Exposure Therapy

[Arkham_Patient]

On Thursday, I have an appointment with a new psychologist. I have gone to psychologists in the past but not for the past 2 years. My therapists before didn't provide me with much help. They gave me coping techniques for my anxiety but nothing to help out my fear. My last psychologist attempted to use EMDR on me but I never really found any satisfaction out of that. I spoke with this new psychologist on the phone who has worked with phobias before but has never worked with emetophobia. He explained to me how we are going to make a hierarchy list of my fears and then expose me to them in no particular order. I know that this is typically not something that works for emetophobes and I would like some input on what you guys think? Does this not work for us because being exposed to it is too difficult or is this something that just won't work with our phobia at all? I want to be cured of this phobia not to just cope with it my whole life. I'm done with living in fear. Is it even possible to get over this?

[jadeshine]

That sounds like it would be really overwhelming...so basically it's like, draw of the hat? You might be exposed to say, a person v*ing before you're exposed to just pictures or words? If I gathered what you said correctly, that sounds really anxiety inducing to me...

[Arkham_Patient]

well I think he would start with the easier stuff first in no particular order. Words don't bother me, or even reading stories about it. It's just the possible contamination and myself v* that bothers me (I never type out the word v on here for others but I don't have a problem seeing it). And then we'd move on to the medium stuff in no particular order then the hard stuff etc. I'm okay with dealing with the anxiety because I want to get over this fear. I'm just hoping that this is a fear that can actually be overcome...

[Rls1994]

Hmm, I'm having exposure therapy at the moment too, and what they're doing with me is starting off with the thing that makes me anxious the least, which for me is talking about it, then work our way up to the thing that makes me most anxious, which of course, is being sick. I don't know how they're going to get me over that though? I'm nervous because I think that somewhere down the line they're going to make me v* or something..

By the way, it CAN be overcome! I've read quite a few success stories about curing emetophobia. I was also worried at one point that I'll have this forever. Oh, and as a poster mentioned above, I'm scared that it will only work temporarily.

[jadeshine]

Well, I wish you the best of luck and hope it can help you overcome this!

[ktg0612]

I have had that therapy before and it did work but only temporarily... I went back to the doctors last week & I am awaiting a new appointment as cbt & exposure therapy has not helped me long term at all.... Good luck though & I hope it works for you. I wish this was easier to cure!

[Cynna]

Go to emetophobiahelp.org. There is info for your therapist and information about exposure therapy.

It can tramuatize some and help some. It has to be done right and you have to be ready to face it. Good luck

[Arkham_Patient]

Thanks everyone! Im definitely ready to face anything no matter how much anxiety it causes me. I'm ready to kick this phobia in the butt!