I'm curious whether it is possible to be 100% cured, or is that an unrealistic expectation?
About 10 years ago, I discovered I had "emetophobia". But I knew long before that that I reacted irrationally to anything to do with illness or v*. Ten years ago, I could barely leave the house to get to work, would go for weeks without going to the grocery store, refused to drink alcohol or go to a bar, and suffered from constant nausea and panic attacks.
Today, I am amazed at what I can do! I have flown to Europe and back, Costa Rica and back, eaten strange foods and new restaurants, sat in the middle of the theater (instead of in the aisle where I could escape if I needed to v*)...I have given presentations in front of crowds, sat calmly at a formal meal, and entered and exited a business without having a clue where the bathrooms are.
There is hardly anything today that I won't do due to the phobia (NOTE: I still will NOT be in the same room as a sick person nor clean up after them, or do anything that directly involves v*.) So, I don't think I am cured. I just cope. I had moments of pure anxiety while doing every one of those things I mentioned above, but the anxiety passed, and I just kept on going. A therapist once told me that I would never be 'cured', but that I would just learn to live with it, and that was horribly disappointing. But that is exactly what has happened!
Overall, I believe mine is a success story...but to those of you who have come further: is there still hope for more? What do you think??