Recovery is possible

[lisalulu]

I don't really come on here anymore, but I thought I would post about my progress for some inspiration.

I have been in therapy/doing exposure on and off for just over a year (I had a baby and had to take some time off in between). When I first started I couldn't even look at a picture of vomit without having to run away and have a panic attack. I was anxious when a baby spit up. I would freak out if I saw vomit out in public.

Now...
- I can look at pictures no problem, even the most graphic ones on rate my vomit.
- I watch it in movies without covering my eyes and ears. If the scene is because they are dying or very ill I still feel anxiety but if it's just stupid drunken puking I actually LAUGH at it!
- I can look at a pile of vomit on the ground and feel no anxiety
-Spit up is nothing to me now
- My daughter has had 2 stomach bugs this year. The first time I felt anxious but faced it and cleaned her up and kept her company. The second time it was like no big deal. All I felt was sorry for her.
- If I hear puking noises out in public I don't rush to cover my ears
-Yesterday my husband's best friend said he felt like he was coming down with a stomach bug. Instead of demanding to go home I continued on our day with them and even let my daughter eat food off his plate that he had touched.

The progress I've seen just fuels more progress because every time I face something it's less scary the next time and it's worth it to me to keep trying knowing that I'll face less fear in my every day life. Now we're trying to work on my own fear of being sick which means exposing myself to nausea without trying to make myself feel better (with mint or water or sea bands). Every time you face it you get a little closer to recovery and every time you avoid it you enforce your emet and make the fear stronger.

I see full recovery in the next couple of years. I'm realizing it will be possible to view vomiting as an unpleasant but not terrifying part of life the way dentists and colds and bee stings are. Sure you don't WANT to be sick but you do it, get over it and get on with enjoying life.

Recovery is possible for all of us.

[olschesky]

congrats on your progress and a new baby sounds like you've been working hard at it........keep us posted love success stories

[BiggerPicture]

Wow! Well done, u are exactly were i want to be with my therapy and im working really hard!! You should be very proud of yourself!!

[x...RaChE...x]

Wow. Thats actually amazing And I'm rather happy for you This is slightly inspiring and proves that you can get over it if you have the determination x

[Erika G]

Could you tell me where you are having therapy and what type? CBT? I tried exposure and in the beginning it worked for me, but now I am stuck again.

[lisalulu]

I am in the anxiety and phobia problem at the royal ottawa hospital. i was on a waiting list for 8 months, had 3 months treatment, then another waiting list for a year. i'm seeing a dr every 2 weeks for 30 min to check in on my progress and they give me new tasks to work on. why are you stuck? i find that dealing with the fear of others being sick was a lot easier than the fear of myself being sick but my dr is working on breaking it down for me so i can conquer that too.

[MomofEmet]

It is great to hear inspirational stories. Thank you for posting!! My daughter is 11 and is emetophobic. Do you know if the hospital you go to for therapy helps children with phobias as well?

[amarkham01]

So is this covered by OHIP? Did you have to get a referral from your regular doctor? I can't even get my asshole doctor to refer me to a psychiatrist. Congratulations on your achievements!!!

[sage]

amarkham01 - get yourself a doctor who isn't an asshole! That will be a really important part of your recovery. You should be able to get a referral to an anxiety clinic or a psychiatrist who does therapy. There are several in Vancouver, so there must be some in Toronto. Good luck!

And to lisalulu - GREAT stuff! Indeed you will continue to get better and better so long as you refuse to avoid situations - even feelings - that you fear. That's the key!

[lisalulu]

yes it's covered by ohip, i was referred by my family dr. the waiting list is very long but worth the wait! usually they do group therapy but because i have a baby and very limited babysitting they found someone to see me one on one when i could fit it in.

[tallgirl]

Well done!! So glad you are doing really well!!

Thank you for sharing your sucess!! Hopefully soon I will have my own little sucess story to tell you about!!

[Bee95]

Nice job! It's so great to know some people are cured. Gives a lot of others the strength to keep working.

