Why is Emetophobia and OCD so closely linked

Why do so many emetophobia sufferers also have OCD?
Do you have any obsessive tendencies? Maybe you’ve even been diagnosed with OCD yourself? In this week’s podcast, Rob and Joe discuss why emetophobia and OCD seem to go hand in hand.
What is OCD?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterised by intrusive thoughts, images, or urges known as obsessions, which create intense anxiety and distress. People with OCD often engage in repetitive behaviours or rituals (compulsions) which are performed in an attempt to alleviate the anxiety caused by their obsessions. For emetophobes, these compulsions usually involve excessive hand-washing and checking expiry dates.
What is Obsessive Thinking?
While not all emetophobes have OCD, it is fair to say that all emetophobes do have obsessive thinking - one step lower than OCD, but something that can have big consequences and play a huge role in maintaining the phobia. In fact, you can’t have emetophobia without obsessional thinking!
As Rob explains in the podcast, obsessive thinking involves fixating on thoughts, ideas, and mental images and repetitively chewing them over in your mind. Another term used for this is ‘brooding.’
Many emetophobes, whether they’re aware of it or not, spend hours each day brooding and obsessing over their worries and anxiety about being sick. It’s usually so normal that sufferers aren’t aware that not everyone else thinks this way!
Joe gives the example of being invited out to a restaurant. Emetophobes will brood and worry beforehand: checking the restaurant reviews, looking at the menu, working out what they can eat, wondering what to wear, whether to get a taxi there, what time to arrive. They plan and prepare and control everything. Then when they’re there, they may generate a whole load of anxiety, before heading home and obsessing and analysing some more - ‘was what I ate safe?’ ‘did anyone notice that I didn’t eat much?’ ‘did I say anything weird?’
There’s a constant dialogue going on, which you only become really aware of when going through The Thrive Programme.
The Good and Bad Sides of Obsessive Thinking
Of course, obsessive thinking isn’t all bad. We wouldn’t have the lightbulb, or the smartphone, or pretty much anything without someone who had obsessional thinking! You have to be bright to be able to think in this way, and all emetophobes are bright individuals and quick thinkers.
However, repetitive rumination around something like being sick only exacerbates the fear. When you think and think about something, you’re essentially making it seem really important - you’re blowing it up like a balloon every time you brood.
Why do People Brood?
We only think obsessively about things we don’t believe we can cope with. People therefore feel compelled to brood because it helps them feel more in control, as if there’s a hidden answer waiting to be revealed the more they think about something. Because it helps people feel more in control, there’s a positive feedback loop every time they brood. But research has shown it’s not just unhelpful to brood - it’s harmful. By indulging in excessive rumination, researchers found that instead of feeling more in control, individuals are essentially disempowering themselves, fostering feelings of despair and increasing a sense of powerlessness over the situation. But what’s the answer when you feel powerless about something? More brooding, more positive feelings of being in control, and therefore even more disempowerment around your phobia.
But this is exactly what The Thrive Programme helps you with - the more powerful and competent you feel, the less worry and stress you’ll create. By increasing your actual power and control, you won’t need to resort to unhelpful tactics like obsessive thinking - and you can use your brain towards something good - like becoming the next Thomas Edison!