Life beyond emetophobia
Gentle hypnotherapy and CBT for the fear of sickness, no pressure and nothing before you're ready, just steady progress at your pace.
Hypnotherapy, CBT & counselling in Fareham, Hampshire, and online
Emetophobia therapy for the fear of being sick
It can quietly take over what you eat, where you go and who you see. You are not alone in it, and it is treatable. In person in Fareham or online across the UK.
Fareham, Hampshire, plus online therapy UK wide
Free · Confidential · Judgement free · Nothing happens at anyone's pace but yours
You are further from alone than it feels
Emetophobia is thought to affect somewhere in the region of one to two people in every hundred, and it is reported more often by women than men. Estimates vary, largely because so few people ever mention it to anyone.
You might recognise this
Does any of this feel familiar?
Emetophobia reaches into far more of life than most people realise. Read these gently, and without alarm.
- Fear of being sick yourself
- Fear of seeing someone else be sick
- Avoiding restaurants or eating out
- Not eating at other people's homes
- Checking dates and packaging closely
- Avoiding hospitals or crowds
- Steering clear of children with bugs
- Constant awareness of germs
- Panic, racing heart, breathlessness
- Avoiding travel, especially by sea or air
- Difficulty with alcohol or pregnancy
- A strong dislike of feeling out of control
If several of those ring true, that is not a diagnosis and it is nothing to be alarmed by. It simply means talking to someone could genuinely help.
You are not alone
Why it is called the silent phobia
Emetophobia is often called the silent phobia because it tends to stay hidden. People feel embarrassed by it, or worry that others will think it silly or weak, so they build a life around it quietly and tell nobody.
That silence is the reason so many people believe they are the only one, and it is the reason it so often goes untreated for years or decades.
Whatever has stopped you mentioning it until now, please know this: you are not weak, you are far from alone, and there is nothing here to be ashamed of. Our therapists have heard it many times before and will not react in any of the ways you may be bracing for.
An honest answer
What actually helps with emetophobia?
Emetophobia is a specific phobia, and specific phobias are among the most treatable things anyone brings to therapy. CBT, including gradual and agreed exposure work, has the strongest evidence behind it and is usually where we start.
Hypnotherapy is widely used and many people find it genuinely helps, particularly with the physical panic response and the constant background dread. The research behind it is thinner than for CBT, and we would rather say so than imply otherwise. It is often combined with CBT for exactly that reason.
Counselling gives you room to understand where the fear came from and to say it all out loud, sometimes for the first time, which for many people is the thing that unlocks the rest.
We would not promise you an outcome. What we can say is that this is an area where people are frequently surprised by how much changes.
Your options
How we help you overcome emetophobia
There is no single right answer, so we match the approach to you and often blend more than one.
CBT
Recognising and challenging the anxious thinking and the avoidance that keep the fear alive, with gradual steps agreed with you in advance.
About CBTHypnotherapy
Works gently with the automatic fear response, easing the panic and calming the constant scanning for risk.
About hypnotherapyCounselling
A confidential space to understand the fear without judgement, and to be properly heard while you work through it.
About counsellingPractical tools
Calming and grounding techniques you can use in the moment, so the anxious feelings stop running the day.
About anxiety therapyThe thing people worry about most
Nobody will make you face it
The question we are asked more than any other on this one is whether you will be made to do something frightening. You will not.
Any steps are gradual, agreed with you in advance and entirely at your pace. The early sessions usually involve nothing of the sort, because there is groundwork to do first. You will always know what is coming, you can say no to any of it, and you can stop at any point.
Nobody here is going to make you feel sick, watch anything you do not want to watch, or eat anything.
A client's story
Thank you for your help and patience with me. I remember that first session where I could hardly talk, I was so worked up.
My sick phobia now no longer rules my life, and I have so much more time to think about other things, instead of constantly worrying about being sick. I can now hold a conversation about it without freaking out, and I am having significantly fewer panic attacks, down from five or six a day to only one last month. I found the technique really useful and still use it whenever I start to feel anxious.
A client, shared with permission
Everyone is different, and results vary from person to person.
Wherever you are
In person in Fareham, or online
Counselling, CBT and hypnotherapy from your own home, or in person at our Fareham practice. For a fear that can make leaving the house feel like a risk, online sessions are often a gentler place to begin.
Our online therapy is available across the UK and beyond, delivered by fully trained UK therapists. Plenty of people start online and move to the room later, once it feels less daunting.
No surprises
What happens when you get in touch
- 1
You send a message or call
A line or two is plenty. You do not have to spell any of it out in writing if you would rather not.
- 2
A free 15 minute call
A relaxed, confidential chat with an experienced therapist. Nothing on the call will be difficult, and there is no cost or obligation.
- 3
We match you with the right therapist
We suggest the approach and therapist we think fits, in person in Fareham or online, and you decide whether to start.
Counselling from £72 a session. CBT and hypnotherapy from £90. See all fees
You can be free of this fear
Most people arrive convinced theirs is the worst case anyone has seen, and that they have left it far too late. Neither turns out to be true. The hardest part is almost always the message you have not sent yet.
Your questions answered
Fear of being sick questions, answered
Will I have to make myself sick or watch anything?
No. Nobody will make you feel sick, show you anything you do not want to see, or ask you to eat anything. Any steps are gradual, agreed with you in advance and always at your pace. The early sessions usually involve none of that at all, and you can stop at any point.
Can therapy really help my emetophobia?
Emetophobia is a specific phobia, and specific phobias respond well to therapy. CBT with gradual exposure has the strongest evidence. Hypnotherapy helps many people with the panic and the background dread, though the research behind it is thinner. Counselling gives you the space to say it all out loud. Often a blend works best.
I feel embarrassed about it. Will I be judged?
No. It is called the silent phobia precisely because so many people feel that way, yet it is far more common than most realise. Our therapists have heard it many times and will not react in any of the ways you might be bracing for. Everything you share is confidential.
I have had it since childhood. Is it too late?
No. Most people who come to us have had it for years or decades, often since they were small. How long you have had it matters far less than you would think. What matters is how much of your life it is currently taking up.
What if it is affecting what I can eat?
That is very common with this phobia and there is no judgement in it. We would encourage you to mention it to your GP too, so someone is keeping an eye on the physical side while we work on the fear. Therapy and medical care sit alongside each other perfectly well here.
Can it help with travel, pregnancy or hospital appointments?
Yes, and these are common reasons people finally get in touch. Focused work on a specific situation, such as a flight, a planned pregnancy or a procedure you have been putting off, is very doable. Tell us the timescale and we will be honest about what is realistic.
How many sessions will I need?
It varies with the shape of the fear and how long it has been going on. Some people need a short focused course, others prefer longer work. You will get an honest, realistic idea after the first session or two, and you are never tied into a block you have not chosen.
Do you help children and teenagers with this?
Yes. Emetophobia often starts in childhood, and young people frequently respond very well. If you are a parent, the free call is a good place to talk through what would suit your child.
Can I have sessions online?
Yes. You can be seen in person at our Fareham practice or online from anywhere in the UK. Many people with this particular fear find online a comfortable place to begin, from the safety of home, and move to in person later if they want to.
Is what I say confidential?
Yes. Your sessions are private and treated with the strictest confidence, and nothing is shared with family, employers or your GP without your agreement.
Whenever you are ready, we are here
Start with a free 15 minute call. A relaxed, confidential conversation with an experienced therapist, with no cost, no obligation and nothing difficult on the call itself.