exposure therapy?

[sarahlynn]

Hi I am new here, and this is my very first post, so please forgive me if this question has already been asked/answered elsewhere (and if that is the case, can you please direct me to it?).

I was wondering about how exposure therapy would work for this phobia? Inducing yourself to vomit?? My phobia is greater about OTHERS vomiting, so how would exposure to that happen (in a controlled environment, during therapy??)...??

I have only just begun seeing a therapist for the first time (just one session thus far, and it's not been anything other than geting to know me).

Thanks in advance for any information.

[xxglitterxx]

Hello, my main phobia was also about others v*ing, it's now progressed so I fear it off myself too, but originally others.


I don't know too much about therapy to be honest, but I know that I've definitely read that exposure therapy can be unhelpful in emetophobia....
At a guess I'd say it would start with looking at photos/ videos etc. then move onto putting yourself in "risky" situations- ferrys, outside pubs late at night, long coach journeys, etc. etc.
To be totally honest I can't see how that would be very helpful.


Good luck, and I hope you find this forum helpful. Felicity.

[katie_alexandra]

Hi and welcome...

I have been in therapy for my phobia and had little exposures. But instead of just facing sick and having to deal with it, my exposures focused on things I avoided because of my emetophobia. For example, I hardly ate any variety of food and stuck to mainly chocolate, crisps and bread. So we started with something easy like cheese and butter with my bread, and worked upto hot meals. I would eat the food I was scared of, then let the panic happen, then it would get easier every time I ate the food.
The other exposures I did were going out and driving on my own and going on holiday. You do all the things or activities you avoid because of your phobia then just deal with the panic. Feel the fear and do it anyway!! I don't know if it works for everyone but it definately helped me.

Kate [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[teh folder]

Hi I am new here, and this is my very first post, so please forgive me if this question has already been asked/answered elsewhere (and if that is the case, can you please direct me to it?).

I was wondering about how exposure therapy would work for this phobia? Inducing yourself to vomit?? My phobia is greater about OTHERS vomiting, so how would exposure to that happen (in a controlled environment, during therapy??)...??

I have only just begun seeing a therapist for the first time (just one session thus far, and it's not been anything other than geting to know me).

Thanks in advance for any information.

Well you could watch the millions of v**** videos online. But when I tried just exposing myself to lots of v**** videos and pictures (at once) many years ago it only made me worse off. Try seeking professional help, and never induce yourself or others to v**** attempting to cure yourself.

[sarahlynn]

Thank you for your replies!

I have begun therapy, so I will see where this leads. I am nervous of exposure to V* (of course!) so that's why I was wondering what you guys have been through in regards to exposure.

Thanks again!

[kellybeth]

Even just the thought of exposure therapy scares me to death. It would be like having to watch people get their thoats slashed over and over. I just can't stand it. If I hear it or see it or even think about it to much it ruins my day.

I don't think I could even do exposure theraphy and be ok with it. I tryed looking at Sages pic's on here to build up my nerve to look at the pics. I was fine with the "fake" pictures but when it came to actul photos I could not go any further.

[sage]

Check out my information website (in my signature line) and it will explain exactly how it works. Many MANY people have been successfully treated through gradual desensitization. This does NOT include you vomiting (ever) and it should start with simply imagining someone sick, then progress to looking at the "v" word and then a stick-man drawing with a line coming out the mouth, etc.

Kellybeth, if you got stuck somewhere in the pictures, I think that would be because you didn't take the time to really EXPERIENCE each one at each level. Often people can look at several levels because they "white knuckle it" through them without really imagining they are real (I mean the easy/fake ones). Then, suddenly, they hit a brick wall. When this happens, it's important to go BACK to the "easy" ones and imagine it's real and imagine it's YOU in the picture. Then KEEP FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS about SUD levels and such. If your Subjective Units of Distress go to high (over 6) then you'll just retraumatize yourself rather than heal.

Take care!

[casey]

Hi everyone- this is my first post but I wanted to share my experience with exposure therapy thus far. I started about a month ago because my phobia was getting worse and I felt if I let it go unchecked I would become agoraphobic or something. Right now we're just finishing with the education phase where I am learning where my phobia came from. In my case I like things ordered and controlled and when someone v*s, I am out of control of the situation. I have learned so much about my ways of thinking. My biggest fear is that if someone v*, I will get whatever sickness they have and in turn I will v*. I will keep you updated as my therapy continues!

[sarahlynn]

Thanks Casey for sharing your experience!

I think some of my phobia stems from lack of control as well. I don't really like to think of myself as a "control freak" or anything, but I sorta am (at least deep down!). Maybe that IS part of my issues. I am just beginning with therapy (only 2 sessions so far, and haven't gotten into much yet) but you've given me something to think about.

[casey]

Yeah- I am definitely not a huge control freak either but when it comes to things being "in order" (at least in my mind) that's where I like control. I like things to be constant and structured- which certainly is not occurring when someone is being sick. Good luck with your therapy!

[sage]

thanks for sharing, Casey and good luck!

I think all humans like to have "things" under control, which doesn't mean they have to control everything. Phobics somehow associate the loss of control with danger, which is not the same thing at all. It took me a long time to learn that in therapy.