Psychogenic Vomiting: What Are They?

Anxiety, emotional suffering, stress, constant worries … Psychogenic vomiting is the result of various psychological disorders. However, for the medical community this fact remains, in many cases, a challenge. There are people who, without presenting any organic cause that justifies these constant nausea, can reach very serious states of dehydration.

They are complex situations that require the attention of several specialists : psychiatrists, psychologists, gastroenterologists … We are not facing a clinical condition that exclusively affects women with eating disorders. Psychogenic vomiting can appear in the elderly and, more frequently, in children.

The first time this problem was described was in 1960. Often, health professionals were faced with situations that they did not know how to treat and that, in many cases, could end in death. For older patients, uncontrollable nausea and dehydration pose a serious health risk.

Geriatric psychiatrists were the first to give evidence to the medical community of this type of reality. However, over the years the focus was on younger women. Let’s learn more about it below.

Psychogenic vomiting: origin, causes, types, affected people and treatment

Psychogenic vomiting is a rare medical condition that presents with nausea, severe and recurrent vomiting without an underlying organic cause to explain it. So far, various medical treatments have been tried to reduce the effect, but the results are often not satisfactory.

On average, the only strategy that works is psychological therapy, sometimes combined with the administration of psychotropic drugs. It should be noted that, in recent years, research on this condition has increased. Thus, works, such as that of the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine of the University of Kyushu (Japan), explain what are the causes behind this exhausting situation.

Major depression

A good part of the patients who have been admitted with a manifestation of psychogenic vomiting  presented undiagnosed major depression. They are people who show obvious psychosomatic symptoms and who have not sought psychological help for months or years.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders present a very broad spectrum of physical manifestations. Thus, headaches, digestive disorders, muscle aches and even skin disorders are very common.

Therefore, a small part of patients with an anxiety problem (panic disorders and agoraphobia or generalized anxiety disorder) may show psychogenic vomiting.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Having a past of mistreatment, having suffered abuse, suffering from bullying or even workplace harassment, usually leads to psychosomatic disorders in certain cases. Compulsive vomiting is associated, above all, with traumatic childhoods.

Conversion disorder

Conversion or dissociative disorders usually show signs of neurological origin without the existence of a disease or physical cause to explain it. They present with memory loss, inability to move any limb and also with nausea and vomiting.

Eating disorders

As we pointed out at the beginning, it is common to believe that psychogenic vomiting is an exclusive characteristic of young women with eating disorders. Now, we know that this group is not the only one. However, yes, it is a prototypical manifestation in people with bulimia.

Also note that in many cases it is not voluntary. Sometimes it is a compulsive and uncontrollable response that the patient cannot control but that nevertheless continues to respond to a psychological origin.

Types of psychogenic vomiting

Psychogenic vomiting can be of two types:

• Intentional: they are those that are consciously induced. As, for example, those caused by people with bulimia nervosa.
• Unintentional: they are those that appear in episodes of anxiety, nervousness or stress. They are usually an involuntary conditioned response. It is very common in children, when they want to attract attention or when they want something.

Psychogenic vomiting, very common in children and the elderly

Both children and the elderly suffer from this type of condition and, on average, they are usually the most affected and those who also show a greater risk to their health. Behind it is often psychosocial stress, emotional distress, tantrums in children, and depression in older adults.

These are situations that cannot and should not go unnoticed. It is important that they receive specialized healthcare. Psychologists and psychiatrists are the professionals who will offer the best response to these situations. In case of not responding quickly, we can get serious cases of dehydration.

How should we act in the case of children?

However, it must be taken into account that, in the case of children, vomiting is usually something frequent. Therefore, in the first instance, we should not be scared or alarmed, unless we observe that they occur on a recurring basis. If our reaction is exaggerated, he may get scared and become afraid of doing it.

If we observe that they occur very frequently, we should go to the pediatrician. Once any physical pathology has been ruled out, it would be advisable to consult a psychologist.

The psychologist can help us identify the cause. Once we know the cause, we will work to solve the difficulties you are going through. Especially in cases where the origin is the expression of an anxiety or emotional problem.

How is psychogenic vomiting treated?

The main strategy to address these types of psychophysiological conditions is to treat the symptom and the person as a whole. We cannot neglect the symptom because it can lead the patient to dangerous situations, but the essential thing is to attend to the psychological reality of the person.

The type of therapy will be based on the needs of each patient. Treating a person with a dissociative disorder is not the same as treating a child who is bullied at school or a young person with bulimia. We must take into account the unique realities of each person, if we are dealing with an elderly man with major depression, for example, we will also need family collaboration, as well as his family doctor.

Stress and anxiety management techniques, cognitive restructuring, enhancing self-esteem and enabling relaxation and emotional management resources are usually the most important points. In any case, and to conclude, let us remember that emotional conflicts and mental problems always have an impact on our body.

Psychogenic vomiting is an example of this.