Understanding Emetophobia: Signs, Symmptoms and Coping Strategies

 

Emetophobia, or intense and excessive fear of vomiting, is estimated to impact around 1.7-3.1% of adults. For those living with this phobia, feelings of anxiety around sources of nausea can be extremely limiting and disruptive to daily functioning. By understanding the common signs, symptoms, and helpful coping techniques, it may be possible to better manage symptoms.

Defining Emetophobia

The key feature of emetophobia is an intense dread regarding vomit and vomiting that far exceeds a “normal” disgust response. Those struggling feel anxious not only about the possibility of vomiting themselves, but also seeing or hearing others get sick. The fear is driven by a worry about lack of control, embarrassment and criticism by others.

Common Signs and Symptoms

Avoidance of potential triggers like amusement park rides, pregnancy, alcohol, restaurants

 Distress when thinking about or witnessing another’s illness

 Anxiety about one’s own nausea, even mild symptoms

 Repeatedly seeking reassurance about the likelihood of getting sick

 Insomnia centred around nausea worries

 Panic attacks when confronting a feared situation

 Engaging in “safety behaviours” meant to prevent illness like compulsively washing hands

The Impact of Comorbid Conditions

Research indicates that emetophobia commonly cooccurs with other mental health disorders like generalised anxiety, social anxiety, OCD and major depressive disorder. When combined with another condition, impairment may be greater compared to emetophobia alone. This can further complicate treatment efforts.

Helpful Coping Strategies and Techniques

While quite distressing, there are ways those living with emetophobia can attempt to better manage their symptoms:

Exposure Therapy

A comprehensive guide to treatment for emetophobia often mentions exposure therapy, which carefully and gradually confronts feared stimuli. This allows emotional learning that vomiting may not be as dangerous as thought. With support from a therapist, activities slowly progress from imagining nausea to directly observing others get sick.

Mindfulness Training

Paying purposeful, non-judgmental attention to the present moment can help reduce fixation on future-oriented vomiting worries. This might involve meditation, yoga, or simply focusing fully on a current activity. Regular practice is key for lasting benefits.

Vibe to a whole new beat with Pizza Hut's all-new Mega Crunch Pizza

 

If there's one thing about food that really gives us the tinglies, it would be the ~crunch~. You know, tfw you hear that glorious sound and you become one with the universe for like, idk, two seconds?

Oh, you know what we’re on about! And so does Pizza Hut, which is why it has cooked up a pizza creation that's built different but still has that swag that we all know and love! It's time to vibe with The Hut in a new way with the Mega Crunch Pizza, made with a thin and crispy crust that's loaded with your favorite toppings, smothered with 100% mozzarella cheese, and seasoned with parmesan and oregano for a new pizza experience that slaps just as hard!

CCP KAISA SA SINING VISAYAS NETWORK ANNOUNCES THE RECIPIENTS OF THE 2ND KSSLAP AWARD

 

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Kaisa Sa Sining (KSS) Visayas Network announces the recipients of the 2nd KSSLAP (Kaisa Ini sa Sining, Lunsay nga Artistang Pilipino) Awards.  The awarding ceremony will be on December 14, 2023, at the Luce Auditorium at Silliman University, Dumaguete City.

The eight awardees are Jose R. Gullas (Cebu/music & cultural work/posthumous), Marianito Luspo Bohol/cultural work), Ramon B. Ramirez (Iloilo/cultural research), Rodolfo Reveche (Murcia, Negros Occ./cultural work), Cristina S. Taniguchi (Dumaguete /visual arts), Alma Taldo (Bohol/music), Dr. Vicente Villan (Sigma-Capiz/cultural research), and Mariant E. Villegas (Dumaguete/dance).

Launched in 2014, the Kaisa sa Sining Regional Arts Centers is a partnership program of the CCP, through its Cultural Exchange Department (CED), which aims to strengthen further the CCP’s linkages and cooperation with regional educational institutions, non-government organizations, and local government units in order to broaden public participation in the arts, promote and showcase artistic excellence and facilitate a vibrant collaboration between and among communities.  In the past nine years, the cooperation and exchanges between and among CCP and the KSS network have become more dynamic.  To date, the KSS network has grown to a total of 67 organizations:  26 in Luzon, 19 in Visayas, and 22 in Mindanao.

The KSSLAP Awards, a recognition for outstanding artists, cultural workers, and organizations, is one of the action plans and projects that the KSS Visayas agreed to implement during a KSS regional forum held in Roxas City last 2018. In fulfillment of this plan, the CCP CED facilitated the conceptualization, planning, and implementation of the project. In the last quarter of 2019, a five-member technical working committee (TWC) was formed composed of key representatives from four KSS Visayas organizations with CED as the lead facilitator.  In 2021, the first set of awards was conferred to thirteen honorees virtually and on-site because of the pandemic.

The KSSLAP Awards aim to give recognition to deserving Visayan individuals and/or organizations who have exemplified commendable work and services in cultural and artistic endeavors and have been at the forefront of the research, development, preservation, education, and promotion of arts and culture in Visayas for at least ten (10) years or more.  The general criteria indicate that an awardee must have made exceptional accomplishments in creative work, leadership, resource management, education, artist support, audience development, community service, solidarity, and partnership.

The 19 members of CCP KSS Visayas network are: the Province of Capiz, the City of Calbayog, the City of Ormoc, the City of Bago, the City of Himamaylan, the Municipality of Murcia, the Municipality of Cuartero-Capiz, the Municipality of Sta. Barbara-Iloilo, University of Antique,  Central Phil. University-Iloilo City, University of St. La Salle-Bacolod City, Silliman University-Dumaguete City, Holy Name University-Tagbilaran City,  University of Eastern Phils.-Catarman Samar, Leyte Normal University-Tacloban City, St. Joseph College-Maasin Leyte, Arts Council of Cebu, Negros Cultural Foundation, and the Sigmahanon Foundation for Culture and Arts.

