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

[dktekno]

STOP STOP STOP!



For you own sake.



It will not cure you. It will make you feel worse with your phobia.



To tell you why, I will tell you my story of my emetophobia.



In August 1997 I got a bad stomach bug.

I vomited. Just once, but I vomited. I developed emetophobia. I had a
fear that I had to throw up all the time. I always felt sick. For
several years. I dont know how many, but it was more than 3 years with
nausea every single day.



It gradually got better as I realised that I have now not vomited for
several years now. And I began to think if vomiting really is that bad.



In November 28 2002 I felt a bit nauseated but just thought "there is
nothing wrong with me". But it got worse. At 00.00 PM I vomited. I
vomited again 00.30 and again 01.00.



After that I developed emetophobia and I began to research what really
causes vomiting. I found out it was Norwalk virus. And I also found out
that I suffer from Emetophobia.



My fear gradually went away, but just as it nearly went away, I got a stomach bug again. And vomited.



Then I realised this, and this is the point for you:

Every time I vomited, my fear of how bad vomiting would be was confirmed.

It was the confirmation. Every single time I have vomited, my fear has grown even bigger.



I have in fact been in involuntary exposure "therapy". And it is not
just the taste of vomit that I hate. It is not just the nausea I hate.
What I hate and what I fear with vomiting is the feeling of something
coming out of my throat, being unable to breathe and that it hurts. It
really hurts when I vomit.



Do not do it.



There is only one way, and that is getting some pills against vomiting.
You can not treat emetophobia. You can treat the side effects of it,
but not the fear itself, as your fear is there simply because in your,
and in mine and in all other emetophobes bodies, it hurts to vomit.



You may be cured for the side effects such as the fear of catching germs. But you can not cure the fear of vomiting itself.



I am warning you. Vomiting is a traumatic experience, and you have to insist on getting pills or other drugs against vomiting.



I have wondered if there is something physically wrong with us
emetophobes. Perhaps it hurts to us because we are built in the wrong
way. It is a genetic error. Perhaps it does not hurt in other people.
Perhaps our fear of vomiting may not be pure psychologically but
physically. For me, it hurts. Hurts. Like pain. Not discomfort or
uncomfortable. I will describe it by the very simpel word PAIN.



Drugs against nausea and vomiting and therapy against the possible side
effects of emetophobia (being afraid of cathing germs) is the only way
to cure this.


Edited by: dktekno

[x hannah x]

Dketno, no offense but you are talking a load of bull. Why are you trying to scare Skafactor? Thats just your personal experience and it's not going to be the same as everybody else's, I did exposure therapy and I feel that I'm doing much better with this phobia, without the aid of any pills. Saying that the only way to cure this is with drugs is rubbish too, Sage has been completely cured hasn't she? Not just the side effects of the phobia, the actual phobia itself because yes it is in our minds which is exactly how we have to conquer it, mind over matter. You go for it Skafactor, you heard Basketballplaya for example, it really helped him, and I think you would be better judging this on peoples real experiences rather than takingDketnos advice when every post he writes seems to be designed to panic people.

[crimgoddess]

<<<<<There is only one way, and that is getting some pills against vomiting. You can not treat emetophobia. You can treat the side effects of it, but not the fear itself, as your fear is there simply because in your, and in mine and in all other emetophobes bodies, it hurts to vomit.>>>>>


<<<<Drugs against nausea and vomiting and therapy against the possible side effects of emetophobia (being afraid of cathing germs) is the only way to cure this.>>>


You DON'T need antiemetics to get over emetophobia. If anything, it can be counterproductive, because inevitably if you want to beat this you need to actually get off the drugs- which can be anxiety-inducing in and of itself. If you keep drugs onhand for certain situations- that is your prerogative. BUT, it is by no means a solution to your problem.


And you CAN treat emetophobia- it is based a lot on thinking errors relating to vomitting and vomit that you build up in your mind, and becomes a source of anxiety. It's a mental disorder that can cause physical results (anxiety, etc.)- but the root cause of it is in our minds. You need to address those, or else the phobia will never go away.


