Emetophobia is the name of a condition for people who are afraid of vomiting, fear the vomit itself, or those near them who may be vomiting. It afflicts millions of people around the world and can cause a lot of stress to those who suffer from it.

To be honest, most people are afraid of vomiting, at least in certain circumstances such as in public areas, on a plane, etc. People feel they’ll be embarrassed, be judged by others or make a mess of themselves. These fears are relatively common and rational. However, some folks seriously suffer from emetophobia whether in public or at home alone. It can even be severe enough to where people are afraid to eat in public in case some situation caused for them to want to vomit. For some, it could lead to panic attacks which only adds more stress to the afflicted.

Emetophobia is technically an anxiety disorder and will affect different people at different levels of severity. If your emetophobia is taking over your life to the point you are acting irrationally or out of character, it might be time to consult a doctor, psychologist, or hypnotherapist. There is no shame in seeking help because the alternative would be to suffer in silence and your condition can become worse over time.

The good news is emetophobia can be treated and controlled. Whether you completely eradicate emetophobia or simply control it, you owe it to yourself to get your life back on track and conquer your phobia once and for all.