can i help myself?

[bailey123]

am just curious to find out whether it is possible to control my emet without medication? tried the meds (but only for a few days until the side effects set in) am having CBT and seeing a nutritionalist (ironic really as he will not understand that i do not need educating on the 5 a day if i have no intention of eating them) but am struggling to explain to those around me that i do not want to take the med (for fear of what will happen) and the advice of 'just dont think about it' doesnt really help all that much. i'm feeling a little lost really, dont want to downplay the power of positive thinking and all that but if i had the ability to do that, would i have emet in the first place?!

[Elphiba]

For others fo help you, you need to help yourself, so yes absolutely you can help yourself

The CBT will really help in the end, believe me. In regards to meds, although I know you don't wan to take them, I just want to tell you that I took anti-anxoety meds, felt disgustingly n* for a day, then the next day ate THE biggest meal I had eaten in 7 months since my Emet really flared up. The meds and the CBT jusy worked so well!!

Saying that, there are other ways. Have you tried relaxation techniques? And not distraction like tv, I mean yoga or pilates? Breath control and muscle relaxant? Also try picking up a strange activity for you. I crochet AVIDLY and sell my items on ebay - if I ever feel s* i crochet until it passes as it calms me down. Crochet helped me out of my depression! Hows fhe CBT going for you?

[bailey123]

ummm its going ok but seems to focus more on the anxiety than the emet (hand in hand i think!) as for the meds i just cant willingly take something that will make me feel that way have tried a few relaxation techniques and cd's etc which have worked for a while and have the usual distraction techniques (am a knitter! cant crochet, it always rolls up!!!) but i just find the whole day to day talking myself down so exhausting. am falling back into old habits at the mo which isnt good as i know where it leads so thought i would join here in the hope that i may find some inspiration

[Elphiba]

It is a brilliant place to be, for any old thing really it can become seriously tiresome to keep at the rationalisation of things with emet. Do you have a job? If not try keeping active and give yourself natural endorphins

[Sajinta]

I used to be so dead against any meds because I was so terrified of being doped up that I wouldnt be able to make it to the bathroom. I have learned to take the medicine though.. It does help.. Even if you only take a mini dose. CBT with meds is the road I'm taking and I am better now than I have been previously... I have OCD combined with the emet and just being able to come to this forum is a huge help.. Just knowing I am not the only one like this...

[stoneskipper]

I also tried medications (two different ones) and didn't stick with them because of the side effects. I was able to get my anxiety under control without them. It took a while, and maybe if I had been on meds, the process would have been faster, but I'm happy I did it without them (because now I don't have to go through the process of going off them).

CBT really helped me, and also doing some relaxation technique (yoga, guided meditation, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation) every single day.

Some people portray "the power of positive thinking" as something magical that works right away, and it wasn't like that for me at all. I had to force myself to think, write, say positive things for months, and it was really hard at first. It's still hard to even remember to do sometimes, because I am so used to going to the negative stuff. Plus I didn't believe any of it a lot of the time and thought I was stupid for even trying something so "fruity". But after a while of doing it, it really started helping in the moment, and I could also see how it was helping overall. It gets easier the more I practice.