Hypnotherapy for Fear of Sickness (Emetophobia)
What is Emetophobia?
Emetophobia is classified as a fear of sickness. It’s an anxiety disorder that can be debilitating and take over our whole lives. Each sufferer will experience different triggers; some people fear being sick at all, regardless of the situation or place, some people fear being sick in public, many also fear witnessing other people vomit. This can prevent some sufferers from leaving their homes at all for the fear of witnessing people vomit, being sick themselves or catching a sickness bug.
Symptoms and characteristics of Emetophobia can include
Obsessive hand washing or use of antibacterial gel to prevent the spread of germs
Avoiding drinking alcohol or being around inebriated people due to potential sickness
Avoiding eating in restaurants or even other people’s homes in case of sickness from food
Fear of pregnancy due to morning sickness
Avoiding any medication that may cause nausea or sickness as a side effect
Fear of children being ill
Eating only plain or very basic food to avoid food poisoning
Avoiding situations that can’t be escaped if someone were to vomit, e.g. trains, planes or car journeys
If an emetophobic person witnesses someone being sick they are likely to; have a panic attack, cry or scream, escape the situation as quickly as possible, convince themselves that they too will be sick
Can hypnosis help with Emetophobia?
Hypnosis is an effective method to help people overcome their phobias and we’ve successfully treated many clients with various phobias over the last 15 years. Your therapist will tailor a treatment plan to suit you based on your specific triggers, fears and avoidances.
Hypnotherapy works by guiding you into a state of deep relaxation and speaking directly to your subconscious mind to address any unhelpful beliefs or fears it holds. Your therapist will repeat positive suggestions to help you challenge the phobia and turn your reaction to the trigger from negative to neutral. This change will enable you to live your life without fear, opening up opportunities for happiness and joy that were previously clouded by your phobia.