Jess Smith’s Emetophobia & Me is a raw and intimate journey through the often-misunderstood world of anxiety and phobia. In this memoir, she peels back the layers of fear, shame, and isolation that surround emetophobia, the intense fear of vomiting, and shows how it shaped her life from childhood through motherhood. But more than just a story of struggle, it’s a story of transformation. She invites the reader into her inner world, guiding us from the depths of suffering to a place of peace and understanding. Along the way, she shares insights about trauma, anxiety, and healing that are as universal as they are personal.

Jess’s writing is disarmingly honest. She doesn’t hold back. There were times I laughed, times I cried, and more than a few moments when I had to close the book and just sit with the feelings it stirred up. Her voice is authentic and vulnerable without ever becoming self-pitying. What I liked most was how well she captured the way anxiety works. How it loops, how it lies, and how it convinces you that fear is truth. Her childhood stories, especially about lunchtime at school, hit me in the gut. You can feel the weight of that tiny girl’s world. And yet, Jess doesn’t just linger in the pain. She moves forward, one tiny brave step at a time.

As someone who has danced with my own demons, I saw myself in these pages. But even if you haven’t lived with emetophobia, you’ll find something in her story that resonates. Her reflections on control, fear, and trust felt like they were written just for me. And her shift in perspective, learning that fear is just a thought, not a truth, was like flipping on a light switch. I didn’t expect to come away from this book feeling hopeful, but I did. Not because Jess claims to be “cured,” but because she shows what it’s like to live fully even when fear shows up. Her strength isn’t in having no fear. It’s in refusing to let fear make her small.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who struggles with anxiety, panic, phobias, or simply feeling not good enough. It’s also perfect for loved ones who want to understand what it’s really like to live inside a mind that never stops spinning. Therapists, teachers, and parents could gain so much empathy from this book, too.

Pages: 120 | ASIN: B0FLKKBJXT