I have struggled with emetophobia throughout my life. Before I knew what it was, I almost died from it because I refused to eat in fear of throwing up. I was starving to death, my chest was beginning to cave in and I had to be hospitalized.

I had a bit of a break from it but it came back in 2017. I first tried dealing with it by going on Ativan, which was a huge mistake for me. My body adjusted to the initial dose and I had to increase it. I was also becoming dependent on it and the Ativan was making me more depressed. I weaned off.

The thing that has helped me most is educating myself where in the brain anxiety comes from, and why. Understanding that nausea is a common feeling when anxiety strikes, and it will pass. I do deep breathing when I am particularly anxious and it works almost as well as the Ativan did, without the awful side effects.

It does get better over time, but it does take some hard work.