Psychiatrist has never Heard of Emet!

[Jill in Apartment 413]

My psychiatrist has never heard of emetophobia! I had to explain it to her and link her to some info online....but is that weird? Is it possible that a psychiatrist wouldn't know about emetophobia? I mean I guess it is because my doctor doesn't but she's very understanding and lets me explain things to her. Though I am almost to the point of overcoming it, I still have my panic attacks and she is VERY good with helping me. She prescribed me sedatives and anti-emetics (She is taking me off of one of my meds and it makes me nauseous to "detox" or whatever) but she's never heard of it before! Anyone else have that problem?

Also, it seems to me that some people just UNDERSTAND Emetophobia or they absolutely don't. In my life that is, I mean I either get the responses "No one likes to throw up" or "I can understand that" and nothing inbetween. Every once in a while I'll get a, "I'm the same way!" and I feel better but...LoL! Anyone else have that problem?

[jkl81]

I haven't talked to many mental health or health professionals generally about my problem. My psychiatrist acted like she knew what the heck I was talking about but didn't make a big deal out of it. That is kind of her style though.

[olschesky]

i've never found any doctor that actually knows what it is.......i guess because there is a phobia for just about anything they can't keep up with them all......i found printing off the information section of this forum and giving it to my doctor was very helpful.....he thanked me for it....

good luck

[KaydeeJayde]

Emetophobia is pretty much a branch of anxiety disorder, isn't it? It's not so much it's own thing, it's just how our particular anxieties manifest themself. It's not the specifics that matter when it comes to treatment, I've found, depending on who you're treating, you can come at a phobia of clowns and a phobia of vomiting the same way in general and see results

[afraid213]

ive had 6 therapist and 2 psychiartists....none of them had a clue...

[4077girl]

It's becoming more common for psychologists and psychiatrists to have heard of it. If you say "emetophobia" they might not know what you're talking about, but if you say you're afraid to throw up, they'remore likely to have encountered it before, at least in passing. My thesis supervisor is a specialist in OCD, and I asked if she'd heard of emetophobia or fear of vomiting, and she said she has had many patients with "vomit phobia" but she has never heard if called emetophobia. But for her patients, it was just a small part of the OCD she was treating.

[Elski]

The thing is, emetophobia is such a tiny speck in the huge field of mental health that it's not surprising that some psychiatrists have not heard of it. I think what's important is that once you've educated them as to what it is () that they then make the effort to go away and look into it further in order to best be able to help you.

[mightyquinn]

My medical doc knows I fear V and she says about hersefl "i really really do not handle V well" but she didn't know the phobia had a name.

[idontfeelreal]

Mine hadn't either haha

[emmalinda]

they may not know the name, but that doesnt mean they wont be able to help. i went and saw a phsycologist today and he gave me sheet of paper to fill out about phobias and it had a list of the most common ones, and vomit was on there. so im sure they may have come accross one tme or another in their studies, but dont see many patients because lets face it, not many of us actually find help. there are so many people on this website, but theres only a handful, (that i've heard of) ever getting treatment for it. she probably just needed a bit of a refresh on the basics of it.

[roadtofreedom]

yep the doctor i went to didnt hear of it eather (its not really that common of a fear as people say it it)

looks like I am taking this head on by myself

[sage]

It's one of my huge frustrations that people in the mental health field don't know about emetophobia and/or don't know how to treat it (more frustrating is the latter). It's not a separate disorder as someone said, it's one of a long list of "specific phobias" listed as "other type" but it is mentioned as one of the examples ("situations leading to illness, choking, vomiting") So they could look it up easily and find it. Nevertheless, most therapists have never heard of it and many decide they can figure out how to treat it themselves. Unfortunately, as we all know, it is more complicated than a phobia of balloons or elevators.

(I could go on and on but I won't - lol!)

Anyway, there are many, many therapists who have figured out how to treat it and many emetophobics do get the help they need. They often come here, discover that there are thousands more people like them, and go off to get help. The folks who stick around the board are generally those who can't find the help they need, or sometimes who can't afford it (mostly the first one).

My website has tons of information and a whole resource page just for therapists to use absolutely free. I don't even have any advertising on my site. Any therapist can also contact me at any time and I will gladly take the time to talk with them on the phone, over Skype, or by email. Free of charge.

Now that I'm finished all my courses at school, I can devote more time to organizing an "emetophobia awareness day" and try to get some press, especially in North America!

[emmalinda]

emetophobia awareness day would be awesome

[sage]

Ya - I tried to set one up last fall for April 1st, 2011. But then in January I decided to enroll in 3 graduate school courses in case I decide to get into this Ph.D. program....anyway....I got so busy and my practice is full with a waiting list...and then I started this research project.........you get the picture. Anyway, finished school now which is a big piece, and the research (data gathering) ended June 30th so...I'm hot on the trail of trying again!