possible to will yourself not to v*?

[emilyss]

Hi, my name is Emily, I'm 19 and I'm very new to this site. This is actually my first post. I've been reading the forums for a while and a lot of it really helps me to not feel so alone.

I'm not quite sure how to properly word this question, but is it possible to mentally will yourself not to v*? I feel like there are a handful of times I really would have v*ed but it was almost like I willed the feeling away and prevented it from actually happening. Obviously this probably couldn't happen if there was something fatally harmful in your stomach that your body HAD to expel, but in situations like motion sickness from carnival rides, over-eating, maybe even SV in some cases, I feel like I've been able to calm my body and prevent it. I also recall reading somewhere that statistically, emetophobes actually v* a lot less frequently than people without emetophobia.

Any thoughts?

-Emily

[LuckyNumber]

A therapist I went to told me that emets do not get sick any less than people without this phobia - if you're body needs to throw up, then it does whether or not you're panicking. But I've also read that emets throw up less frequently then people without emetophobia. I honestly believe that emets can prevent themselves from throwing up if they try hard enough.

[Kinetic]

I have been faced with situations where I could have thrown up if I really wanted to. But I managed to keep it down. So yeah maybe. But then I have been faced with a situation where I could not control it (I got car sick and projectile vomited) and I believe this is actually what started my phobia. Its all about a lack of control. We all have to try and find a way to release this need for control, that I reckon is how we are to overcome emet.

[kellybeth]

I 100% belive in some cases, not all, you can will yourself out of vomiting. I just went through having Gall stones. If you look it up on line one of the warning signs of Gallstones is vomiting. I had 4 attacks and felt very sick each time. But I just sat in the bathroom and relaxed my breathing and was able to calm the feelings. I did have my Gallbladder removed 2 weeks ago and still remain vomit free. I think any non emet would have vomited.

[shhhh]

People with emetophobia could V* less often simply because we take more precautions than others. We use hand sanitiser, wash our hands frequently and are very careful about what we eat. The only time I have actually V* since developing my phobia was after surgery and through one too many drinks. There will always be occasions where it could go either way and, with a little willpower, you can stop the V*.

I'm not sure about this one. Besides, I think I'd rather V* to relieve the nausea. Even if it's only temporary.

[Mumsie]

Has anyone been able to stop diarrhea? No. In fact, if you're not real close to a toilet you'll poop your pants! Same with vomiting. If you're truly sick and your body needs to vomit, you'll vomit and there isn't anything you can do about it.

Are there times when you felt you had to poo real bad but managed to hold it in until the feeling went away? Yes.
Are there times when you felt really nauseaated - even gagged - but not vomited? Yes. But these cases, in my opinion, are more like the poop example above and not that you were able to stop it from happening anymore than you'd be able to stop diarrhea.

That's just my opinion based on my personal experience with both lol.

[gumdropper1]

Mumsie, they are not the same thing. It is possible to stop diarrhea too. If you can hold it in long enough, the excess liquid will be absorbed by the colon.

The body has to go through a series of steps before you can vomit, and if you can prevent those steps, then you can prevent vomiting. Read about it in my Vomiting FAQ: http://emetophobia.byethost15.com/vomiting.html.

[KaydeeJayde]

Has anyone been able to stop diarrhea? No. In fact, if you're not real close to a toilet you'll poop your pants! Same with vomiting. If you're truly sick and your body needs to vomit, you'll vomit and there isn't anything you can do about it.

Are there times when you felt you had to poo real bad but managed to hold it in until the feeling went away? Yes.
Are there times when you felt really nauseaated - even gagged - but not vomited? Yes. But these cases, in my opinion, are more like the poop example above and not that you were able to stop it from happening anymore than you'd be able to stop diarrhea.

That's just my opinion based on my personal experience with both lol.

I agree completely.

In some cases, you can prevent vomiting by willing yourself not to do it. In other cases, your body is just going to go ahead and do it no matter what.

[ditchy_jon]

Emets generally have to feel extremely nauseated to vomit, which is usually why when an emet comes down with a case of norovirus, there is very little if any vomiting involved, generally because they feel nauseous, but somehow manage to keep it in for about 8 hours, which is usually the time when the nausea dies down in Norovirus Patients and they start feeling better.

[sarahh]

The two times I have been ill with either fp or a sv I have held off the v once I was dry heaving until I got back to my hotel (not a great holiday ) or for hours but eventually it happens, I guess I lost the will power to stop it as it was so painful to hold in. Once I let it out I felt instantly better so with each illness I only v’d once. I guess I could have stopped it but at that point I couldn’t see why. ( my phobia is mostly v’ing without warning or in public, but those who are fearful of the v’ing itself often take meds or many other techniques.)

[Kinetic]

I can't stop diarrhoea lol. And I definitely don't think its a good idea. If you have cramps it can alleviate them. Just like vomiting alleviates nausea.

[ewilkins]

I do agree that it's possible to will yourself from v. I will tell you that I have found it difficult to do so, but I have done it before. For me, diarrhea is a bit more difficult, because "pooping" is something we all do everyday anyhow. Diarrhea is just a liquid form of it, no matter how pleasant. V however is not something we do everyday. Doug is correct though in stating that diarrhea WILL be re-absorbed back into the colon if held long enough. You may have the cramps from hell though!

