Emetophobia Got Me Fired! feat. Karl from Ireland | Episode 5

The Goal Is Not to Stay Safe | Emetophobia & Safety Behaviors | Handle Emetophobia Ep. 7

In this episode of Handle Emetophobia, Katie and Ally talk about one of the biggest things keeping emetophobia and OCD alive: safety behaviors. From chewing gum, taking Zofran, avoiding situations, distracting ourselves, mentally preparing for worst-case scenarios, and trying to prevent nausea at all costs — we unpack the many ways fear convinces us we need these behaviors to stay safe. We discuss: * Safety behaviors and compulsions * Acceptance vs. control * Exposures vs. “experiments” * Parenting with emetophobia * Fear of airplanes, stomach bugs, and public vomiting * The placebo effect and anti-nausea medication * Why recovery requires willingness instead of certainty The conversation is honest, funny, emotional, and deeply relatable for anyone struggling with emetophobia, OCD, panic, or health anxiety. The goal of recovery is not to stay safe. The goal is to learn that you don’t need to be.

How To Start Recovery From Emetophobia | Episode 6

“How do I actually start recovery?” We’ve been getting this question constantly lately, so in this episode we sat down and talked honestly about what beginning recovery REALLY looked like for us. Katie shares what it was like realizing she’s now weaning off therapy after a year of ERP work, while Ally talks about just beginning OCD therapy and feeling completely overwhelmed by how big recovery can seem at first. We walk through: • the OCD/emetophobia cycle • triggers, feared stories, and safety behaviors • reassurance seeking and mental compulsions • why exposures aren’t usually the first step • how delaying compulsions helped us • the importance of values and finding your “why” • acceptance, uncertainty, and willingness • why recovery is uncomfortable… but worth it We also get very real about parenting with emetophobia, health anxiety, avoiding discomfort, and the fear of vomiting itself. And maybe most importantly: The goal of recovery is not to stay safe. The goal is learning that you don’t need to. If you’re feeling hopeless, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin, we hope this episode helps you take your first step.

Emetophobia Got Me Fired! feat. Karl from Ireland | Episode 5

In this episode of Handle Emetophobia, we sit down with Karl from Ireland — one of the members of the HANDLE community — to talk about what recovery actually looks like in real life. Karl shares how emetophobia led to years of isolation, job loss, panic, avoidance, reassurance seeking, and dependence on anti-nausea medication. Then he walks us through a major turning point: starting a new job, hearing that multiple coworkers had been “wiped out” by the stomach bug, and choosing to STAY instead of RUN.  We discuss: * Cost-benefit analysis in recovery * Why avoidance doesn’t actually keep us safe * The hidden costs of safety behaviors * Acceptance, uncertainty, and values-based living * Recovery wins that feel impossible… until they happen We also laugh a lot about magpies, movie triggers, weird OCD logic, and why emetophobes somehow become experts at detecting when someone might throw up. If you’ve ever felt trapped by emetophobia or OCD, this episode is a reminder that recovery is hard — but staying stuck is harder. You can handle it.

You've Been Lied To! It's Not JUST Vomit! | Episode 4

There are a lot of misconceptions about emetophobia—and some of them might actually be keeping you stuck. In this episode, we break down the most common myths about emetophobia and what’s actually true when it comes to recovery. From the belief that it’s “just a fear of vomiting” to the idea that safety behaviors help or that you need a therapist to even begin healing—we’re unpacking it all. We bust some of the most common (and frustrating) myths about emetophobia, including:“It’s just the fear of vomiting”“Exposure therapy makes it worse”“Safety behaviors help”“You need a therapist to start recovery”“If you don’t eat, you won’t throw up”“You have to throw up to recover”“Emetophobia is rare” We also talk about why emetophobia feels like a constant, 24/7 fear, how nausea anxiety plays a bigger role than people realize, and what exposure therapy is really supposed to do. If you’ve ever found yourself avoiding foods, constantly preparing “just in case,” or feeling like you’re always waiting to get sick—this episode will hit home. The goal isn’t to stay safe. The goal is realizing… you don’t need to be. The OCD Stories - Doing an Exposure (ERP) vs. being exposed:https://youtu.be/UMGEfuOUs-w?si=ifj9-ibbMXm93lmsYour Anxiety Toolkit - Acceptance with Jonathan Grayson:https://youtu.be/8FTewvlg0TU?si=-WGtDSoKWslbdF0iKimberley Quinlan and Nathan Peterson - Recovery Without Therapy:https://youtu.be/GqwzgxUMVdE?si=mQ9IV7w31IyH7r7M

Get Out Of The Bathroom! | Emetophobia Recovery Ep. 3

The waiting game might be one of the hardest parts of emetophobia. You know the feeling— “Am I going to get sick?” “Is my kid going to throw up?” “How long until I’m in the clear?” In this episode, we talk about the anxiety-filled space in between—the not knowing—and how it keeps so many of us stuck in the cycle of fear. We cover: * Why countdowns and “safe timelines” don’t actually help * The subtle safety behaviors we don’t even realize we’re doing * How to respond when your brain is trying to figure it out * What acceptance looks like when things feel very real * Real-life examples of navigating sick kids, nausea, and uncertainty This is an honest, behind-the-scenes look at recovery in real time—messy moments, small wins, and all. Because the goal isn’t to stay safe. ...AND that you can handle it. For recovery resources and merch, visit: https://www.handleemetophobia.com FearCast Podcast with Kevin Foss: https://www.youtube.com/@fearcastpodcast700 Your Anxiety Toolkit with Kimberley Quinlan:https://www.youtube.com/@youranxietytoolkit Nathan Peterson: https://www.youtube.com/@ocdandanxiety The OCD Stories: https://www.youtube.com/@Theocdstories The Emetophobia Manual, Ken Goodman: https://theemetophobiamanual.com Jerry Nasi (ocdish_): https://www.instagram.com/ocdish_?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==