Under: Child Anxiety, Parenting, Ask the Child Therapist, OCD/By: Natasha Daniels

When Anxiety Makes You Feel Sick: How to Deal with Nausea and the Fear of Throwing Up

It might seem like your child is nauseous every waking moment. They are getting ready for school – they feel sick. It is time for bed – they feel sick. You might have dragged them to every stomach specialist in town, only to hear those dreaded words, “I think you should take her to a therapist.” Relax, your child isn’t making it up. They aren’t trying to manipulate you either. Yes, they are doubled over in pain before school. And yes, they seem to be completely fine after you let them stay home. But…anxiety can look that way. The fear of throwing up and the nausea that goes with it is very real. It is just caused by anxiety, not some stomach bug.

If you have ruled out medical issues and you are dealing with a child who is terrified of throwing up – and feels sick all the time, welcome to the world of anxiety.

In this week’s episode of Ask the Child Therapist Kids Edition, I am talking to kids about when their anxiety makes them feel nauseous. I am also talking to kids whose anxiety has taken it one step further and has made them feel sick over the fear of feeling sick. Yes, that is a very real condition called Emetophobia.

I talk about why anxiety does this to us and how to beat anxiety at its own cruel game!

Click below to watch my short video:

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