How to manage emetophobia when you have a small child?

September 20, 2013 11:07 AM

A friend of mine has emetophobia and a small child. The school year's started, stomach-virus season is around the corner, and she'd like to try to find a treatment for the phobia. We're in Brooklyn (south Brooklyn). Do you know anyone who treats these kinds of phobias in Brooklyn or Manhattan?

And, more generally--does anyone know if one modality (e.g., CBT) is more effective than others in treating phobias, particularly emetophobia?

Her health insurance is BCBS, but she's willing to pay out of pocket if she found someone particularly good. Thanks in advance.

posted by Ollie to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

My understanding is that systematic desensitization is the most common style of treatment and can be effective in a short period of time. There has also been research into the use of beta blockers and other medication to help augment the therapy.

I'm afraid I can't recommend any particular treatment center. Best of luck to your friend.
posted by valoius at 11:15 AM on September 20, 2013

I knew someone who had pretty severe emetophobia and she was more or less cured by repeated exposure, so if its her kid that's sick she may find that she's able to deal with it OK.
posted by Aizkolari at 1:07 PM on September 20, 2013

Oz of prevention--how about flu shots for everyone?
posted by Ideefixe at 1:30 PM on September 20, 2013

Note for the uninitiated (like me):
"Emetophobia is an intense, irrational fear or anxiety of or pertaining to vomiting. This specific phobia can also include subcategories of what causes the anxiety, including a fear of vomiting in public, a fear of seeing vomit, a fear of watching the action of vomiting or fear of being nauseated."
- Wikipedia.com
posted by blueberry at 10:35 PM on September 20, 2013

Flu shots are for influenza, which is a respiratory disease. Yes, it can make some small kids puke, but it's not for "stomach flu" as various forms of gastric contagions are mistakenly called.
posted by zadcat at 10:48 AM on September 21, 2013