Fear of Vomiting, Extreme :(

Please consider getting an evaluation by a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Medication can be very helpful in anxiety/phobic disorders. Psychotherapy with medication gives the best results.

A little about me : A child and adolescent psychiatrist in practice 15 years in Palo Alto. Married 22 years; 20 yo son, 14 yo daughter.

While you find her some professional help (which will do wonders I am sure), tell her that if she feels sick she can put a pck of frozen peas (or wahtever) on her stomach and that will stop the nausea. It is actually true and it's a old trick a nurse told me about when I was prego. It works!! For now, it deosn't matter wether or not she really feels sick, she's going to feel safer having this option "in case" she gets sick, it'll calm her down. Good luck.

I'm sorry you are going thru this. Both of my kids rarely get sick and litteraly have not throw up since they were babies. My 11 yo daughter is freaked out by the thought of anyone throwing up, let alone if she actually saw someone, I don't know what would happen! My 8 yo son too is a little spooked by it. I'm not sure where this came from and only learned about it a few years ago when we were all joking around and I started making fake throw up noises and they both freaked out. I know they both have a hereditary gag reflex that their dad has. Some sights and smells make them gag easily. I'm sure this didn't help but thought I would share that my 2 have this a little too...not as extreme as yours though. I hope you find something that will help her!!!

Wow. I'd try to interview some child psychologists in your area and find one that sounds suitable for this. You do need to nip it in the bud. Good luck. You dont want a phobia to turn into something that changes her quality of life. Phobias are curable. Get her in to see someone that can convince her that her fear is not rational.

I, too, have a daughter who is deathly afraid of vomit - though her obsession is being around somebody else who's throwing up, not so much herself (she doesn't seem to worry about that anyway). I think it started when her younger brother threw up next to her in our van and I couldn't pull over right away. She felt trapped and of course it smelled so bad. She's never gotten over it.

My daughter is sensitive in general, sounds kind of like your daughter. The thing that has helped the most was when we were given a book called "Potatoes Not Prozac". I came to realize that my daughter's brain chemistry was out of whack, and some simple dietary changes made an ENORMOUS difference. She's still afraid of things (like somebody vomiting near her) but those fears don't rule her life anymore.

It would be very simple for you to try the changes in her diet and see if it helped. Just giving her something like a protein shake first thing in the morning could make a huge difference in her behavior. You can go to www.radiantrecovery.com to see if the symptoms fit your daughter.

Good luck!

Hi T.,

I know the feeling. I hated vomiting also and always used to get the flu as a young girl. I no longer get the flu. I would put her on a lactoferrin it is a powerful prebiotic with probiotic and get her in a healthy environment to help her body get stronger. If you want info on what to start her on towards a healthier environment email me and I will educate you.

Hang in there.

N. Marie
____@____.com

I have a cousin with OCD, and reading about your daughter reminds me a lot of my cousin's behavior when we were kids. Is it possible she has OCD, and has sort of fixated on vomiting/germs? If so, they can actually prescribe medication for OCD - my cousin is on Paxil (I think) and has been for a long time. He's not nearly so obsessive about things now. I mean, he is still very, very clean and orderly, but he is able to live a normal and enjoyable life.

I hope you find an answer... that must be really hard for both of you.

Phobias need to be addressed through ongoing counseling with a qualified professional. They are complex and require someone with experience to help you and your daughter work through this.

Hi T.,
This is a tough one. I have had a vomit phobia myself since I was a very small child. It is difficult to completely erase (I still have it) but it can be managed. Vomit phobia is officially known as emetophobia and you can find a therapist who has experience with treating it at www.emetophobia.org.

I have also used a lot of self-hypnosis and guided meditation CD's to help me relax. Relaxation is critical - you can't be afraid and relaxed at the same time. Once you teach the brain to relax it helps let go of the fear a bit. On the other hand, thinking the thoughts over and over again programs them more deeply into the brain. Two CD's I recommend are Relieve Anxiety by Dr. Steven Gurgevich and Fear of Vomiting Self Hypnosis (available at http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com/fears-phobias/emetophobia).

I agree with the suggestion to look at diet; however, I actually am a nutrition consultant and obviously it hasn't solved my problem (much as I love nutrition, phobias are generally very complex). There is no magic bullet solution. I would definitely eliminate sugar, trans fats and processed foods. Getting adequate protein is key because the brain's neurotransmitters are made from protein and in most phobias the brain chemistry is out of whack in some way. A wonderful book that looks at anxiety and phobias from a holistic perspective (and gives tons of nutritional suggestions) is The Chemistry of Calm by Henry Emmons.

As far as supporting her, try to find out what the real specific fear is and reassure her that you will be there with her every step of the way. This phobia is a very lonely one and knowing she's got you on her side will really help. Don't try to tell her the fear is irrational. She knows that. It's hard to describe if you haven't lived it, but the fear itself feels very uncontrollable and for me, it's something I'm ashamed of and so don't share with anyone other than my husband and therapist.

Good luck to you and if you find a cure, please let me know! I wrestle with this every day of my life. I try to keep a sense of humor about it; some days it's easier than others.

This is a random thought....... regression therapy.