[Skorpios]

I make myself sneeze multiple times, multiple times a day. I can easily sneeze 100 times in an hour or two. I use clean items like toothpicks and Q-tips without the cotton on them. I never make my nose bleed. Sometimes my chest hurts after or stomach from tensing, I’ve sweat and gotten chills a few times too. I’ve done this for many years. (5-7 or so). Is this a form of disorder or addiction?

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Skorpios

I make myself sneeze multiple times, multiple times a day. I can easily sneeze 100 times in an hour or two. I use clean items like toothpicks and Q-tips without the cotton on them. I never make my nose bleed. Sometimes my chest hurts after or stomach from tensing, I’ve sweat and gotten chills a few times too. I’ve done this for many years. (5-7 or so). Is this a form of disorder or addiction?

here where I am this is not a mental or physical health problem its called a fetish, a learned negative behavior and a bad habit. its right in there with things like nose picking, hair twirling, sucking ones thumb.

how to stop it... when you find yourself wanting to do it or doing it tell yourself to stop and reward yourself with something positive for doing so, just like a person who has a habit of picking their nose, twirling their hair or sucking their thumb does when hey want to stop their habits and change their behaviors.

you can also talk with a treatment provider who can help you change your behaviors with DBT and CBT therapy techniques.

Originally Posted by Skorpios

I make myself sneeze multiple times, multiple times a day. I can easily sneeze 100 times in an hour or two. I use clean items like toothpicks and Q-tips without the cotton on them. I never make my nose bleed. Sometimes my chest hurts after or stomach from tensing, I’ve sweat and gotten chills a few times too. I’ve done this for many years. (5-7 or so). Is this a form of disorder or addiction?

Do you do it because it feels good? It could be some kind of compulsion or addiction, but I am not a doctor or psychologist, and could not begin to diagnose. Have you tried to stop this behavior before and can't? Do you find yourself craving it? Is this behavior becoming problematic for you / is it interfering with you living your life? I ask these questions because for most of them, if your answer is yes, you may want to see a doctor or psychologist for more information and help. Also just generally, if you feel concerned you may be harming yourself, see a professional. Best wishes.

Originally Posted by amandalouise

here where I am this is not a mental or physical health problem its called a fetish, a learned negative behavior and a bad habit. its right in there with things like nose picking, hair twirling, sucking ones thumb.

how to stop it... when you find yourself wanting to do it or doing it tell yourself to stop and reward yourself with something positive for doing so, just like a person who has a habit of picking their nose, twirling their hair or sucking their thumb does when hey want to stop their habits and change their behaviors.

you can also talk with a treatment provider who can help you change your behaviors with DBT and CBT therapy techniques.

AmandaLouise, I'm not sure why you're calling this a fetish. Sure, sneezing feels good, but so does (example) eating a candy bar, and the OP has not come out and said why they are engaging in this behavior. They have not said it is for sexual reasons.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by KnitChick

AmandaLouise, I'm not sure why you're calling this a fetish. Sure, sneezing feels good, but so does (example) eating a candy bar, and the OP has not come out and said why they are engaging in this behavior. They have not said it is for sexual reasons.

for some people they do get the same feelings, enjoyment ... from sticking something up their nose as they do sex acts therefore for them its called a fetish here where I am. A fetish is anything that a person derives sexual pleasure from.

mind you I did not say the for the poster this is what it is, just that here where I am one of the things its called is a fetish.

which is what the poster asked if anyone knew if doing this was a mental disorder. here where I am it is not, it is called by many things like a habit, a fetish, a negative behavior.

to find out what its called on ones own location you will need to contact a treatment provider.

Originally Posted by amandalouise

for some people they do get the same feelings, enjoyment ... from sticking something up their nose as they do sex acts therefore for them its called a fetish here where I am. A fetish is anything that a person derives sexual pleasure from.

mind you I did not say the for the poster this is what it is, just that here where I am one of the things its called is a fetish.

which is what the poster asked if anyone knew if doing this was a mental disorder. here where I am it is not, it is called by many things like a habit, a fetish, a negative behavior.

to find out what its called on ones own location you will need to contact a treatment provider.

Thanks for clarifying.

[MickeyCheeky]

It might become dangerous for your health... be careful

[JoeZmol]

sounds like a disorder to me....

[Rive1976]

Here I was thinking I was the only person in the world that did that. I believe its an addiction. I dont do it very often but I like the feeling.

[amandalouise]

I was curious about this idea of sneezing being an addiction so I checked with all kinds of addiction experts here in my area... NA, AA, treatment providers you name it I checked in with them about this and the final agreement by all is that sneezing is ...........not..........an addiction.

that said a person can get ........attached..... to just about anything.

examples

self injury, purging, breaking bones, causing their self to have symptoms and problems...

when someone causes their self to have physical or mental health symptoms the addictions experts here call it fictitious disorder imposed on self.

some of those I talked to said they did have clients who caused their self to sneeze and because of their ability to cause their self to have their physical and mental health problems they were diagnosed with fictitious disorder imposed on self.

because of this it caused their clients to not be believed when they really did have mental and physical health problems...

why because sneezing is the bodies way of ridding the air way of harmful bacteria, dirt .... that is being breathed in. It is also one of the main symptoms of allergies, and sicknesses like colds, flus, and more serious problems. it can also be part of drug addiction symptoms for those who snort or shoot up in the nasal passages.

one addictions expert I contacted stated he had a client who ended up dying of respiratory (heart and lung problems) because they were causing their self to sneeze which masked the real problems and they had a diagnosis of fictitious disorder imposed on self because they were making their self appear sick by making their self sneeze. it wasnt the purpose of why they were making their self sneeze, they were not intentionally setting out to make their self appear sick with allergies and colds and such, they just liked the feeling and people saying bless you when they sneezed. but in this case because they were making their self sneeze their real illness was passed off with "great here he goes again making himself sneeze" just stop sticking things up your nose and you will be fine.

another person told me that they had someone who did this and a sneeze "snuck up on them" and they ruptured the nasal passage. in other words a person tried to make their self sneeze and the sneeze happened before they had the chance to remove the object they were using. that person had to have surgery to repair the nasal passage and other more graphic damage. their nose is now just a cosmetic thing on their face and they have a breathing tube for actual breathing on portable oxygen tanks.

who would have thought making one sneeze is also called self injury, and fictitious disorder imposed on self. not me thats for sure.

my suggestion to anyone with this problem please contact your treatment providers so that you dont accidentally harm yourselves or other major problems. there are great therapies out there that can help you to stop harming your bodies in this way.