Talk:Emetophobia

Old talk

Unfortunately I have emetophobia, and I'll have to say what's said on this page is true. How else can you cite those words unless someone who has it says so? I have before gone extrodinary lengths to avoid seeing someone puke, like the time I jumped out of a moving car when someone mentioned being carsick. And yes I do know how to stop myself from puking, especially in public. I never have before, never will. (I just thought saying this might let all you who are a bit unsure about that page's uncited resorces that its true.) - - -

Why are the articles about typical behaviour and how it is caused being deleted? Give me a reason? JFBurton 12:57, 23 January 2007 (UTC)

Why do you think? It says right at the top of this article's page. I think the info is great, but you need some references and whatnot. Ringwall 11:41, 15 February 2007

Too out the word "irrational" from the first sentence because that is the opinion of those who do not have emetophoia.

          Well, a "phobia" is an irrational fear. It's a definition, not an opinion. Captain, my captain (talk) 09:59, 8 September 2009 (UTC)

I have it too. --Rory666 10:18, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Recent addition

A recent text was added by the same person who added the book link. However the style of text is rather informal, therefore I'd like someone to double check with the book whether the addition is based on the book, so I placed the "citatione needed" tag. `'Míkka 18:00, 7 August 2007 (UTC)

I am also a sufferer and until recently thought I was the only one. I have also learnt that this phobia commonly arises through a childhood experience, for example when a child is young amd they vomit they may remember their parents shouting at them so they then think being sick is wrong and will not want to do it again. Also if after the child has been sick and looks up to see surrounding peoples disgusted faces this also makes the child associate sick with disgust and a feeling of guilt. This fear will then manifest itself and over several years will become worse when it can start to make the person feel afraid of any public place where they might indeed vomit. I have been able to control the panic attacks until recently and now the fear effects my every day life, I can only eat in resturaunts if I am close to an exit or a toilet and only eat when I pay before I eat, this way I can ensure I can get up and leave if I feel sick at all. LMRigg 19:42, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

You're not alone. This disorder is much, much more common than is realized. I think the problem is the ridicule sufferers experience at the hands of people who think it is no big deal to vomit. It literally consumes my every waking moment and is the source of so much anxiety sometimes I can barely function. I begin having panic attacks if I cannot sit on the outside seat in a group situation such as in a theater or restaurant. The irony I guess is that I haven't actually vomited in over 20 years, heh. Many emetophobes seek release by forcing themselves to vomit to "face the fear" using ipecac, which actually reinforces the situation because the experience is so terrible. And those like myself would never, ever do that. Although I recognize the fear as being debilitating I do not consider it irrational. I will go to my death without throwing up if I can help it. :) Anyway, you're not the only one by far. Good luck! Rov4416444 08:03, 11 November 2007 (UTC)

I have emetophobia and I am not comfortable with the way it is represented in this article. While there may be many people who are mainly afraid of the public embarrassment associated with vomiting, there are many others whose fear is more specifically about the act itself. I am not afraid of vomiting in public. I remember what vomiting feels like, and I am more afraid of the act itself than anything else associated with it. Therefore, the section about loss of control more accurately describes my phobia. The worst part about the phobia is the anxiety I experience when I think I have been exposed to Norovirus--the anticipation that I could begin to feel nausea and lose control of my body at any moment. I cannot relate to cases like "Loni's" at all, and feel it may convey the wrong message to readers trying to understand the mind of an emetophobe. The article should be revised to better describe the type of emetophobia related to loss of control rather than that related to public embarrassment.

One other note for fellow sufferers: someone edited this article to remove the word "irrational" from the description of emetophobia. I appreciate that very much! Any non-emetophobe who has vomited recently, or who remembers a particularly bad case of Norovirus, is afraid of vomiting again, and this is completely rational, because vomiting is a terrible, scary thing! I have also been ridiculed for saying this, but I really believe that the difference between emetophobes and non-emetophobes is just that we have more accurate memories of what vomiting actually feels like.18.100.0.103 (talk) 00:14, 9 January 2009 (UTC)jadasmith

Phobias, by definition, are irrational. Furthermore, you are wrong when you say that "any non-emetophobe who has vomited recently, or who remembers a particularly bad case of Norovirus, is afraid of vomiting again." The vast majority of people would definitely agree that vomiting is unpleasant and would prefer to avoid it, but most would not agree that it is a "terrible, scary thing." Most people are not afraid of vomiting, regardless of how recently they have vomited or how well they remember it. 24.131.148.6 (talk) 10:19, 10 January 2009 (UTC)

I should add, however, that I am in no way trying to belittle or ridicule your problem. I have phobias, as well, and understand how difficult and terrifying they can be. I do, however, realize that even if there is a rational basis for the fear, it is taken to a level that is irrational. 24.131.148.6 (talk) 10:22, 10 January 2009 (UTC)

Okay, that's true. I was confusing irrational fear with avoidance of something that is unpleasant. But I do think it's reasonable to say that people tend to forget how unpleasant nausea and vomiting really are. If you talk to someone who has recently had "the stomach flu" the language they use is almost always much more dramatic than what someone might use to describe a case of the common cold. The Norovirus is also a huge inconvenience and burden on society: between the number of days missed at work due to the employee illness plus the number of days lost caring for sick children, a lot of productivity is lost. You can still travel and go to work when you have the common cold, but if you are at risk for vomiting or a bout of diarrhea, you simply cannot be in public. I'm surprised that in light of these things, more emphasis has not been placed on developing a vaccine and spreading awareness and information about prevention. This doesn't make my fear of the act itself any more rational--but I do think it's rational to be a little more concerned than the average person about the spread of Norovirus!