And please- don't give everyone the impression that vomitting hurts- if it does for you, that is one thing. But I know for myself, it is uncomfortable and gross- but it's not painful (usually- there have been certain instances where it did- but there were usually other reasons for that). When you say vomitting is a traumatic experience- it may be for you, but you're opinion is somewhat biased due to your emetophobia. For the average, everyday person, vomitting is nasty, but not necessarily traumatic or painful.


Skactor- I have heard good things about exposure therapy. I am contemplating it myself, but know I have to be in the right state of mind in order for it to work (and not get me more freaked out, haha). As for inducing vomitting- I think it can go either way really. It can be a really bad experience, and just strengthen your fear....but it can also validate the fact that vomitting ain't really that bad. In what way are they going to induce vomitting? Ipecac? I would just be worried that, that would make you vomit so violently, it wouldn't be like it is in a 'normal' situation.


I know for myself- I used to have a fear of vomitting- and managed not to do it for a few years. Then, one day I got sick and it was inevitable....and my reaction was "damn, this is IT? THIS is what I was scared of?" I guess I built it up to be worse than it actually was, and when it happened, it wasnt HORRIBLE. Wasn't great by any means- but nothing to be so scared and anxious about that it would keep me up at night.


And yet I still have a fear of others vomitting.....go fig!


*amber*

[skactor01]

Thanks a lot everyone for your comments. Dktenno: I've actually worried about something simmilar to what you say happening if I make myself vomit. However, last time I vomited, I remember that the fear actually dissapeared for about a week. For that time, I remember NOT CARING AT ALL about vomiting. So, I think this thing might be worth it to me. Crimgoddess: Thanks for rebutting the odd things dktenno said. My therapist and I agreed that if I go through with this, we will not use ipecac. I don't know how it will work tho... I believe that this thing can be cured if anyone really wants it to be.

[dktekno]

My posts are not ment to scare anybody. I just felt the need to log in and warn the one who started the topic.


I am sorry if I scared somebody or made somebody mad at me, it was not my intention.


I just wanted to warn you.

[purpleteacher]

I would suggest doing the exposure therapy gradually and definately under supervision of a medical professional. Don't just take something that will make you V* to "get it overwith" because there are more than likely other issues needing to be worked on in addition to the fear of V* and if you "treat yourself", you could end up in worse shape than you started in originally.

[lilyann]

I have been emet for over 25 years and then 2 months ago I decided I wanted to do something about it. I was even willing to vomit it that was what it would take. Since I am 5 months pregnant and have been feeling queasy the whole time, it was quite easy to come across a situation where I could just give in and vomit naturally. I have given in twice in the past month, and it has not been nearly as bad as I imagined. Before this, I have not vomited in 11 years, even through my 1st pregnancy 7 years ago. I am grateful that I have been given situations that were not overly traumatic to help me deal with this. I just entered therapy as well, but have only been to 1 session so far. I really want to overcome this, whatever it takes, just like you. I am not so scared of myself vomiting again, but I am still very anxious about the next time my husband does it as that is what set me into a real spiral 2 months ago and has led me to want to overcome this. I don't think I can take feeling the way I did when he vomited. But I have to keep telling myself that someday the time will come for that too. I wonder what your therapist is going to do to induce you to vomit? Will he/she be present when you do for support? If you feel you are ready for it and are as prepared as you can be, I say go for it!!

[1987porsche944]

Go for it!!! And let us know as you're progressing!!!


Ugh, I typed out this great response and something happened when I went to post it and it disappeared! [img]smileys/smilies_11.gif[/img]So, again.


It seems off topic, but it's not: I smoked cigarettes for 16 years, heavily, about 2 packs a day towards the end. I was completely convinced I was going to drop from lung cancer and I actually accepted this, as I felt like I could not, no way, no how, give up smoking. I tried numerous times to no avail. The patch, the gum, the lozenge, scrips, etc. I just could not do it.


One day I woke up and walked outside and threw my half pack of Parliaments into a trash can. Then proceeded to be miserable for a couple of days trying to deal with withdrawals, cravings, etc. I actually cried. It was awful. But, to the surprise of everyone I know, I was able to not only quit smoking, but quit cold turkey.


