Psychogenic vomiting: a review.

Psychogenic vomiting appears to be an exacerbation of a longstanding pattern of episodic stress-related vomiting. A small fraction of these patients has serious psychiatric problems and are in need of specialized treatment. Generally, psychogenic vomiters are very resentful of the suggestion that they should seek psychiatric help and more often than not refuse to be referred. Indeed, the majority of these patients is not seriously psychiatrically disturbed. They respond very well to an opportunity to ventilate their stresses to the treating physician and to supportive contacts to help them over their crisis.