That was a tangent. The point is: you're right, the fear is irrational. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 18.100.0.108 (talk) 06:32, 13 January 2009 (UTC)

Basic Question

To avoid being in the presence of vomit, or to be severely impacted by its presence, seems quite different from being frightened of vomiting, since the consequences of vomiting can be fatal. I, for one, have felt, in the relatively few times I have vomited in my life, that I was in danger of drowning during the act, and that the unusual muscular actions in my thorax associated with eminent vomiting may be due to a cause severe enough to portend my eminent death.

Is there any sort of distinction between the two foci for the fear of vomiting which might be clarified in the page?

Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.102.5.229 (talk) 01:27, 28 January 2009 (UTC)

Moved here from article

"I really wish they could find a cure, having this phobia is horrible :(-Hannah" 80.220.41.120 (talk) 17:10, 19 April 2009 (UTC)

I wish they'd find a cure too.. I'm legit freaking out cuz my boyfriend's daughters sick today and her mom says that when we dropped her off at her house she played with a little boy that later on ended up sick and we picked his daughter back up from her mom's the same day and she is now Ill today Harleydavidsonhansell (talk) 17:29, 17 October 2017 (UTC)

"citation" seems weak

The "most common phobias" link is to a sales page for a self-help system, and doesn't provide any evidence. I recommend removing the citation, and the claim it's linked to, unless a more reliable source can be found.

For example, the cited source conflicts with all but a few on this: http://psychology.about.com/od/phobias/p/commonphobias.htm

In fact, I removed it. After doing some preliminary research, I'm convinced the "citation" was targeted spam, and of no reference value. We should find a replacement, but having that in the article was detrimental.

I have found replacement sources for the statement, up to you really if you think they are better!! Ajpralston1 (talk) 23:42, 19 September 2009 (UTC)

Other reasons for the phobia?

I personally find vomiting painful in the stomach area, and also I find, unsurprisingly, the fresh vomit to be extremely nauseating.

This leads me to avoid vomiting whenever possible. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.27.125.233 (talk) 06:40, 15 January 2011 (UTC)

Online Research

Is the plug for the University study really notable/necessary? Reads like marketing... --Gigitrix (talk) 18:36, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

Copyright problem removed

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Assessment

"The thrive program treatment is very effective on curing this fear."

Doesn't this line require some form of citation? 90.149.57.78 (talk) 19:11, 13 October 2014 (UTC)TASan

No citation on the efficacy, and doesn't direct a reader/editor to the specific treatment program being discussed (or information about it. It should be deleted. (edit: thanks sign bot, I forgot to sign)Desertlax (talk) 17:17, 5 December 2014 (UTC)

"Literally save...life"

Removed the following unsourced content from introduction:

Given the fact that there are situations when this phobia and the phobic person's inherent "instinct" to escape and avoid that situation, this phobia

could literally save that person's life by instinctively causing the phobic person to run away from an impending "plague" type situation, even

intentionally avoiding an encampment where Ebola and other viruses are present, which just might be enough of an avoidance behavior to prevent that

person from becoming ill or contracting a highly contagious, life-threatening virus through direct contact with others who are infected with the

virus. Norovirus and related food borne viruses and bacteria are other situations the phobic person would avoid, if possible.

Seems doubtful on its face, given that by their nature phobias are *excessive and irrational* and unlikely to actually keep one safe from harm. This would be akin to someone claiming that fear of spiders saves lives because you don't get poisoned. --♜♞ parrotz1461 ^talk ♞♜ 06:08, 24 January 2017 (UTC)

Not funny

This is very serious don’t take it lightly 2603:6080:2701:ADB1:344E:D04E:B34D:C95C (talk) 09:49, 2 January 2022 (UTC)

Etymology section

There's a few sentences about the causes of this phobia that are unrelated to the etymology. These should be incorporated into the causes section, preferably by someone more knowledgeable than me! Ezeva (talk) 20:11, 22 January 2022 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Composition I - Writing Wikipedia

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 17 January 2023 and 1 May 2023. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Mmg0023 (article contribs). Peer reviewers: Doyouwannaplayagame.

— Assignment last updated by DarthVetter (talk) 13:46, 23 March 2023 (UTC)