Has anyone made themselves sick?

[Mumof2]

Just wondering if anyone has actually made themselves sick to get rid of the fear? Has it helped?

[Erica1649]

No, the thought of trying to make myself sick when I feel ill makes me even more panicked so that doesn't help me at all!

[stevesmall]

I'll admit the thought of making myself sick just to see if I can cope has crossed my mind once or twice, but to actually do it is another matter. I don't think I could

[sunnyskies]

Nope, never. A friend of mine was shocked once because she purges all of the time (like whenever she has a stomachache, regardless the severity of it.). and she was stunned that I've never forced myself to. The thought of doing that for any reason really blows my mind. It seems like a terrible idea.

[gumdropper1]

Yes, several have done it and been cured by it. Others haven't been cured. Natural vomiting seems to work better than inducing. You can read examples of all of these on my web site: http://emetophobia.byethost15.com

There was also someone on here who decided to catch norovirus so she could vomit and be cured. It must have worked because she left IES after that. http://www.emetophobia.org/showthread.php?t=6885

Doug

[PinkP]

I do it all the time, I would much rather control the v* part myself than go around and being scared that I might have eaten something bad that would make me sick. But I`m still emet so I guess it`s not getting rid of the phobia.

[kaiilyn_23]

I can't. It's physically impossible. I can stick four fingers to the back of my throat and nothing happens, the doctors even accidentally touched it and held a bucket waiting for me to vomit. No idea why.

[gumdropper1]

Kailyn, why would the doctors accidentally touch it but have a bucket ready? I don't understand.

[Mumof2]

I must admit I probably couldn't make myself sick either because I'm rarely sick as it is. Once last year and before that I was a kid!

[Nicole29]

Sometimes when I feel especially nauseous or I'm faced with the possibility of being sick, I tell myself that maybe I should just relax and let it happen since it may help the phobia... or that I'm due for it since it's been so long since I have ... but almost as quickly as that thought comes into my head, the fear pushes it away, telling myself I'd rather die than vomit.

[sunnyskies]

Same here, Nicole! I've considered just accepting the possibility and even embracing it as it might help me get over it. But then I immediately deny that thought and believe that death would certainly be better.

It's a problem.

[haylz113]

I would never make myself sick on purpose. My sister used to be bulimic several years ago and I remember how disgusting it seemed to make yourself throw up for no apparent reason. Obviously to her there was a reason, but to me it just seemed like she was doing it for no reason. The smell in the bathroom afterwards was always horrible. And the chunks floating in the toilet bowl. I keep thinking that my sister being bulimic might be the reason I now have this phobia.

[Mumof2]

Haylz, That must have been awful watching your sister harm herself in that way. I think your absolutely right when you say your fear must have started from that because you've obviously associated v* as something extremely negative and destructive and your mind is conditioned into thinking that way now. Have you tried CBT?

[Rose22]

I'm with you too Nicole29. I think I would literally rather die than V*. I even had fp a few months ago and couldn't take the fear anymore and literally told myself just to do it and get it over with but the fear wouldn't let me