Sneezing in front of other people

[Guest Lana]

Hello - for quite a number of years now, I have trouble sneezing in front of other people. When I was a child I hated sneezing and was embarrassed by it, and absolutely hated people drawing attention to it by saying "bless you". I also sneezed a lot as a child......now I practically never sneeze in front of others, but do when am alone.

I think I must have somehow mentally talked myself out of sneezing in front of others as I was embarrassed by it previously. Now I just wish I could sneeze normally again around others....often I will feel the onset of a sneeze in my nose and then it will just go, sometimes even without the proper build up! Is so frustrating as I so want to sneeze - I now enjoy being blessed, contrary to when I was young.

Does anyone use any trick to get a stuck sneeze out without it being too obvious, such as looking up at a light? Or are they able to mentally induce a sneeze - seeing as sticking a rolled up tissue up my nose at work would be just plain weird?

Help :-)

[midnight in paris]

Don't try too hard is a good start--doesn't always work,but...practice when you're alone to regulate loudness,control etc.... feign being distessed or make eye contact--might get a response more often than not...good luck! isn't having a fetish wonderful!

[Vendetta]

the only person i dont mind sneezing around is my bf, and usually i have no problem getting them out. when i do, i usually just try looking at the light or just focusing on it..or whatever..lol you know what i mean

[Guest Tootsie2008]

I'm the same way! I absolutely HATE sneezing in front of others. I generally fight every urge to sneeze when I'm at work or in front of family--thankfully I don't suffer from allergies, so sneezing is not at all plentiful for me. it doesn't help that my co-workers make a HUGE deal out of blessing every single person who sneezes, so I'm absolutely mortified by the idea. *hugs*

[Sneesee]

When I read your post, I was struck by the fact that it was exactrly how I felt for many years! And since joining this community, I've been trying very hard to let myself sneeze naturally around others. One of the main things to do is RELAX about it. Which is hard. I find that when I try not to think about it too much, then the sneeze comes out easier. I had a major breakthrough earlier this year when I sneezed in public, at a store, with my family and a close friend all there. That was like, huge for me! Ha ha ha. Sometimes I try the light trick with a stuck one, and that works some of the time. But the biggest culprit is probably the mental block, and the only way over that is to let go and not think too hard about it. Oh, and working on breathing techniques helps, too. I found that after I learned how to induce, and practiced breathing a certain way when I felt a tickle, has seriously helped my natural sneezing ability. Good luck and let us know all about your progress!