Just curious, but, how exactly does the therapy work? Just talking about it? Exercises? I'm really curious because I want to try to work it out at home by myself, but not sure exactly where would be the best place to start. Thank you!
~Brianna

[lisalulu]

I just created a hiearchy of fears (looking at cartoon pictures of vomit at the bottom with having noro virus away from home at the top) and worked my way up through the exposures gradually. now the ones in the middle bother me as little or less than the ones at the bottom used to.
The anxiety and phobia workbook explains how to do exposure fully. I had a dr. explain it but the book said exactly the same thing. The dr. just keeps you on track and encourages your next step at appointments.

[nhernandez1194]

So glad you're doing better! I've hit a slump right now, pretty much.

[NotEvenTheRain]

What do you mean when you say expose yourself? I mean obviously you can expose yourself to uncomfortable pictures, for in the case of getting sick away from home, how would you "expose" yourself to that? Get sick on purpose? :\

[dizzybird]

what book is it that u mention? i really need some help i've hit rock bottom but to hear that a theropy is workin 4 u gives me hope x

[lisalulu]

The book is the anxiety and phobia workbook. You can order it off amazon or get it at most large bookstores. I found it very helpful.
I expose myself by not doing anything to stop nausea when it comes (like from eating too much or being cold or hot or anything that might make me uncomfortable). I also make myself watch any vomiting in movies, I can't turn away when my daughter vomits and if I see some on the road I have to look or if I hear what sounds like vomiting in public I can't plug my ears. It's really helped a lot.

[mooki]

Lisalulu, this is really inspiring. I think I have come a long way since my worse days. I don't get the fight or flight feeling when I see someone getting sick or see it on the ground like I used to, and that's without even trying any therapy. However, I still cannot bring myself to look at a site called rate my v*. A few months back, I was in a drive through to get a burger and as I pulled up to the speaker, I saw that someone had left a big pile in the parking lot next to someone's driver side door. It looked like someone had did it only minutes ago. It was really, really gross but I couldn't stop myself from looking at it with almost a morbid fascination. I then saw the guy walk up who's car was parked there and he looked quite surprised that someone puked right in front of his car door. He had to sort of step right above it to get in his car. I felt bad for him. If that was me, I'd had have to gone through the passenger door on the other side. So I don't think I'm at the point where I could just step over it casually like that guy did, though at least now, I don't feel that shot of adrenaline and my heart pumping when I see it. I will though take anti-nausea medicines, esp if I'm out in public. I just think the nausea is so unpleasant a feeling that I have to rid myself of it, even if I don't think v is imminent.

Congratulations on making it as far as you have.

[dizzybird]

thats what i'm like! i force my self 2 live a 'normal' life i love theme parks and goin out 2 dinner and goin 2 c shows but all these things i have 2 do with the help of anti emetics and if i haven't got a packet in my bag i panic! i just feel so trapped in my own head

[fedup_emet]

I would love to know all about exposure therapy, because I can't seem to get my hands on any REAL information on it. I've been fighting this for almost 14 years now and I'm fed up with it. What exactly happens in Exposure therapy and how does it affect you at first?

[jkl81]

I would love to know all about exposure therapy, because I can't seem to get my hands on any REAL information on it. I've been fighting this for almost 14 years now and I'm fed up with it. What exactly happens in Exposure therapy and how does it affect you at first?

If you want to know about exposure therapy you should look here in the sticky section on the post by Sage "Fully Recovered from Emet" and also look at her website. Since getting better she has become a licensed therapist and treats mainly emets. Also a friend of mine from this site J1r23w wrote a thread on her successful exposure therapy a few months ago I want to say early March.

[fedup_emet]

It is great to hear inspirational stories. Thank you for posting!! My daughter is 11 and is emetophobic. Do you know if the hospital you go to for therapy helps children with phobias as well?

well i do know that where I live there's a place called "community child guidance center" and its just a bunch of psychologists and psychiatrists that deal specifically with children, and the woman I have from there works wonders with me.

[fedup_emet]

thanks!

[ButterfliesInHerEyes]

Lisa, you are such an inspiration!