How do you get rid of OCD such as afraid of getting sick?

Answer 1

What is referred to sounds like Emetophobia (Fear of vomiting) which is a phobia, not OCD. I am stating this because it is more believed that a phobia can be treated where OCD is less likely, although if you do suffer from severe fear which is almost disabling your normal daily life, you should seek medical attention as many phobias can be considered as symptoms of OCD if they are severe enough.

Phobias are usually treated through counselling using methods like systematic desensitisation, flooding, and CBT, all of which are effective depending on who the individual is.

Systematic desensitisation is when the sufferer is gradually exposed to the trigger (in which case vomiting) until they eventually get used to it and no longer experience severe levels of anxiety.

Flooding is similar to systematic desensitisation although the sufferer is 'flooded' with the trigger in one go at a time until they, in a manner of speaking, exhaust themselves out with fear and anxiety until they can no longer maintain it. This is when they realise that their trigger is not actually life threatening as they have experienced all their anxiety with being exposed to their trigger and are still alive.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a revolutionary therapy which employs the above methods while training the sufferer to alter their cognitive processes which cause anxiety when exposed to their trigger. Changing your cognitive processes means changing how you think about about a particular thing and theorises that this change will alter how you feel about the particular thing as well.