I throw up in awkward social situations - help.

[arpeggiateTHIS]

Apparently it's bad if you think about how it started, so I'll leave it at this: In situations concerning particularly intrusive/intense friends (also: girls), I panic attack in fear of being sick, usually resulting in me having to leave and puke somewhere.

I can no longer eat before a social gathering.
I'm reluctant to go partying and drinking.
I can't stand and chat with girls I'm attracted to (THIS is the killer, right here).

I battle the irrational thoughts; I know they're irrational! I just cannot avoid the throbbing feeling of my stomach when it sets off though, and now I've started linking the sickness to anywhere I've been sick.

Before anybody asks, I've been on meds (short term, didn't work), but had no counselling. I was put on a LONG waiting list.

Any thoughts on how I can overcome this? Thanks.

[Cissnei]

Hey there.

I suffer similarly to you.

I developed a choking feeling around my throat and would always throw up. My fear isn't so much about throwing up but about that choking feeling; about the embarrassment, the ugliness, the asocialness of such a thing in the most awkward situations. I would have to have something with me to chew all of the time and a bottle of water just in case and I still haven't beaten it.

I've also had therapy and for me personally that didn't work because the fear was of a physical sensation so even if I could tell myself to not be nervous MENTALLY or EMOTIONALLY, the physical reaction has become engrained like a habit. I'm not sure how easy that is to get rid of.

Maybe you could tell me a little more.
When was the first time this happened?
Has it happened in these situations?

I know that the more you avoid these things, the more you will fear them and the more likely you will be to have an attack. In saying that, forcing yourself out when you have a serious anxiety condition can damage you further. What meds were you on?

[sublime]

I know exactly how the both of you feel!

This is something I have dealt with for going on the past 7 years. I get this feeling as though there is a huge lump in my throat to the point where I can barely swallow and I feel physically sick.

For me, this typically occurs in social situations where I feel confined or "stuck" in that particular situation. Oddly enough, I seem to do okay when I unexpectedly find myself in a social situation, but its the fear of this feeling that often prevents me from putting myself out there voluntarily. This has taken a HUGE toll on my social/dating life over the years and I am ready to move on and finally get past this!

Like you (arpeggiate), I tried to get in to see a therapist but everyone that was covered under my health care was either no longer accepting new patients or had a waiting list for months and months. My doctor prescribed me some meds, but I felt as though I was developing a severe dependency on them so I eased off of them. Now, I am looking for other ways to battle this.

Others on this board speak highly of a book called, "Been There? Done That? Do This!" I am going to try to pick up a copy of this so I can give it a shot!