gradual exposure therepy

[skactor01]

I am currently a senior in high school who has suffered from this awful phobia since I was 8 years old. I have been on SSRIS for about 8 years, and have realized that I am emotioanlly numb when I am on them, and lose the drive to do anything. So, my thereapist and I have decided to do a gradual exposure threpy cumulating in inducing vomiting. I was actually the one to tell him that I would induce vomiting to cure this! Originally, I suggested just inducing vomiting without the gradual buildup, and he said that this could possibly do more harm than good. So, I'm gonna do a gradual thing. My question is: has anyone tried this gradual exposure therepy cumulating in inducing vomiting, and has it worked? I know that a lot of people have just vomited out of the blue to bring about a cure with no success, but has anyine tried this gradual exposure? Thanks a bunch

[samara's on tv]

I haven't tried inducing vomiting to cure my phobia. I also haven't tried gradual exposure therapy leading up to inducing vomiting. But as I have read from this board, inducing vomiting is not a pretty sight. There are a few people here who have tried inducing vomiting with ipecac andI know that for one of the people it didn't even work!


I would NEVER try to induce vomiting to get over this fear...Like Sage said in one of her "Sticky" Posts (Information To Give To your Doctor and Family) Telling someone to induce vomiting to get over this fear is like telling someone who is afraid of flying to be in a plane crash. But if you think it'll work, more power to you.


~Monica

[lizzo]

Somedays when I am in a good mood and feel 100% I consider making
myself sick, but then I realize it may only be a temporary cure for a
long term problem. Because I know that I do have alot of emotional
trauma tied to vomit and vomit-related incidents.



If you feel strong enough to eventually induce vomiting to get over the
fear, all the power to you! Sage was cured of her emet and didn't have
to vomit once to get over it!

[blondie90]

my best friends mom is an emet and decided to get help for it years ago when her kids were still young because she felt bad that she could never take care of them when they were v*ing. her therapist suggested that she try gradually getting over the fear naturally rather than putting her on anxiety medication. she says that he'd start off basically by making her say the word, watching videos of it, etc. when it came time for her to actually do it, shewas not ready, but after three months, she did it. she says it helped somewhat. she has no problem seeing other people v* anymore but she still constantly fears it happening to herself. if it's something you're willing to try, i say go for it. i give you sooooo much credit for even considering it!

[sage]

Your treatment is up to you. The important this is always to remember this: "you're in the driver's seat". Never let anyone even "encourage" you to do something you don't want to. Although I personally don't recommend vomiting to get over the fear of vomiting, to each his own. I have also never read any research from any therapist where this approach has actually worked. But there's always a first time, I suppose.


Just remember that your goal is not to vomit. Your goal is to stop being afraid. The two are NOT the same thing.


Good luck with your treatment and keep us informed!


(PS - read my paper on the sticky post at the top of this Treatments section entitled INFO...."