Self Exposure?

[BreaRose]

So. I've decided that I can't afford a therapist but I really REALLY REEAAALLLYYY want to get over this. Reading this site helps, but sometimes I feel like I'm nothing compared to some of the others writing about their experiences and panics here. Like, I'm on the mild end of emetophobia or something. But I still can't bring myself to look at pictures or watch movies of it and forget being around people who are sick.

Do you guys think that forcing myself to look at ratemyv*.com is a bad idea? I opened it up today and saw a picture of the top of a girls head and nothing else and I closed it immediately. How should I go about forcing myself to cope with seeing it? Do you think it will traumatize me if I do?

Gah, I hate this.

[turbokinetic]

It could help you, but there are better sites that have progressing pictures that start out mild and get more graphic. The key is that the pictures start mild and progress. This is important, because you need to become familiar and comfortable with each picture before moving on to the next more graphic one. Don't move on until you can look at the picture without any anxiety. The key is to overcome the anxiety at each level. Sites like ratemyvomit are intended to be humorous and they're not in any particular order.

[hippychick]

Sage has a great exposure site. I don't remember the link right now but I'm sure it's in the resources somewhere, turbokenetic is right in that you need to take it a level at a time and only move on when you are comfortable with that level.

[hippychick]

Here you go (taken from the resources Sage created)

"Desensitization Websites

http://www.emetophobia.bravehost.com/ I created this little website myself. It is completely safe to click on this link, if you're an emetophobic. ALL pictures and even the word you fear are behind safe, well-labelled links. The first step is as simple as looking at this: v****

The pictures on the site progress from a stick man with a line coming out of his mouth through funny cartoon pictures, people looking unwell, and finally people vomiting. There are 39 levels."

[BreaRose]

Thank you for that resource. I took a long time looking at each picture unless it was obviously too mild (the first few). I got to 21 but had to stop there. I don't know if it's the anticipation of what is to come or the actual picture, but that one made me look away. I'll try again tomorrow.

[turbokinetic]

Here you go (taken from the resources Sage created)....Desensitization Websites
http://www.emetophobia.bravehost.com/ .....

Ah great you found it! I ran out of time and had to go!

David

[BreaRose]

Bleh. This is harder than I thought it would be. Haha .

So, I've been looking at the pictures a little bit everyday and just taking time to absorb how I feel and the picture itself. So far it hasn't been too hard but picture 38 make me cringe and I had a very hard time looking at it. I forced myself to look deeply at the pictures like I did the other for 30 seconds and then I closed it. For a couple minutes afterward I felt disturbed and just heebee-jeebee in general but I didn't start to spaz attack like I'm sure I would have if I hadn't worked up to that picture. So I feel like I'm making progress.

I will admit though, now I 'm a little leery of looking at the site again tomorrow just because I know what is coming. Haha.

[gcepeda]

thats how im feeling with ratemyvomit.com...i look at the pics, i feel totally grossed out but not much anxiety and no queasiness or anything. but then i start to freak out later and start thinking im going to see what i saw in those pics if i go outside or on public trans etc...i really think im ruining my brain haha...oh well i think im making tiny strides....sigh

[Embramp]

Try doing relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation when you look at each picture, but work on the techniques by themselves first so that you can do them easily and effectively.

I studied something like this in psychology, it's a type of therapy called Systematic Desensitization. Basically, you can't feel anxious and relaxed at the same time, so slowly working through a hierarchy of your fear, progressively getting worse, whilst relaxing at the same time eventually desensitizes you to whatever it is that you're scared of. It usually works for phobias of things like spiders, so I'm not sure how us emets would get on with it lol, but give it a go nonetheless

Make sure you take your time though so it works properly!

Good luck x

[2u4u4ever.com]

I think any severity grade of this phobia is bad enough, especially when you think of how it seems like we all have to struggle on our own to handle this and push our limits.
When I expose myself to images and even youtubeclips I have recently begun to think that my feelings is nothing else but a *chemical reaction in the brain*, and I have to tell you that practicing this one thought have almost "cured" my phobia so far. Everytime I feel fear I try come back to this fact, and somehow the images, myself and the whole situation will graduately seem more and more silly.

When people talk about someone being sick at work it's like, so what.

But it's not like you can be this rational when you are in the midst of a panicattack, one has to practice with kind mild methods like you all say and still keep focusing the attention on knowledge and what is real to not become stuck in the fear or feel like you fail when it takes over.

Yey, a thousands of thrinks couldn't accomplish what we do altogether in this wonderful forum!