Stifling

[Mr Sneezy]

Okay *cracks knuckles*

I have just listened to Josie's excellent new wavs and it's got me to thinking. (not always a good thing lol)

What makes a person a serial stifler? Is it embrassment at drawing attention to themselves with the size of their sneeze? Is it more about hygiene? ie stifling isn't going to spray germs everywhere?

Or is it simply because their sneeze is messy and stifling each one will eliminate that problem (although often tending to leave you with a runny nose)

A lady I am currently seeing on a casual basis spends several seconds preparing to deliberately stifle what could be a decent-sized sneeze and I don't have the guts to broach the question of why she does it.

I know many members believe stifling to be the waste of a good sneeze and in some aspects, that is true. Same as the long-argued "choo" on the end which we've never all agreed on.

Does anyone have an insight?

[atchoum]

There are probably a lot of reasons for people to stifle, of various orders. In some countries it's considered impolite to sneeze out loud. It's the case in France, and since women are more often socially conscious than men, many more women stifle in public than men do.

Another reason is just plain habit. People begin to stifle and it eventually becomes a reflex. I have one friend who is a habitual stifler, even when there is no one else about. They just don't think about it any more.

And there are those who don't want to draw attention to themselves and I think men and women are concerned by this. And it's especially the case if the sneeze is loud or messy or... and this is probably the *worst* - multiples. Often one sneeze is OK, perhaps two, but beyond that, you're out of control.

But I'm just like you - pretty frustrated when people stifle a perfectly good sneeze!

[Geist]

You know, I think some people have the mistaken rationalization that if they stifle the sneeze, it will "stop" the fit. It's been my observation that the opposite actually occurs.

I think people stifle for various reasons, such as "being polite" or "not wanting to create a disturbance." As Atchoum pointed out, it is also a cultural thing at times.

Now personally, I rather fancy several types of stifles, particularly the "escaped" variety. I find a person's "failure" to control their own sneeze quite arousing.

~Aku

[Vetinari]

I learned to stifle as a child because I didn't want to draw attention to myself. I also HATED to be blessed!

[Mr Sneezy]

You know, I think some people have the mistaken rationalization that if they stifle the sneeze, it will "stop" the fit. It's been my observation that the opposite actually occurs.

I think people stifle for various reasons, such as "being polite" or "not wanting to create a disturbance." As Atchoum pointed out, it is also a cultural thing at times.

Now personally, I rather fancy several types of stifles, particularly the "escaped" variety. I find a person's "failure" to control their own sneeze quite arousing.

~Aku

Absoloutely. Stifling will not always remove the irritation from the nose. You can start and be unable to stop just because you're stifling.........considerably more likely with a cold or allergies.

[(hippo)]

I stifle regularly simply becuase it's less effort, with my sneeze anyway.

Like, mine can be really easy to stifle and the "recovery" is easier, while i find open messier and i get no more satisfaction than a stifle.

Actually, for me, it's the opposite; i can get more satisfaction from a stifle, now that i think of it

Weird....

[doggo]

It's funny how cultural it is. Because you don't hear much stifling around here. For some reason I think people around here sneeze and blow their noses wherever they want to. It must be that we are just uncivilized people...

But yes, one friend of mine is a habitual stifler, and I think the stiffle-sounds provoke more attention than a normal sneeze! People migh ask her "what the hell was that?" and she would laugh - if she just sneezed nobody would pay attention (people here don't even bless often). I've witnessed her boyfriend tell her that it's "not a proper sneeze and won't help anything" and urge her to sneeze properly, but she says that she can't do that, she doesn't quite know how.

Curious.

[ilikesneezes2000]

I stifle mainly because I don't like to be blessed by family members and guys. And since most of the time I'm around family members and guys that means I stifle a lot haha

Although if I was in a room with just girls I would sneeze openly.

I think stifles are dead sexy though

[HarleyQuinnSFF]

gah.

im not sure why people do it.

im not even sure i know why i do it.

(oh and i just know myself so well)

just habit i guess.

but im not complaining cuz stifles are hot as hell.

=]

[gottalovesneezing]

Okay *cracks knuckles*

I have just listened to Josie's excellent new wavs and it's got me to thinking. (not always a good thing lol)

What makes a person a serial stifler? Is it embrassment at drawing attention to themselves with the size of their sneeze? Is it more about hygiene? ie stifling isn't going to spray germs everywhere?

Or is it simply because their sneeze is messy and stifling each one will eliminate that problem (although often tending to leave you with a runny nose)

A lady I am currently seeing on a casual basis spends several seconds preparing to deliberately stifle what could be a decent-sized sneeze and I don't have the guts to broach the question of why she does it.

I know many members believe stifling to be the waste of a good sneeze and in some aspects, that is true. Same as the long-argued "choo" on the end which we've never all agreed on.

Does anyone have an insight?

I feel people who stifle their sneezes draw more attention to themselves, than those people who just let them fly, stifling should be OUTLAWED LOL

[arrowswift]

I'm guilty of serial stifling.

What makes a person a serial stifler? Is it embarrassment at drawing attention to themselves with the size of their sneeze?

This is the primary reason, but it's not like it's a planned action at this point. I probably started in late elementary school because I became incredibly self-conscious around that time and it became habit. My SO's nagged me about it repeatedly, too.

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

because their sneeze is messy and stifling each one will eliminate that problem (although often tending to leave you with a runny nose)

And yes, it does leave me with a runny nose sometimes, but one that is easily "fixed" by sniffling once or twice. Whereas my "open" sneezes are large-ish and messy, almost always requiring me to blow my nose...which I HATE doing, especialy (but not only) in public.

I'm also one of those people who did it for so long, it's automatic: on rare occasions (mostly for wavs), I've tried NOT to stifle, and I usually only manage about half the time! So yeah, it's definitely an ingrained thing now.

Besides...since lots of times my stifles are completely silent, I get a charge (and I mean a charge ) out of knowing that I'm doing something that turns me on, and that not only can no one else tell (that it turns me on)...they don't even know I'm doing it!

Abyssinia,

Barrie

[Geist]

I learned to stifle as a child because I didn't want to draw attention to myself. I also HATED to be blessed!

Gah, no kidding!!! I used to get SO pissed off when anyone in my family blessed me. To be honest, I can't stand being blessed PERIOD. Only a handful of people are allowed to say it to me without the risk of death.

~Aku