Buried feelings

[Jeff HardingPSTEC User]

Hi,
I have had Emetophobia all my life. I used PSTec to deal with lots of the feelings that surround the phobia and have had great success – but it hasn't gone.

Much of my life has been spent afraid to feel anything. Allowing feelings associated with the fear of vomiting to surface is not something I ever wanted to do – but to treat them with PSTec – that is what I had to do.

Although my life is not dictated by this phobia anymore – it still has not gone and I can't find the feelings to work on.  For instance when I see someone on TV be sick it sends the old familiar shock wave of terror through my body.  The sound of reaching and vomit landing is the most terrifying sound in the world to me.  Even seeing someone spit or rinse out their mouth after cleaning their teeth means I have to look away or put my fingers in my ears.  It still brings on nausea and a dash for the motillium.

Until PSTec I could not even write a paragraph like the last one.  Most emetophobes would never mention the words vomit or sick because they bring on nausea – this is how I know progress has been made.

The problem is that the feeling and emotion is there when an event happens but when it comes to working on it with PSTec – even though I can see it in my mind's eye, I can't attach any feelings or emotions retrospectively.  It is as if my mind will let me replay the scene but not the emotion.

Maybe deep down inside I need to hang on to the phobia for some reason but the real problem is bringing up the emotions to work on.  Any suggestions please?

Thanks and regards

Frances

[Jeff HardingPSTEC Pro and Forum Moderator]

Hi Frances,

Thanks for writing.

Emetophovia requires a little different approach… here are a couple tips:

• Don’t imagine being sick or work with the feelings of being sick… only work with imagined events or memories, not on the feelings of being sick.
• Quite often use of speakers, rather than headphones, can be helpful.

[/list]For example, “For instance when I see someone on TV be sick it sends the old familiar shock wave of terror through my body.  The sound of reaching and vomit landing is the most terrifying sound in the world to me.  Even seeing someone spit or rinse out their mouth after cleaning their teeth means I have to look away or put my fingers in my ears.”

Take the imagined event or memory and use the CT with the feelings of fear and/or terror… the “shock wave of terror.”
In other words, the fear of seeing and/or hearing an event like this.  Try using various imagined events… you mentioned a few variations:

• sound of retching
• vomit landing
• Seeing someone spit or rinse out their mouth after cleaning their teeth

[/list]If you can reach back and remember some of the first times you saw, heard or felt these types of similar experiences, that may lead you along to the cause.

But, again, work with the fear (rather than the nauseous feelings) when you imagine experiencing such events.

Aloha!

Jeff

PS  If you are stuck, you might find a practitioner to help you along… PSTEC Registry … Don't let the geography get in the way as many can work with you over the phone or Skype.

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