Category: Coping

  • Emetophobia Has No Gender: Kane’s Journey to Emetophobia-Free

    Hello! Research suggests most emetophobia sufferers are female. Kane’s story proves it can affect anyone. He developed emetophobia while serving in the Royal Navy in his 20s, and over the years it got progressively worse. In his words, his life became “bland.” He didn’t get excited. Didn’t enjoy experiences. Didn’t even know who he’d become.…

  • I Shaved My Head and Survived on 500 Calories Because of Emetophobia: But it Didn’t Win!

    Hello!   Ten different mental health diagnoses. None of them right. Melina was surviving on barely any food, avoiding all social situations, and at one point – driven by fear – even shaved her own head. “Emetophobia made me do some crazy things,” she says. For years, doctors missed what was really going on. ARFID…

  • Why Chronic Illness Won’t Stop You from Overcoming Emetophobia

    Hello! “My medical condition will stop me from overcoming emetophobia.” We hear this concern constantly from people with IBS, Crohn’s disease, POTS, Celiac disease, and other chronic conditions. Sam Marker had the same worry. She has a nervous system disorder that affects her temperature, heart rate, digestive system, limbs – basically her entire body. Before…

  • Why Thriving Parents Are Key to Helping Kids Beat Emetophobia

    Hello! Chloe was doing everything “right” to support her 11-year-old daughter Ava through Emetophobia recovery. 100% committed. Maximum effort. Encouraging school trips and activities despite the fear. But Ava wasn’t improving. Previous exposure therapy had convinced Ava she was “the one person this wouldn’t work for.” Her motivation was crushed, her belief shattered. Chloe thought…

  • I Could Handle Blood and Violence—But Not Vomit: An Ex-Police Officer’s Emetophobia Journey

    She could handle traumatic crime scenes, dangerous situations, and everything that comes with being a police officer. But if sickness was involved? She crumbled. Steph’s emetophobia didn’t just affect her career – it impacted cooking, being a mother, even sleeping. Nights were especially brutal, like having “a constant evil bully” she couldn’t shake. Sound exhausting?…

  • Too Afraid to Eat: Why Emetophobia Didn’t Take Our Granddaughter From Us

    Hello! At 11 years old, she went from a happy child with lots of friends to someone who couldn’t eat, couldn’t go to school, and eventually couldn’t even walk. The doctors ran test after test. Nothing was physically wrong. But Debi’s granddaughter was so terrified of being sick that she’d stopped eating almost entirely. She…

  • Your Imagination is your Secret Superpower!

    Hello! You already have one of the most powerful tools for overcoming emetophobia. Your imagination. Right now, your imagination might feel like it’s working against you – picturing yourself not coping, mentally rehearsing struggles, imagining worst-case scenarios. But here’s the thing: You can completely flip this. The same mental tool that’s been creating fear can…

  • How Do You Know When You’re Over Emetophobia?

    It seems like an obvious question, but the unhelpful thinking styles and limiting beliefs shared by emetophobes often create doubt and uncertainty when it comes to knowing if they’re truly free or not. The truth: Emetophobia is experienced when you’re plagued with negative thoughts surrounding sickness that drive your decisions and limit your life because…

  • How to build Coping Skills & overcome Learned Helplessness in Emetophobia

    Hello! We have a brand new support video focused on building coping skills and overcoming learned helplessness – this is for you if you’re struggling to fully overcome Emetophobia! What are coping skills? A conscious, directed effort to change how you view and respond to stressful events or situations. What you’ll find in the video:…

  • How you can hack your brain to overcome anxiety

    Hack your brain to overcome anxiety: This week’s blog post comes from Thrive Programme Coach® Fiona Brown I always got funny looks from my clients when I tell them that they should stop trying so hard to be less anxious. A mental health professional who specialises in treating anxiety disorders telling her clients that being…