Woman with Fruit Phobia Tries Pineapple for the First Time in 'Exposure Therapy' Video (Exclusive) Ashley VegaSeptember 11, 2025 at 8:52 PM 30 Amber Wilson/TikTok Amber Wilson trying pineapples Amber Wilson's lifelong fear of fruit is drawing millions of views on TikTok Her pineapple "exposure thera...
- - Woman with Fruit Phobia Tries Pineapple for the First Time in 'Exposure Therapy' Video (Exclusive)
Ashley VegaSeptember 11, 2025 at 8:52 PM
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Amber Wilson/TikTok
Amber Wilson trying pineapples -
Amber Wilson's lifelong fear of fruit is drawing millions of views on TikTok
Her pineapple "exposure therapy" video was meant for family, but went viral with nearly 29 million views
Wilson says her journey is about more than fruit — it's about preparing for motherhood and inspiring others to face their fears
A viral TikTok video featuring Amber Wilson, a woman facing her lifelong fear of fruit, has captured the attention of millions in recent weeks.
In the clip, Wilson steels herself to bite into a piece of freshly cut pineapple as her husband gently talks her through the texture, while the caption reads: "exposure therapy for my fruit phobia."
"I was actually born this way, believe it or not," Wilson tells PEOPLE, reflecting on her earliest memories of struggling with food. "My mom fed me jarred blended baby food, but whenever she tried to switch me to solids, I would freak out every time she put it near me."
As Wilson remembers it, the aversion was immediate and intense, leaving her mother searching for creative ways to introduce new flavors. "She tried everything she could, like mixing apples and potatoes that looked similar, and I would always know," Wilson says, recalling how even the attempt to disguise fruit led to gagging and tears.
The fear of fruit wasn't just picky eating — it was a full-body emotional reaction. "It feels like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff and someone's threatening to push me off," Wilson says. "I get sweaty, I get super nervous and anxious, and there's this feeling of disgust that just completely grosses me out and makes me freak out."
Her phobia grew with her, shaping daily life in subtle but significant ways. As a child, even the smell of a banana in the kitchen sent her fleeing from the room, and in school cafeterias, friends eventually stopped packing fruit in their lunches after watching how distressed she became when it was near.
"I would have to leave if someone was eating it in a small space and I could smell it," Wilson recalls. "So it was a little debilitating as a kid, especially at lunch, but I've gotten a lot better as I've gotten older."
One fruit in particular still looms larger than the rest. "I always say my number one top scary is orange," Wilson admits. "Everything about it, the texture, the way it looks, the smell, the juice that comes from it, everything — I can't."
Amber Wilson/TikTok
Amber Wilson trying watermelon
Her decision to confront her fear publicly didn't come from chasing viral fame but from a deeply personal reason. "Now I'm married, and my husband and I are having conversations about possibly trying for kids in the next year or two," Wilson says. "I want to be able to feed my children fruit without having a panic attack in front of them."
The pineapple TikTok was only the second fruit Wilson ever tried — apple came first — and the entire experiment was rooted in necessity. "I thought I was going to go my entire life without eating fruit ever," she explains. "But we decided exposure therapy would probably be best for me, so we just put it in front of me and made me pick it up and try to take multiple bites."
The decision to film the attempt was almost an afterthought, but it quickly changed everything. "We videoed it really just for us and like my family to laugh about, because my whole life my mom has videoed me doing this type of stuff," Wilson says. "I thought maybe my 60 followers would see it, but then it blew up."
The pineapple video now has over 29 million views, making Wilson a viral sensation almost overnight. "I was shocked that so many people were interested," she admits. "On the first one, everyone started asking for a series, so we're like, okay, I'll keep doing it."
Wilson leans on her husband for steady encouragement during each filmed session. "For me, I want him to tell me all of the details," she says. "It just helps me mentally prepare for it, so I'll ask him, what does it feel like in your mouth? What does it taste like? And he'll compare it to something I've had in the past if he can."
Even with his reassurance, the moments are far from easy. "It kind of looks like I'm panicking, because I am, but it actually is helping me," Wilson shares. "Instead of going in blind, I can be ready."
Since that first apple and pineapple, Wilson has steadily worked her way through a growing list. "I think I've done seven," she says. "So we did apple, then pineapple, then mango, then grape, then watermelon, and then blackberry."
Not every fruit is a hit, but Wilson's approach is strategic. "Out of all those, I'm willing to try again except maybe not watermelon," she shares. "The plan is for me to just get this initial shock over with most fruits and then retry them."
Smoothies and baked goods are also part of her plan to make flavors more familiar. "I'm planning on trying strawberries soon, so then I can maybe do like a berry type of thing, and then maybe banana, and I can try to just start making smoothies," Wilson says.
As Wilson's videos began circulating, the internet had plenty to say, and not all of it was kind. "I definitely do get a lot of hate comments, or people saying things like grow up, or you're a grown woman," she admits. "But for every one of those comments, I would say at least 20 people say encouraging things."
Amber Wilson/TikTok
Amber Wilson trying grapes
The support has been a revelation. "It's interesting that I've met people that actually are supportive of this, and they're being so kind," Wilson says. "And even more so, it's amazing to see there's actually so many people the same way, because I thought I was the only one."
Some messages have been deeply moving, turning her personal challenge into inspiration for others. "People with phobias just in general have messaged me and commented, and are like, wow, this is so inspiring, and this motivates me to try exposure therapy," Wilson tells PEOPLE. "I never thought that would come from this."
The community that has formed around her content continues to surprise her. "I've built a whole community from it, and I love it," Wilson says. "It makes me so happy."
And when the negative comments do roll in, she no longer feels alone. "If someone does try to bully me or say something wild, there's so many people that also will come back at them and try to explain it or just be like, hey, I would like to see you try to face your fears," Wilson shares. "It helps those people maybe change their perspective."
For Wilson, vulnerability has always been her way forward. "A lot of people have asked me how I had the courage to share it, or how I go about telling people about it because they're maybe embarrassed," she shares. "My whole life, I've just been open about it and told people about it, not really been scared, which I know it is scary, because people could make fun of you."
Amber Wilson/TikTok
Amber Wilson trying strawberries
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Her husband's role in the journey is one she emphasizes again and again. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without him," Wilson says. "He's been, like, very patient."
Wilson also wants readers to know that love and acceptance make the process possible. "The most important part is just finding people that love you no matter what," she notes. "Whether that be a significant other or a friend, they will love you no matter what if they truly are your friend or someone that really loves you."
Looking ahead, Wilson is eager to keep documenting her progress with fruit, one bite at a time. "I'll get to that point where I need a fruit salad or something," she says with a laugh. "And I just inspire other people to be open about your fears, and if someone doesn't like you for that, then that person is maybe not for you."
Wilson's story may have begun with a private fear, but it has turned into a public celebration of resilience and connection. As she puts it, "I know it sounds dramatic, but I'm planning on trying strawberries soon, maybe even doing baked goods, and I think it will help me just get more used to them before I actually just go bite into an apple or something."
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Source: "AOL Lifestyle"
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