Can hypnotherapy really help with emetophobia? Here’s what to expect

Fear of being sick taking over your life? Hypnotherapy might be the gentle reset you need

Being sick is never fun. Yet dealing with sickness – whether it’s your own, or someone else's – is something many of us have to contend with. Between seasonal sickness bugs, looking after kids with upset tummies, and the occasional bout of food poisoning, the potential to encounter someone we care about being sick (or to be sick ourselves) isn’t something we can escape. But if you have a fear of being sick, this possibility can feel overwhelming. 

If you have emetophobia (a fear of vomiting or seeing someone else be sick), you know how overwhelming it can feel. It can start to affect what and when you eat, where you go, and how you feel in your day-to-day life. If you find yourself starting to change what you do to lessen how worried, anxious, or scared you are feeling, it could be a sign that it’s time to seek help.  

Phobias can leave you feeling isolated, frustrated, overwhelmed, and anxious. It might feel like there’s no way to get past how you are feeling right now about your fear. However, there is a gentle, effective approach that can help: Hypnotherapy.

How hypnotherapy can help with your fear

A hypnotherapist is someone who uses hypnotherapy, a therapeutic technique, to reframe negative thoughts and thought patterns. Using deep relaxation, during hypnotherapy, you are put into a calm, receptive state where a hypnotherapist guides you through positive suggestions, visualisations, and reframing exercises to help reduce fear and anxiety. 

In this more relaxed, focused state, you become open to positive suggestions and change. With the right support and guidance, you can replace old, unhelpful habits with new, calmer responses to situations that may have triggered your fear before. 

Hypnotherapy for emetophobia can help you to explore and face your fear in a safe, controlled environment, at your own pace. Over time, a hypnotherapist can help you to become less sensitive to your triggers. They may even share self-hypnosis techniques that you can use outside of the therapy room to help you feel calm, relaxed, and in control. 

What to expect in a hypnotherapy session

What exactly goes on behind closed doors in the therapy room can vary between hypnotherapists. Many will adapt things to suit your needs and help with your individual worries and fears. Often, when working with a new hypnotherapist, you start with a friendly chat to help them better understand how your fear affects you and what might trigger it. 

During a hypnotherapy session, you are guided into a relaxed state. This could be through using breathing exercises or visualisation techniques. Once in a deep state of relaxation, your hypnotherapist might use gentle suggestions to help your subconscious feel safer and more in control in situations that might normally leave you feeling distressed. Unlike in the movies, you are aware throughout your session, and you can always ask to stop at any point if you are feeling nervous or uncertain. Many people find hypnotherapy to feel like a soothing, positive experience. 

Change can happen at different speeds for different people. Some people may see more improvements quickly, while for others, it can be more of a gradual experience. You might find yourself starting to feel calmer when thinking about sickness, or feeling less anxious in social situations, which may have made you hesitate to go out before. You may start to trust yourself, your body, and its natural reactions more, and begin to feel more confident and in control. 

Other helpful ways to help with your fear

Hypnotherapy can be a helpful tool to combat emetophobia; however, there are other small things you can try alongside that can help you to build your resilience and self-trust over time. Practising mindfulness and relaxation techniques can be one way to help manage overall anxiety levels and to learn how to calm yourself in the moment when you are feeling overwhelmed. Journaling can offer a positive, simple way of tracking your progress. Over time, it can help you to identify positive changes and to see how far you have really come. 

Talking therapy can be another helpful way to deal with emetophobia. A therapist can help you to better understand what may have caused your fear to develop, alongside helping you to understand more about your body’s natural responses. They can also help you to identify and reduce safety-seeking behaviours (for example, refusing to eat out or asking others if they have been ill recently before you agree to meet up) and gradually expose you to things that make you feel anxious or scared. 

As therapist Caroline Ridge BACP/NCPS, explains, there’s no single ‘best’ way to overcome emetophobia. 

“Many clients have tried lots of things to overcome emetophobia. Everyone is different, and it is important to state that this isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy are effective ways to manage the phobia. If the emetophobia was triggered by a traumatic experience, EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) can be really helpful too.

“Help out there, and your experience is valid. Make sure you find support from someone you trust, someone you feel safe talking to, and with time and effort, things can be improved.”

Overcoming your fear of vomit won’t happen overnight, but change is possible. With the right help, support, and guidance, you can start to feel calmer and in control. If you are curious about trying hypnotherapy, consider working with a hypnotherapist who specialises in emetophobia, phobias or anxiety. Find out more about hypnotherapy for phobias, and find a hypnotherapist near you. 

You don’t have to face emetophobia alone, and it doesn’t have to define your life. With a little support and the right tools, change can happen. The first step might feel small, but it could be the start of something life-changing. You deserve to feel at ease again.