After a lifetime of suffering from emetophobia and trying Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Suzy cured herself with Thrive!

Suzy, 27, suffered from emetophobia for as long as she can remember - ever since she was a little girl she was terrified of being sick, and it got worse as she got older...In adulthood she tried therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) but nothing worked

In her adult life, her phobia stopped her from going out for drinks or dinner with friends and family as well as many other normal things. She was incredibly fussy about what she ate and would avoid foods such as chicken and anything reheated.

Like many emetophobia sufferers we see, it was the dominating force in her life but she didn't feel able to tell many of her friends or family about it. This caused problems for her relationships.

After spending years trying to beat her phobia by herself, Suzy went to see her GP and was prescribed anti-sickness medication and a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Neither had the desired effect. But then she found Cure Your Emetophobia and Thrive and after an initial consultation with one of our licensed coaches, described the programme as being "me, completely - I just related to it instantly..."

Suzy threw herself into completing the Cure Your Emetophobia and Thrive Programme and even read the book twice - with each week she got better and felt more in control of her thoughts and fears. It was a revelation. She finished the programme and now describes herself as being "cured completely"

Life is now great for Suzy - she can go out with friends to eat and drink without worrying about anything (something that was previously not possible) and she's able to dismiss any pro-emeto thoughts quickly with the tools she's learnt.

"My quality of life now compared to what it used to be...is so much better. I cannot recommend this programme enough. If my story sounds like you and you're struggling with emetophobia, then I really, really recommend 'Cure Your Emetophobia And Thrive' to help you. You will be cured and it's so worth it, I can't recommend this enough" concluded Suzy.

What is emetophobia?

Emetophobia is a fear of being sick or vomit and affects up to 8% of people worldwide, especially females. However, it is hugely misunderstood and various CBT or medical treatments are often used with little success.

Emetophobia is known by many names (emetophobia, specific phobia of vomiting (SPOV), vomit phobia, sickness phobia, fear of vomiting…) and is associated with other fears and disorders, such as phagophobia (a fear of gagging, swallowing or choking), a fear of pregnancy, social anxiety, panic attacks and obsessional disorders. People can fear vomiting themselves and/or others vomiting. Most individuals with emetophobia are female, with research studies revealing that 85-97% of their emetophobic participants are women (Hout & Bouman, 2011; Lipsitz et al., 2001; Veale & Lambrou, 2006).

Emetophobia tends to be a severe symptom and often significantly affects sufferers’ ability to lead normal lives. People with this fear often go to great lengths to avoid encountering anything that could lead to vomiting. They may, for example, be teetotal or heavily limit their alcohol consumption and avoid pubs or clubs where others may drink heavily and then vomit. They may worry a great deal about hygiene, and be fussy about making sure everywhere is clean. They may take excessive time off work or school because they worry about being exposed to germs that will cause them to be sick.

Many sufferers of severe emetophobia have unsuccessfully tried a range of treatments, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, exposure therapy, CRT. Veale and Lambrou (2006), for example, found that twenty-nine percent of their sample of vomit phobics had received some form of therapy for their fear, which overall they rated as largely ineffective. Veale and Lambrou (2006, p. 139) have stated that “clinicians generally regard it as challenging to treat because of high drop out or a poor response to treatment.”