[Abigail88]

I think it's possible to will yourself not to v* in SOME cases.
im 26 and haven't v* since I was 7 (touch wood!!)
live had two children, both of which I felt Sooo sick with in pregnancy but have always managed to beat it, I think that's just because some people are weaker (non emets) to it.
Like scary films. Someone that scares one person, who say, hates horror movies, will be boring to a scary movie fan.
someone who is more sickly or more excepting of being sick will more likely go ahead and do it than someone fighting it so hard?

[Domin]

There is no evidence AT ALL that humans have the ability to stop themselves from throwing up. There is obviously, evidence for the opposite of that.
Some people's make up means that they are more inclined to throw up. Think about it. At school, there was always a kid who would vomit often. We all have a friend who isnt able to handle more than two ciders without losing it later in the night.

If your nervous system detects that it needs to remove bacteria or problems in the stomach, its simply going to happen. If your a little bit full and bloated because you overindulged on food, then with a bit of self care, you can probably calm the situation down; other people might not do this, and end up becoming slightly unwell.

You will see people on here saying that they can control their vomiting reflex because they didn't do it for years and years; but think about it this way. I don't know any emetophobes who HAVE thrown up regularly. Perhaps if we were of the kind of person that was more likely to be ill over the years, we wouldn't be using this website!

[Solar_plexus]

Hi, my name is Emily, I'm 19 and I'm very new to this site. This is actually my first post. I've been reading the forums for a while and a lot of it really helps me to not feel so alone.

I'm not quite sure how to properly word this question, but is it possible to mentally will yourself not to v*? I feel like there are a handful of times I really would have v*ed but it was almost like I willed the feeling away and prevented it from actually happening. Obviously this probably couldn't happen if there was something fatally harmful in your stomach that your body HAD to expel, but in situations like motion sickness from carnival rides, over-eating, maybe even SV in some cases, I feel like I've been able to calm my body and prevent it. I also recall reading somewhere that statistically, emetophobes actually v* a lot less frequently than people without emetophobia.

Any thoughts?

-Emily

I believe it is! Don't know if this would work every time.. But 2 winters ago, after about 16 years I got what I think was the sv. My stomach was burning and I kept having *d. I found out later that my friends I had dinner with the night before got it as well the next morning. I was on the phone with my godmother who gives me reiki and has helped me through some of the worst panic attacks of my life. I gagged but the * v did not come out. She said to me that I did not have to * v. So I said that to myself. As the waves of nausea came I kept letting it pass down, imagining it passing through and out the other end. And it did and I would have * d instead it seemed. My friends * really bad and one even went to the er. She didn't have the *d. Not sure if this happened because I have told myself I was I wasn't going to throw up so many times in my life or what. It is interesting though, maybe we have more control than we think. One good thing too, it certainly didn't seem like I was more sick than them or that it lasted longer for not *v. But I wonder, it's been about 18 years now, how long is it possible to go?

[emilyss]

I believe it is! Don't know if this would work every time.. But 2 winters ago, after about 16 years I got what I think was the sv. My stomach was burning and I kept having *d. I found out later that my friends I had dinner with the night before got it as well the next morning. I was on the phone with my godmother who gives me reiki and has helped me through some of the worst panic attacks of my life. I gagged but the * v did not come out. She said to me that I did not have to * v. So I said that to myself. As the waves of nausea came I kept letting it pass down, imagining it passing through and out the other end. And it did and I would have * d instead it seemed. My friends * really bad and one even went to the er. She didn't have the *d. Not sure if this happened because I have told myself I was I wasn't going to throw up so many times in my life or what. It is interesting though, maybe we have more control than we think. One good thing too, it certainly didn't seem like I was more sick than them or that it lasted longer for not *v. But I wonder, it's been about 18 years now, how long is it possible to go?

I often wonder how long it's possible to go too... wouldn't it be nice to know for sure that you'd never v* again? It's been only about 7 years for me because of sv that i had when i was about 12 :/ But I did read somewhere that v*ing happens when we give in to nausea, and in theory if you keep fighting the nausea eventually the need to v* will pass... it can take days of nausea to get past it but as an emet it is definitely worth it to me!

[mess_of_a_dreamer]

Has anyone been able to stop diarrhea? No. In fact, if you're not real close to a toilet you'll poop your pants! Same with vomiting. If you're truly sick and your body needs to vomit, you'll vomit and there isn't anything you can do about it.

Are there times when you felt you had to poo real bad but managed to hold it in until the feeling went away? Yes.
Are there times when you felt really nauseaated - even gagged - but not vomited? Yes. But these cases, in my opinion, are more like the poop example above and not that you were able to stop it from happening anymore than you'd be able to stop diarrhea.

That's just my opinion based on my personal experience with both lol.

I've definitely been able to stop diarrhea! I was like 11 and really dehydrated from not drinking water/being out in the sun and I knew if I did go to the bathroom it WOULD be d* but I really didn't want that to happen so I just drank tons of water and forced myself not to go. And I didn't. That being said if you have d* from fp or sv you probably can't hold it in. I've gotten d* more as I've gotten older so lately I just don't even try to hold it in lol, but when I was young it never happened and I was as scared of it as I was of v*.

[Theshadow]

Bizarrely enough. I think I had diarrhea last September and I could have held it in, though my stomach was absolutely killing me. Why do I think I had diarrhea? I couldn’t eat solid foods for a week,and it was very soft, so I am pretty sure it was diarrhea.