When you’re trapped in the cycle of emetophobia, recovery can feel impossible. The fear is so consuming that imagining life without it seems out of reach. But the science is clear and so are the stories of hundreds of people who have recovered from emetophobia. The truth is, recovery isn’t about one giant leap—it’s about small, steady wins that rewire your brain over time.
Why Small Wins Matter
Just as you can’t memorize all the lines from Hamlet in a day, you can’t recover from emetophobia in a day either. It takes repetition and practice. This is how our brains learn – over time. Some people with emetophobia can’t even look at the word of the thing they’re afraid of. And yet in a few short weeks, they’ll be able to read those words, write them, hear them and say them. These are small wins, but they matter a great deal. Your brain is slowly learning that you are in control of your anxiety and not the other way around.
Here are some other examples of small wins:
- Eating at a restaurant without checking its hygiene rating.
- Watching a movie scene with vomiting in it, even if you peek through your fingers.
- Comforting your child through a stomach bug, even while anxious inside.
- Trying a new food
- Throwing away your gum or mints (a safety behaviour)
Each one of these steps chips away at the belief that vomiting is unbearable.
It’s easy to dismiss small wins—“That wasn’t a big deal.” But it was. Each win deserves recognition. Keep a journal of progress or share your victories with a trusted friend. When setbacks come (and they will), those records remind you how far you’ve come. To help you track and celebrate your milestones, I’ve created a “Progress Tracker” in my Anxiety & Panic Toolkit. It’s a simple but powerful way to notice and build on every step forward.
Join my Facebook group “Emetophobia NO PANIC” where lots of recovered people like myself are moderators. We also have therapists and other group experts to answer your questions and recommend resources. Lots of people post their wins every day. And you’re only allowed to talk about your recovery journey – not about stomach bugs, how nauseous you feel or whether your chicken was cooked.