Emetophobia

Emetophobia is the common name for a Specific Phobia of Vomiting. It is a condition that is often misunderstood and may be difficult to treat. However it is possible to significantly improve the quality of your life, even if you don't fully overcome it. This website aims to help you understand emetophobia - its causes, effects and how to get help in the UK. Knowledge in this area is limited because of the lack of research or controlled trials. This information is written for people with emetophobia, their relatives, friends or carers and can be found by clicking here. Information on opportunities to participate in research are described below.

Research - Would you like help with research?
There is still a lot to learn about emetophobia and we are carrying out various research projects that aim to help us find out more about a Specific Phobia of Vomiting so we can improve on treatment.

a) We are conducting a study that aims to create a new questionnaire that will be able to measure the severity of emetophobic symptoms and help therapists track the changes in symptoms over time. We are also trying to find out how often people with emetophobia vomit in a given year compared to the general population. This will involve filling in some questionnaires online and keeping a record of each time you vomit over the next 2 years.

b) We are conducting a study that involves a detailed interview with a psychologist about the development of your emetophobia.

If you would be interested in participating in this research or would just like some more information please contact Nell by email or by phone on 0203 228 3212. By replying you do not commit yourself to anything, she will simply give you some more information and give you the opportunity to ask questions. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.

If you wish to financially support further research into emetophobia, then please contact us as there are a number of opportunities.

Dr David Veale, FRCPsych (www.veale.co.uk)

Consultant Psychiatrist in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, South London and Maudsley Trust and The Priory Hospital North London.