Psychological Causes of Vomiting

The phrase “It makes me sick” often reflects a deeper psychological response where the body manifests thoughts. This form of expression can lead to actual physical reactions, including vomiting.

Emotional Causes of Vomiting

In both cinema and real life, we see instances where extreme fear or anxiety induces vomiting. This reaction indicates the body and psyche’s attempt to rid themselves of emotional distress.

Psychosomatic Vomiting

Contemporary psychosomatic experts agree that vomiting often stems from unresolved conflicts, whether personal, professional, or internal. Guilt, shame, anger, hatred, and resentment are common emotional triggers for vomiting.

Psychogenic Vomiting in Children

For children, vomiting can be a way to seek attention and love, often arising from a lack of these elements. It can also stem from an inability to express desires or from misunderstandings with parents. Nighttime vomiting in children might be related to nightmares or a general stressful family environment. Factors such as gastrointestinal diseases, fatigue, improper diet, poisoning, infections, or lifestyle changes should also be considered.

Vomiting in Adolescents

In teenagers, vomiting can be linked to hormonal changes and the stress of adolescence, including relationship issues with parents and peers, identity searches, and value shifts.

Vomiting in Adults

Adult vomiting is often tied to an inability to accept certain situations in relationships or at work. It can reflect a repulsion towards a situation, person, oneself, circumstances, ideas, knowledge, or rules. Phobias and anxieties are also common causes.

Dependency and Control

In both children and adults, vomiting can be a reaction to dependency on others or excessive control, leading to a lack of a sense of protection and security.

Interesting! Increased salivation often precedes nausea and is seen as an attempt to expel something unpleasant or negative.

Addressing Psychological Causes of Vomiting

Vomiting signifies a rejection of something in life. The lack of a sense of security and chronic dissatisfaction are underlying issues that need to be addressed.

Louise Hay’s Approach

Louise Hay suggests learning to assess and accept risks, preparing for various scenarios, and maintaining a sense of security through self-awareness and self-belief. Her recommended affirmation: “I easily assimilate life. Life agrees with me. I absorb new at every moment. All is well.” More on this can be found in her book, “Heal Your Body.”

V. Zhikarentsev’s View

Vladimir Zhikarentsev aligns with Hay, seeing the psychosomatic aspect of nausea as a disharmony within the personality, stemming from fear of the new and inability to process or accept it. He advises affirmations like: “Life harmonizes with me. I assimilate the new in every moment of my life. Everything is fine. I easily digest what happens in my life.” Further details are in his book, “Path to Freedom.”

Lise Bourbeau’s Theory

According to Lise Bourbeau, nausea and vomiting result from rejecting someone or something, a physical manifestation of “this does not suit my taste.” It’s a response to new ideas that contradict one’s plans, habits, and lifestyle. The solution lies in loosening self-control, trusting oneself and others, and being open to different opinions. Bourbeau suggests moving away from ego-centrism and unhealthy egotism towards tolerance and acceptance. More can be found in her book, “Your Body’s Telling You: Love Yourself!”

Important! For effective resolution, visiting a psychologist is recommended, as they can provide insight and direction for the initial steps towards healing.

Symptoms of Poisoning and Vomiting

Poisoning, whether from food, alcohol, or drugs, is a severe condition characterized by dizziness, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle weakness, fever, and diarrhea.

Psychosomatic Connection to Poisoning Symptoms

While physical agents like viruses and toxic substances cause poisoning, symptoms can also manifest due to psychological factors. People in conflict or stress are more susceptible to poisoning because their weakened bodies are less capable of fighting infections. This connection highlights the psychosomatic aspect of poisoning.

Vomiting

While poisoning always results from intoxication, vomiting and nausea can be purely psychosomatic. Emotional exhaustion often leads to vomiting.

Interesting! Excessive positive emotions and pleasant surprises can be as harmful as negative emotions. Both extremes constitute stress for the body. Therefore, nausea and vomiting can occur even in joyful situations, such as a wedding.

How to Get Rid of Vomiting

For acute attacks and detoxification, medications are necessary. However, if vomiting is psychosomatic, medical treatment alone is insufficient. Seeking a psychotherapist’s help to change lifestyle habits is recommended.

Physical Exercises

Intense physical exercises can exacerbate nausea and vomiting. Avoid heavy exertion, but stretching and vestibular apparatus exercises are beneficial.

Stretching:

1. Sit in lotus pose, lean forward, and reach out with your arms.
2. Neck warm-up: Sit, lower shoulders, tilt head to one side, hold for 15-30 seconds, breathe deeply, straighten, repeat on the other side.
3. Lie back near a wall, legs up against it. Press buttocks against the wall, stay for 5 minutes or 40-50 breaths. This relaxes muscles and alleviates nausea.

Daily Exercise:

1. Stand, arms at sides, tilt head forward and back, then circle left and right.
2. Stand, hands on hips, twist torso right and left, bend forward and back.
3. Stand, rotate hips in both directions.
4. Stand, hands on hips, jump on one or both legs while rotating head. Start with 2-4 repetitions, gradually increase to 15.

Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises aid self-regulation and alleviate symptoms.

Technique 1:

1. Lie on your back, pillows under knees and neck.
2. Place hands on the abdomen under the chest, fingers touching.
3. Inhale deeply, rounding the abdomen. Feel the ribcage and diaphragm work.
4. Exhale slowly, pulling the abdomen in.
5. Repeat 10-15 times.

Technique 2:

1. Find a comfortable position, close eyes, block external stimuli.
2. Inhale deeply through the nose, hold, then exhale slowly through the mouth.
3. Repeat several times.

Other Methods

Additional treatments for nausea and vomiting:

• Cold compress on the neck.
• Herbal teas (mint, chamomile, ginger).
• Rest or sleep.
• Acupressure.
• Diet modification.
• Avoid alcohol, smoking, spicy food, and strong-smelling products.
• Aromatherapy.
• Acupuncture.

A lifestyle change is essential. Identify triggering factors and adapt accordingly. Family therapy, shared hobbies, and collective relaxation can be beneficial. Additional tips:

• Change perception and attitude towards situations.
• Cultivate mindfulness.
• Increase stress resilience.
• Learn self-regulation techniques.
• Boost self-confidence and self-esteem.
• View failures as experiences and challenges as growth opportunities.
• Seek positives in every situation.
• Accept others’ uniqueness and develop psychological flexibility.
• Stop procrastinating and fear the unknown; embrace new daily activities.
• Self-love and self-discovery are key.

Explore personal potential through online tests, books, or coaching. A specialist can help create a personal development and self-realization plan.

Medication

Symptomatic therapy includes antispasmodics, painkillers, antiemetics, and sorbents. Plenty of fluids and electrolyte balance are crucial. These are immediate measures, but a full gastrointestinal examination is necessary for a complete cure.

Important! Do not self-medicate. Consult a specialist for treatment planning and prescription. Sometimes, the root cause is medical but not apparent, such as inflammation causing nausea and vomiting.

Prevention

Anxious and fearful individuals, prone to shifting responsibility and avoiding decisions, often suffer from vomiting and nausea. They are dissatisfied with their current situation but hesitant to initiate change. To prevent psychosomatic issues, cultivate decisiveness and responsibility. Learn to accept external factors beyond control and change what is within your power.