For more information, contact the CCP CED at ccp.ced2014@gmail.com.

 

Best laptop deals for your loved ones this Yuletide season

 

The holiday season is not just about parols and endless gatherings, it's also the perfect time to give something special to yourself and loved ones. And one of the many things you can wrap and place under the Christmas tree is a shiny new laptop! 

 

Thanks to Home Credit, the country’s leading consumer finance company, you can cop best-selling laptops with its incredible 0% interest offer on various installment options for up to 18 months. Surely, you can make your holiday dreams come true without breaking the bank through a laptop loan! 

 

Check out these top laptop models that can match your lifestyle:  

 

Apple Macbook Air 13.3 inch 

The Apple Macbook Air 13.3 inch sets a new standard for mobility and power, redefining the on-the-go computing experience. Packed with remarkable features, this ultra-portable laptop boasts an impressive battery life of up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback and 15 hours of wireless web browsing, thanks to its 52.6W lithium-polymer battery. 

 

The inclusion of the M2 with 8-core GPU enhances its capabilities, accompanied by a 30W USB-C power adapter for convenient and speedy recharging. With the added convenience of a USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable and fast-charge capabilities using a 70W USB-C power adapter, the 13-inch model stands out as a beacon for on-the-go efficiency. Driven by the M2 chip, the Macbook Air delivers supercharged performance, ensuring blazing-fast operations within its sleek and compact design. 

 

ASUS VivoBook 14 

For those who want a perfect blend of performance and affordability, the ASUS VivoBook 14 is a stellar choice. The ASUS VivoBook 14, inspired by innovation and designed for versatility, is a remarkable addition to ASUS's lineup of cutting-edge laptops. 

 

Crafted with precision and powered by the 12th gen Intel processors, this laptop embodies the perfect blend of style and performance. Its 14-inch NanoEdge display with slim bezels provides an immersive viewing experience, making work and play more captivating than ever. The VivoBook 14's compact and lightweight design ensures that you can carry your creativity wherever you go. The ErgoLift hinge not only adds a touch of elegance but also tilts the keyboard for a comfortable typing experience.  

CCP VOICE SCHOLAR DOMINATES BRITISH BURSARY

 

Young soprano Lizzie Bett Estrada, a scholar of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, bested the participants from prestigious music conservatoires in England, Scotland, and Wales and won the first prize in the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary for Young Singers last October 29, held at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England.

Currently taking the Music Standard Pathway program at the Royal Academy of Music, Estrada was selected to represent the academy in the competition. With her innate musical ability, formal music guidance, and exposure to a variety of musical events, she excelled on the stage and won against other participants in the said competition. She performed “Ano Kaya Ang Kapalaran” by Francisco Santiago.

“[I’m so] grateful for this opportunity to represent the Royal Academy of Music. [I’m] sharing this great achievement to the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Ayala Foundation, Inc., Ms. Lyca Balita, Ms. Zenaida Tantoco, Gregorio Araneta Inc, NCCA, Mayor Ross Rizal and to all the people who helped me and made studying in London possible,” said Estrada in her social media post.

Established in 1996, the Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary is a prestigious competition opened to vocal students aged between 19 and 24 who are just beginning their second year of study in one of the eight major music colleges in England, Scotland, and Wales. Every year, each college sends two singers who will then present an 18-minute varied program.

The competition is named after one of the world’s renowned singers, Kathleen Ferrier. Born in 1912 at Higher Walton, a village near Preston in Lancashire in the North of England, Ferrier was known for her amazing voice and warm personality, making her one of the most celebrated British female singers. Died in 1953, she might have had a short-lived career in music but her legacy lives on. She is still held in high regard today, and remembered by many with great love and admiration.

“We congratulate Lizzie Bett Estrada for winning first prize in the Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary for Young Singers. We are so proud of her accomplishment. She is one of the many artists the CCP has been supporting in their pursuit for artistic excellence in both local and international stages,” said CCP president Michelle Nikki Junia. 

Since its inception, the CCP has been true to its mandate to nurture the next generation of Filipino artists.

“Aside from providing training and venues to showcase their talents, the CCP has been identifying noteworthy Filipino talents to whom we can provide financial support. No matter how meager our budget, we are able to contribute to the artistic journey and career of these young artists. We have been providing assistance to aspiring young musicians in their music studies and creating opportunities to make their headstart in the most difficult and demanding careers,” shared Junia.

Embodying the ideals of the late singer, Estrada is training under the tutelage of Professor Susan Waters at the Royal Academy of Music in London, United Kingdom. Prior to her London studies, the young soprano graduated from the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA). Under the tutelage of Filipino soprano Camille Lopez-Molina and Pablo Molina, she graduated with the highest honors and received the Outstanding Student Award.

To further her music career, she enrolled in special programs in music, including the Virtual Masterclass for Classical Singers with Susan Waters and Camille Molina in 2021 and 2020, as well as Masterclass with Filipino tenor Arthur Espiritu for the Voice Major at the Philippine High School for the Arts in 2017.

In 2020, Estrada bagged the first prize in the Junior Voice category in NAMCYA (National Music Competitions for Young Artists).

She has performed in various capacities in the different CCP shows, including in Tuloy Po Kayo 2021 and Pasinaya 2019. She was also involved in Ating Kalayaan, organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt, in coordination with MusicArtes, Inc., as well as in the Viva Voce Vignettes - Viva Vivaldi of Manila Pianos and in Tita King, A Tribute to Lucresia Kasilag’s 100th Birth Anniversary.

While in London, she has performed at St. Leonard's Church Streatham and United Reform Church Caterham.