Treatment for
Emetophobia
Emetophobia is a specific phobia of being sick, or seeing others be sick (or, of course, both!). Also known as vomit phobia, this is one of the most severe phobias we treat at The Thrive Programme. With its own ‘Cure Your Emetophobia And Thrive’ manual, this specifically tailored programme workbook for emetophobia is hugely successful at teaching adults and children how to beat their phobia and thrive.
As a Lead Coach on emetophobia, I have taken huge numbers of emetophobes successfully through the programme over the last 5 years and (as an ex-emetophobe myself too!) love helping other emetophobes to overcome their phobia, just as I did in 2015! I have fully overcome my phobia since completing the programme, and am passionate about helping others to do the same, whether adults, children, or whole families.
Did you know?
Around 5-8% of the population in the UK (similar figures in the US) are estimated to have this phobia, and 90-95% of sufferers are women/girls (the major thinking styles contributing to creating this phobia are predominantly female learned behaviours and beliefs, hence the prominence amongst women rather than men)
Typically, the phobia is misunderstood and misdiagnosed. Sufferers have sometimes reported former (incorrect) diagnoses of anorexia due to their food avoidance/ obsessive behaviours, or ‘GAD’ (Generalised Anxiety Disorder) due to the high levels of anxiety and panic that emetophobes typically suffer from
Many GPs report that they have never even heard of the phobia and can appear ‘mystified’ by (in their opinion) such a strange or unusual phobia
There are huge amounts of misunderstanding around treatment - even the top emetophobia ‘expert’ in the UK, Dr David Veale, believes it can’t be treated (our own success rates with huge numbers of emetophobes proves otherwise…!)
This phobia is actually something that is (unconsciously, and certainly not on purpose!) learned and developed by the sufferer by very particular ways of thinking, and as such, is it both predictable AND treatable.
There is also a huge lack of research into emetophobia…
When the Cure Your Emetophobia and Thrive manual was first published, our own study into success rates (62 participants) of the programme was the largest study of emetophobes undertaking treatment. The second biggest study had just 7 participants…
You can read summaries of some of the (limited) existing academic research on emetophobia, as well as our own research study itself, on our emetophobia research compilation page here
There are actually no higher incidences of emetophobia amongst pregnant women experiencing morning sickness, those having chemotherapy, or people who have had norovirus. So essentially, even people who have been sick more for a particular reason, are no more likely to develop the phobia than anybody else
This is because - as the programme explains - emetophobia is about far more than just ‘sickness’ itself. In fact, it’s really very little to do with sickness at all! It’s a combination of very specific ways of thinking, responding and behaving, and a combination of very unhelpful learned beliefs and coping skills, that combine to form the phobia in the first place
So, once you treat those, you can start undoing the phobia bit by bit until it’s gone entirely! I know, because I’ve done it myself and I’ve helped my clients to do it too! As my client ‘H’ recently said to me;
“I’ve finally realised that this process isn’t about simply ‘overcoming’ my phobia per se. It’s actually about slowly uncreating and undoing it instead. Each week I find I’m creating the phobia less and less, and now it’s at the point where it’s almost gone, because bit by bit I’m learning how to undo it!”
(HS, 2021)
Want to learn more about emetophobia?
In 2014, The Thrive Programme launched the first ever National Emetophobia Awareness Day (NEAD), to raise awareness about emetophobia and to educate people on how it is developed and how it can be effectively treated with the ‘Cure Your Emetophobia and Thrive’ programme. Watch this 90 minute keynote presentation about emetophobia from that conference to learn more about it yourself!
My own emetophobia journey
In my five years as a Thrive Programme Coach, I have seen more clients (adults, teenagers and children) with emetophobia than probably anything else. It is also a phobia I understand well - having suffered with it for around 20 years myself…!
Head to the ‘About Me’ page to read more about my own personal journey through the programme to overcome emetophobia, or watch some of my videos below!
My own emetophobia testimonial and my ‘3 years on’ emetophobia testimonial
My first Thrive Programme testimonial
My ‘3 years on’ update video
The most important things to emphasise…
Not only did I previously suffer with emetophobia myself, but I have now taken huge numbers of clients successfully through TTP to overcome their phobia too. So I really do KNOW it can be done!
Head to my reviews page to read a selection of reviews from clients, including emetophobes, who have been through the programme with me. For now, all I want you to take away from this page are these 5 points:
This phobia IS treatable (no matter what you have been told previously!!)
ANYONE can learn and apply this programme
This phobia is not something to be ashamed of, BUT
You CAN learn to live a life free of it, and…
… In fact, you can learn to thrive and actually live an even BETTER life than you ever dreamed of.
A consultation with me is absolutely free so if you want to talk about the programme/phobia in more detail and decide if this life-changing programme is for you, please get in touch and let’s set you up with an appointment!
My Emetophobia Q&A with Rob Kelly
In 2018, Rob Kelly (Thrive Programme Creator, and my own Coach going through the programme all those years ago) and I recorded a Q&A video about emetophobia and my own stumbling blocks going through the programme with him. You can watch our very honest and wide ranging discussion below - an especially valuable resource for anyone who has had a lot of blips attempting the programme previously, or for parents with an emetophobic child/ teenager.