why do people think that Vting is inevitable?

[hairyfairy]

I have just read a reply to a thread on my yahoo email, it was about athread that I posted saying that I was determined never to V again. this person said that that was very unlikely that my V streak would last for the rest of my life.I feel that that was a quite defeatist remark, as there are people who have not Vted for 30 years or more. What do other members think?

[mooki]

I think it's going to be hard to never do it again. Even if you have a long streak, anything can happen. You can slip on steps, smash your head and start vomiting from the shock. You could end up with cancer and have chemotherapy that makes you vomit. You could have a surgery that does it. You might be food poisoned. Anything can happen. If your a woman you may get pregnant and do it.

I think it's an unhealthy strategy to try and avoid it for the rest of your life. I'd be way more preferable to try and reduce the anxiety associated with it so that you just don't think about such things anymore. Yeah I know, easier said than done, but that's the only healthy goal.

[hairyfairy]

I read a reply to a thread that I posted a while back, about my being determined to continue my 14 year V streak for the rest of my life. The reply said that it was very unlikely that I would never V again. I think that was a very defeatist attitude, after all, there are people that haven`t Vted in 30 or more years, & I`m pretty sure that I`m not the sort of person who`s especially prone to Vting. I`m just wondering what other members think about this.

[Avath]

Well for 99% of people it's probably inevitable. If you're one of the 1% who just don't throw up - then you have nothing to worry about right? You can do all the things you avoid because of your emetophobia. Your strong reaction to the comment shows how deep your anxiety is though. I think about the decade I've spent trying not to get sick and I realise that those ten years weren't much of a life to have, and how much worse it's been being afraid all the time then get sick once in a blue moon. I've come to the realisation that I'd rather get sick once a year with noro than lock myself away and be eaten away by fears constantly. How's the past 14 years been for you?

[paulinek]

Yes there are indeed people who haven't vomited in over 30 years but they are definitely in the minority compared to most people.

However as an emet i think we do battle harder not be, whereas alot of people just give in and vomit whereas we will fight for hours and days for it not to happen plus we often take lots of extra precautions non-emets don't like handwashing and overcooking food which also cuts our odds of getting sick so in general i think an emet has a better chance than a non-emet of going decades without being sick but it is still a possibility, we're not bullet proof in that respect.

I think as long as you prepare and accept that it may happen but remain as optimistic as possible that it wopn't then that's a good balance.

[turbokinetic]

It is NOT inevitable. Period. That was a defeatist attitude which sadly, you see alot here. It's best to not dwell on it, just know in your mind that it is not a normal body function that HAS to happen. You can indeed live without ever needing to V.

Many things go into the mix and determine whether or not you will V. It COULD happen, but then again it COULD not.

I've gone a long time without any V'ing. Not that I have had a hard fight - I just never seem to get sick.

Some people have a higher immunity, some have a high threshold so it takes lots more nausea that it takes to make them give in and V.

A doctor said once "You have 'pukers' and you have 'non-pukers' and that's just the way people are." That goes along with what I've noticed. Past performance does indicate likely future performance. If you have gone a very long time without V'ing then the chances are incredibly low that on any given day you will have to V.

In all reality, it's better to try to get past the anxiety surrounding the CHANCE you MIGHT get sick, then avoid V'ing. But, it is NOT inevitable you will V.

Hope this is good news to you!

Sincerely,
David

[sage]

I think the last two replies, especially taken together, are excellent and I couldn't agree more. "Inevitable" is something nobody knows. Then again, you never know how long you're going to live either. Dying is inevitable. My friend Shannon was proud of her 32-year non-vomiting streak (she wasn't emetophobic). But then again she died tragically at age 50. So nothing's for certain.

But the whole point is that if you really believed you would never vomit again then you wouldn't be afraid of it. 1) you don't know (nobody does) and 2) you are terrified. Therefore it only seems to make sense to put the maximum amount of your energy into getting over the phobia, as opposed to putting maximum energy into avoiding what may (or may not) be inevitable.

[hairyfairy]

Avath, the last 14 years have been very good for me, much better than before, because I`m taking much better care of myself these days. I don`t get falling down drunk anymore, & I eat much more healthily, so Emet has been good for me healthwise. If I had contiued with my prvious lifestyle, I would have a much shorter life expectancy than I do now.

[Lieke]

I don't think the person who commented that it's inevitable meant it to be negative. I am sorry that it made you feel bad.

For some people it might help to look at it from this, in my opinion, buddhist point of view: nothing is inevitable, but also, NOTHING lasts forever. Even if v* happens, it will go away.

I haven't V for 15 years, and I REALLY hope that I can do 15 more. My mind set is maybe a little more "negative" than some of the others, though: I have the feeling that it will happen one day, and I just want to be ready, just in case.

[alexandria]

who knows what could happen, its possible for it to happen again, but its also possible for it never to happen again.