I think the reason people fear vomiting is because of what happens to the mouth when one vomits. If you could somehow take the mouth out of the process, then emetophobia would be greatly reduced.

I have done surveys of emets that prove this point. The question I ask is, "How much would you fear vomiting if, instead of your mouth, the vomit came out a special orifice, like in your chest?" In such a survey on IES in 2006, 17.5 percent said that in those circumstances, they would not fear vomiting at all, and another 40 percent said they would fear it less than they do now. 43.5 percent said their fear would be the same. Not one said they would fear vomiting more.

The survey and its accompanying discussion are here:
http://www.emetophobia.org/forum/for...s.asp?TID=8633

Obviously, we will not see such an orifice developed for us to throw up through, but the question is still incisive because it illustrates the importance of the role of the mouth in vomiting for the emet.

Doug

P.S. Ia2006 - All three times I remember vomiting, most recently 33 1/3 years ago, it was only one time each, and it has not made me any less of an emet.