The Finer Points Of Emetophobia (the Fear Of Becoming Ill)

By Trevor Johnson

Should you ever come across a comprehensive listing of all of our various human phobias and fears, you might likely come across emetophobia. This is better known to most as a fear of becoming ill. While this might describe all of us in part, since no one wants to become sick. However, for those who have this phobia, it might be very difficult to function normally.

Having this phobia alone causes the sufferer to spend much of their time anxious and tense, which can in many cases cause them to feel ill. This only serves to make matters worse. Truth be told, this goes much farther than just not wanting to get sick. It really stems into how the sufferer feels when he/she is sick.

There is likely nothing worse to the sufferer of a condition such as this than vomiting. The anxiety is really allowed to thrive based on the fear of the act of vomiting. This idea keeps them from functioning normally if they believe they will get sick or are sick. Even to the point of being in a vehicle, because their act of vomiting could distract the driver and cause and accident.

Most often this fear is generated from a very traumatic event in someone's life that focused on them being sick. An origin could even be someone else having been sick that the sufferer remembers as a terrifying experience.

You will likely need to see a psychiatrist if you were trying to overcome the phobia. The most common method of treatment results in the sufferer confronting their fears directly. This will work for many who deal with the condition, while others might have further complications fueling their condition.

I hope that you were able to learn a little more about emetophobia through this article. A fear of becoming ill is something that perhaps not a lot of folks have to deal with, but if you know someone who does, hopefully you understand the condition a little better. - 30450

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