Flooding... Desensitisation

[Eternity]

So we think about vomit, n we talk about vomit... even f***in dream about vomit.. all the time. But do we, really?


I reckon Im thinking about sickness in the back of my mind at least 60-70% of the time, but its only the main thing on my mind perhaps 20%. Suppose I could up that 20%to 100? Suppose I thought about, nlooked at, n wrote about n talked about nothing but vomit, to the exclusion of all rationality, untilI let it entirely take over my life?


Dya think Id desensitize myself... or justend upworse...?

[x hannah x]

I honestly don't know.... I think you should ask Sage or something.

[Eternity]

*Tries to mentally summon sage to the thread*


altho she probly wont know..i think noone really knows. I just wanna know what ppl think.

[kmarie]

i dunno..i dont think i could do it...and if I could..it may make me worse cause then id be obsessed..i think about v* alot already and look where its gotten me..no where..lol.


for me..i dont think it would be a good idea..i dunno though

[2jo2]

I don't think it would work for me either. Just reading the post, I felt a little jump of anxiety in my chest. I think you'd probably go into shock or something, or at least that's how I'd feel. I'd be interested to see what Sage thinks too.


My therapist thinks that the relaxation techniques like breathing and going to a safe place in your mind are the ways to deal with a phobia. I don't even think that would help if you surrounded yourself with it full force. Maybe if you led up to it slowly or something. I don't know. Scary thought tho.

[Eternity]

Hmm.. I dunno.. when i wrote that i was feelin ill, so it seemed easy, now im feelin better n ma mind wants nothin to do with it.. the idea doesnt terrify me, it just bores me. noone around me knows im emet so it would mean shuttin myself off from everyone for a few days at least.

[siafi]

Personally, I don't think it would do me any good...but everyone is different!

[sage]

I don't know either! I guess it depends how you do it...one post was right that it could just be complete obsessing, and that wouldn't fix anything. On the other hand if you thought about it consciously and stirred up some feelings, then continued to do so until the feelings did not get stirred up - you'd be a bit better.


The best rule of thumb is that desensitization or "exposure" has to be INTENTIONAL...not just accidental...in order to work. You (or you and your therapist, preferably) need to work out a plan and approach each part of the hierarchy of fears in order so that it's effective.