Has anyone attempted self administered exposure therapy?

[bridget1880]

I'm far too embarrassed to ask my mum to go to a real therapist - she thought that I got over my emet years ago... Maybe in the future I'll book myself in without telling her, but in the mean time, I'll have to make do.

Has anyone tried to do exposure therapy by themselves, using youtube videos for example? Does it work?

I feel like it could have both positive and negative effects for me. It may desensitize me somewhat (positive), but I can also imagine having those videos being replayed over and over and over again in my head (negative).

Thoughts anyone? Would it be a good or bad idea?

[butterfly91]

U should try and tell mum that u still have emet because she might beable to help you, at the end of the day our mums raised us and love and care for us

I think exposure therapy is a good and bad idea, it could either help you fight your phobia or make you feel worse, personally i wouldn't be brave enough to do it, it would just send me into a panick

Hope everything go well for u, let us know how u get on

[Grace47]

I wouldn't try it alone since you have no one to guide you through it and help you work through the issues that caused the emet in the first place. However, if you are open to self help books, this Thrive book seems very helpful. I'm sorry I can't remember it's full name or author right now. Several people here really like it and say it has helped them.

[punchbuggy]

You can do it yourself but it may be harder and work counter productively. I do not say that to be negative but it's real. The reason we have therapists is because they guide us and help us through the exposure by letting us know what to do and also they pay attention to our response to exposure so they can tweek it to better serve us in a positive way.

It is possible to do it yourself but you really have to master relaxation and breathing. Sure, you can white knuckle yourself through all levels of exposure but most likely if you do this you will not help yourself at all. It may be worth your while to consider being honest with your mom. She loves you and will be there to help you.

[punchbuggy]

Grace is referring to "cute your emetophobia and thrive" by Rob Kelly. It's available on amazon.

[punchbuggy]

*cure sorry iPhone autocorrect

[Sicky-Ricky]

I think you can do exposure therapy yourself if you start small and do it bit by bit. There is a lady who posts on here Ann Van (Name probably wrong) and she has posted videos on youtube. She has a website with these resources on them and some great advice. If you learn relaxation techniques and only work to your own anxiety levels then I do not see why not. It is better with the guidance of a professional but here in the UK the waiting lists are quite long and private consultation is quite expensive.

I do find this site and it's members are very good for support and reassurance.

[1986princess]

My therapist started me on graded exposure and gave me small excercises to do at home as part of my cbt journey. I have 2 more sessions of cbt before I start npl and hypnosis. I can now watch and listen to horrendous v scenes on you tube hospital dramas and films with no effect. The next part of the journey im hoping is possible with my therapist and hypnosis x

[kabia liss]

Hi,

Please refer to my other recent post in these forums "How I cured myself".

But I would like to add something about the use of videos as a cure. I had professional treatment, which primarily involved watching videos of people vomiting. This was only partially successful - I became able to watch the videos quite easily to the degree that I was able to eat a meal at the same time!

But unfortunately, they did not cure my "primary" phobia of fearing myself vomiting. However, when I cured myself using the method I describe in my other post, all my other "secondary" phobias instantly disppeared without needing specific treatment (by "secondary" I mean the fear of being with others who are vomiting).

It was the failure of the video "method" to cure my primary phobia that was a major reason that I became disillusioned with the professional program.

Please do read my other post - it really is much easier than you think to cure yourself. I know - I did it myself!

Best regards,
K.L.

[kabia liss]

Hi,

I just some of the other posts in this thread. I would like to make some other points, based on my experience:

1. You do not need to know why the phobia became established to cure it. It might satisfy your curiosity to know, but it is completely irrelevant to curing yourself.

2. You do not need a professional to guide you through your cure - you can easily do it entirely by yourself.

3. I also tried hypnosis - it was expensive and completely useless.

Best regards,
K.L.

[Aspie Grrrl]

I've tried allowing myself to watch it on TV (or seeing it accidentally not by choice) as well as listening to others v*ing, but it only seems to make it worse. I was extremely ill with noro myself last winter and have developed some sort of PTSD and recurring nightmares about it :\

I have a sort of photographic memory for past events. Vivid disturbing images stick in my mind or come at me as I'm falling asleep. (OCD-ish "intrusive thoughts" I guess). Being stuck with those tormenting sounds/images is a looming possibility with any sort of traumatic event (which is why I've never gone to a funeral - I don't want to remember someone lifeless in a coffin).

I know that exposure therapy involves calming techniques and altering your thought processes, but it just isn't enough to prevent the physical response of panic that I get from this phobia. Every time I go through that panic, it takes something out of me and leaves me permanently more depressed. Apparently there is a biological reason why stress/anxiety cause depression in some people, which I only learned a few days ago but knew instinctively since I was a child dealing with this phobia. The depression stays long after the stressor goes away - that's my fear. I've not found a way to treat the depression yet.

[kabia liss]

Hi,

I referred people to another thread/post of mine titled "How I cured myself", but after 2 days this post has still not appeared.

Do admins have to approve posts for all members? Or maybe only for new members?

If so, how long does this usually take?

thanks, K.L.

[RJE95]

I personally think it could be a bad idea. It probably depends how bad your phobia is, mine is pretty severe and any videos I've seen by accident on YouTube have been pretty traumatizing. I saw one pretty awful video about 2 years ago and I couldn't eat for days and have flashbacks still at least every week. I can't really touch or eat anything the colour of the... You know... Anyway, if your phobia is really bad, you could always start of with drawings or cartoons, which is what I'm going to try.

[ewilkins]

I have done it. I forced myself to watch YouTube vids of people v in various situations. I must say that I do now feel that I am better able to handle the thought of someone getting sick in front of me. It also comforts me to know that you can see people v, yet survive the process.

Personally if you are going to do it, I'd recommend watching the drunk people because some of them are laughing during the process and joking about it. Just go to YouTube and do a search for drunk puking. There are still times I freak out though. At work earlier this year, someone told me that someone had v in front of the women's restroom. I didn't walk by that area for the rest of the day and it made me want to avoid my place of work. I had to force myself to even be able to go back to my office and I didn't even see it!

I do have to say that I don't feel any better about doing it myself though.