen other mental disabilities in people with emetophobia. Children usually have a history of hand-mouthing, self-stimulatory and ruminative vomiting.

Other studies also indicate that people with emetophobia have internal locus of control. The locus of control refers to the perception of the origin of control. Internal locus of control refers to the feeling a person has over control of things. On the other hand, external locus of control refers to the perception that things are out of their control.

Other individuals also reported history of observing someone with severe bouts of vomiting, such as among pregnant women, sick individuals and those who are alcoholics. Some may also have a history of severe vomiting during childhood.

Impact to Society

People with emetophobia usually experience irrational fear of vomiting, which makes them need to hide the presence of their phobia. Society may see these people as being irrational without knowing the course of the phobia. People sometimes withdraw themselves or other people will avoid interacting with those suffering emetophobia because they see it as a mental challenge.

Society also provides a lot of triggers for the phobia as vomiting is a normal part of human biology. Because it is a usual occurrence one that cannot be forseen or prevented at time, people with emetophobia may have impaired socializations and functioning.

Effects on life

Recent studies have shown that people with emetophobia fail to have comfort living their lives. They may have intense avoidance of things that may precipitate vomit, such as being with children, attending social gatherings (alcohol is usually served), and even becoming pregnant. Occupations that involve frequent travelling may also be avoided due to motion sickness.

Regarding pregnancy, women with emetophobia usually delay pregnancy or just simply avoid pregnancy because of fear of morning sickness during the initial months of pregnancy. As a result, women may have persistent fear especially when morning sickness is severe. Women are predisposed to miscarriage and pregnancy complications as a result of the high levels of anxiety.

People may also face problems regarding their meals. They tend to be cautious when it comes to what they eat in order to prevent sickness that may lead to vomiting. They also tend to be underweight due to the strictness of their diet. The underlying anxiety can also develop into anorexia nervosa.

Treatment of Emetophobia

There is no specific treatment for phobias, but several managements can be done to limit the negative reactions to vomiting as well as reduce the anxiety attacks. Managements include:

1. Medications

Effective medications can be administered such as antidepressants and anxiolytic drugs, such as benzodiazepines. Medications that relieve gastrointestinal symptoms, such as antiemetics may also be given. However, certain individuals also avoid taking medications because they fear that the pills may cause nausea and vomiting as a side-effect.

2. Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy may help patients cope with their phobia and allow for relaxation and diversion activity.

3. Desensitization

Desensitization is an exposure therapy that involves the exposing the person to the phobia itself in increasing intensity and frequency until the person overcomes the fear. It may start as a simple film viewing of a person vomiting and progress to exposing the person to an actual person vomiting. However, surveys with people having emetophobia reveal that they are reluctant to undergo the therapy as they are skeptical of its effectiveness.

Definition of Arachnophobia

Arachnophobia is a specific phobia, namely, fear of spiders, . The sufferer is called an arachnophobe. The condition is considered as a phobia when the person cannot complete his or her daily activities due to the thought of having spiders within contact or reach.

This fear, which is basically considered to be an abnormal fear of spiders, becomes alarming as the effects become intense. It has been noted that people who suffer from arachnophobia will show great repulsion to spiders.

According to epidemiological reports, most sufferers of arachnophobia are women. About 50 percent of women are affected, and 10 percent of men also suffer. It is normal to fear spiders when a situation presents itself. Every day, we see people who fear spiders but that feeling does not alter their daily work nor does it make them halt life due to the fear.

Symptoms of Arachnophobia

A person can become irrational when it comes to fear, but the individual can overcome fear when he or she is willing or able to control his or her feelings and thoughts. It is considered to be an abnormal fear when manifestations of arachnophobia are identified:

• The sight of a spider can cause the sufferer to panic. Running away from the stimulant can be observed. There are also instances where the person is stunned to do anything once a spider is in sight.

Picture  – Panic attack after seeing a spider as a sign of arachnophobia

• The sufferer will likely avoid situations in which he or she may be confronted by a spiders. His or her first impulse is to be away from spiders. Killing the spider is a hard task for them.
• The sight of spiders can induce excessive sweating, cold, clammy skin, increased breathing, lightheadedness, and increased heart rate. These are signs of panic.

Effects on Life

Arachnophobia has a great impact on life. This condition can alter a person’s regular daily activities. There are a number of life situations that become affected once the fear sinks in. Performance at work can also be affected as the fear has been simulated during work.

Arachnophobes generally becomes agitated when it comes to spiders. The sight of them makes them twinge, possibly causing social stigma in some cases. There is also a possibility that those who suffer from arachnophobia becomes unaware that the fear is greatly affecting his or her daily living.

Causes of Arachnophobia

Arachnophobia has been known as a behavioral condition that is presented with a number of causes or possible roots. However, it has been noted that this condition is due to an unknown cause. There are a number of precipitating factors that are associated with the condition, and these include the following:

• Negative experience with a spider can generate the cause of fear. It becomes untoward and results in such because the experience may be traumatic.
• A childhood encounter with a spider, even if the situation is not that traumatizing, can result in fear. For instance, when elders introduce spiders as generally harmful insects to a child, this subjective perception triggered by misinformation can be carried on for many years, creating a fear out of it.
  
• Lack of information is also a possible cause. Belief is a great force for someone to continue to think negatively about something. The fear of spiders can be caused by knowing little facts about spiders.

Treatment of Arachnophobia

Treatment for arachnophobia is aimed at alleviating the symptoms of fear and possible resolving the phobia by determining the root cause of the condition. There are a number of proposed treatment remedies for arachnophobia.

• Medical treatment. This includes the use of medications that can assist in the reduction of anxiety. The known medications are anxiolytics which can relieve the fear at the moment of the attack.
• Psychotherapy. This is a common treatment for phobias which is usually done along with medical treatment. The treatment course includes inducing the fear and providing ways to deal with the fear of spiders. The conjunction of both therapies allow the treatment course to produce desirable results.
• Homeopathic treatment. This is believed to be a natural treatment for phobias which include herbal medications and supplements that are organized by a known expert or specialist.

• Systemic desensitization. This is widely common in the field of phobias. This treatment course  focuses on the condition of the mind and body. The technique includes the principles which summarize classical conditioning. Presenting the feared object (spider) to the patient in a manner employed in behavioral therapy can somehow help the patient gradually face the fear rather than avert from it. This then helps a person overcome the fear. Systemic desensitization can also include relaxation techniques which are very helpful in the process. Deep breathing exercises are taught to arachnophobes. Muscle relaxation techniques, which are included in the process help reduce tension build-up in the body once the stimulant is present. In order to reduce stress, visualization techniques are provided, helping the person advance his or her state of mental relaxation.

Know that fear can impede life’s activities. It is best treated when a person is willing to accept that the fear of spiders has become an irrational mind set form. From this altered attitude, the person will thus have an easier time to overcome this condition.