It was the most difficult thing I've ever done, but I've now been a non-smoker since February 2004.


Your mind is a lot stronger than you think it is. Quitting smoking, getting over emetophobia, walking across hot coals - I think all this stuff is rooted in similarity. I felt like I did the impossible with quitting smoking. I know I can get over emetophobia, I just need to find the way that works for me. I have been pretty successful so far with overcoming a lot, so I know for a fact it is possible. But it won't be easy. As long as you are ready and willing to do it, that is what makes the difference.


dktekno- are you doing anything proactive to overcome this fear?


P.S. I feel like it hurts when I v* but in actuality, I think the pain was from me fighting it (oh, back 14 years ago) and also something rooted in my subconscious. I was actually going to not mention thisfor a while, but since I can be candid on this forum- according to my father (my biological mother left when I was three) she used to "force feed" me. When I was too small to talk, and could only cry and make baby noises, she would continually jam the spoon into my mouth so hard, that it would literally cut the back of my throat. When I v* from this she would hit me.I actually think that the "burn" from the stomachacid (sorry to be graphic if it bothers you) reminds me of that, as well as the gagging. And also,as a kid, I equated v*ing with being bad enough to get hit.I have a serious issue with gagging - I can't even go to a dentist - I have so many broken and missing teeth [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]And it drives me crazy that I "know" why I have emetophobia (I'm sure there are other abuses I haven't been advised of, but this is probably the catalyst of my emetophobia). Anyway, I think that my mind tells me that the v*ing is more painful than it really is, and probably my resistance to it as well doesn't help.


Sorry for the long post, but it felt good to tell part of it.

[sage]

Quoting Dtekno:


There is only one way, and that is getting some pills against vomiting. You can not treat emetophobia. You can treat the side effects of it, but not the fear itself, as your fear is there simply because in your, and in mine and in all other emetophobes bodies, it hurts to vomit.

You may be cured for the side effects such as the fear of catching germs. But you can not cure the fear of vomiting itself.


I'm sorry...but maybe I'm having a bad day today and I'm unusually angry at this kind of thing but....I'VE NEVER HEARD SUCH NONSENSE!!


Have you not read ANYTHING I've written on this site???? Or perhaps you think I'm some sort of cyber-freak that's just making it all up?


If I have to come here every day for the next 50 years until I'm dead and say the same thing, I will...but it's discouraging. Anyway, here it is: I AM TOTALLY CURED OF THE FEAR OF VOMITING. THOUSANDS OF OTHERSHAVE BEENSUCCESSFULLY TREATED FOR THIS PHOBIA. I have the research. READ MY PAPER ON THIS VERY THREAD.


Although I'm sure you didn't mean to, Dtekno, youmay have scared someone away from seeking treatment and destroyed their hope.


I have a lot of tolerance for a lot of things: people who have HAD no success in treatment, people who aren't READY; people who are too AFRAID. I get it, understand it, empathize. But PLEASE do not come on here and make wild, ridiculous, completely false statements about neurology or psychology when you aren't an expert.


The energy and anger I feel right now are really not meant to be directed at you. I just get so FRUSTRATED trying to help people. And stupid therapists who don't know what they're doing ruin lives as well...so it's an uphill battle just to get a point across. The more emetophobes who go to treatment, work at it, and get cured the more chance all emets have of this phobia getting more press, more research, more funding, better treatments, etc. Right now it's like "in the closet". And people being told to stay in the closet is not the answer.


Edited by: sage

[s_snow]

I did expose therapy and it make this worse.


dont do this, you will see how much pain you will get after that and how many days you wont be able to do anything.

[sage]

Snow,


Please describe what you mean by "exposure therapy" and why it did not work, or made you worse. Done properly, there is no possible way it could make anyone worse. However, if your therapist structured the exposure in a way that was not, in fact, gradual, then it would indeed make you worse.


However, just because you had a bad therapist doesn't mean it's ok to scare people off of ALL treatment!