Trigger Warning: This article mentions emetophobia and anxiety.
*Please note that no advice in this article is by any means medical advice. Serious treatment should be consulted by medical professionals and any life-threatening situations should be handled by calling 911.
For as long as I can remember, I have been petrified of vomit. I can count on one hand how many times I have puked in my life and I dread the time it will happen next. The most significant trigger I can link to this was when I was seven years old and someone threw up next to me on a plane ride. I’ll probably never forget that day, that moment, and the overwhelming fear that engulfed me for weeks after.
Having emetophobia doesn’t just mean that someone is merely “grossed out” by puke. Those who suffer from emetophobia experience symptoms such as anxiety, panic, tachycardia, dizziness, and more. As Cleveland Clinic explains, “If you have emetophobia, you’re constantly worried about vomiting and it can take over your thoughts. This fear impacts your life beyond just feeling afraid.” In extreme cases, emetophobia can develop into other issues like eating disorders (anorexia nervosa or avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder), depression, and anxiety. After receiving help through resources like my primary physician and therapy, I have been able to manage both. However, anxiety and emetophobia still cause issues that I have to work through every day.
Coming to Amherst as a freshman from a city outside of Boston, I knew it would be a new and slightly terrifying adjustment for me. My first weekend in Amherst, I already encountered a person vomiting on the side of the road and my best friend swiftly covered my eyes. To my surprise, my reaction was not as bad as anticipated. Sure, it grossed me out and shook me up a little, but I did not let it ruin my night.
Reflecting on my growth now, I would have never reacted this way during my sophomore year of high school. It made me proud and relaxed to know that this fear is manageable, as long as you work through your emotions and thoughts. Below are my favorite tips and tricks to help work through my anxiety and emetophobia.
- Breathing Exercises
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Breathing exercises used to make me skeptical; they felt like something so simple could have no way in helping my oncoming nerves. After doing more research, I found online resources to help find the best breathing exercises for my situation.
Breathwrk.com is my favorite. It’s an accessible app that offers guided meditation classes, visual simulations, vibrations, and a variety of breathing exercises to choose from. While there is a premium version with more features, the free version is a perfect and easy way to incorporate mindfulness and breathing exercises into your routine.
The app’s aim is to engage and ground you from stressful situations, like being exposed to vomit or feeling like you may vomit. It helps me to easily pull myself from the situation and engage in a quick three minute exercise!
- inform your friends/check in on your friends
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Emetophobia can be hard for some people to understand. Someone’s emetophobia may be so bad that it can be triggered by something as small as seeing a video of someone puking. When I told my friends about my emetophobia, they could not have been more supportive. They immediately understood if I wasn’t up for dinner or if I didn’t want to go out on a Friday night. When we do go out, they are there to shield me from any triggering situation, by guarding my eyes from anyone puking on the side walk or distracting me by making me laugh. Telling friends about my emetophobia helped me to relieve extra stress, especially on a bustling campus like UMass; I found that it is truly crucial to have a reliable support system.
- Sensory toys & stickers
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We’ve come a long way from the fidget spinners of 2017. Today, there are much sleeker, enjoyable options to keep nervous hands busy. I love this variety pack of sensory stickers because it features breathing exercise stickers! They can easily be placed somewhere accessible like your phone case, laptop, and notebook. The bumpy 3D texture is a perfect way to distract yourself from a situation where you may feel nauseous. Picky Pads have also gone viral as an alternative for people that anxiously pick on their skin. For smaller fidget toys that can be discrete in class, try a fidget ring! The options are endless online, so see which method works best for you!
- Have A Plan
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One of the scariest traits about puking is its unpredictability. You can never know when you or someone around you will upchuck their dinner. Not having a plan can make your nerves elevated and frantic when the time comes. The most important thing is to remain calm and be safe.
I like to look at all my exits when I enter a new building just in case I have to make an escape. In addition to that, I always like knowing where the nearest trash can is. Ask yourself important questions in unfamiliar scenarios. Do you have someone you trust around you? Have you eaten and drank enough water before you go out? Do you know how to get home safely?
- Seeking professional resources
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It is crucial to remain honest with yourself and know the available resources around you. Emetophobia can lead to other serious issues like eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. It is important to recognize how emetophobia may impact your life. Thankfully, companies like BetterHelp and Talkspace have made online-counseling more accessible to those who cannot make in-person commitments. Many campuses have a list of resources they offer, so make sure to check out your campus’ website for additional resources. Fellow Her Campus writer, Heather Sarney, details her experience with therapy in her piece, My Therapy Experience: Facetime Edition.
UMass Amherst offers a variety of support through the Center for Counseling and Psychological Help (CCPH). CCPH has a 24/7 emergency services hotline, individual therapy, specialty services, and many more programs to help you on campus. Looking for a more casual form of therapy? The Stonewall Center hosts Therapy Dog Hour every Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., open to all students!
While navigating transitions and obstacles on campus, emetophobia is just one extra thing to worry about. Through these tips, tricks, and resources I hope to spread more awareness on the phobia and find more ways to combat the stresses it brings.
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