The Permanent Motion Sickness Cure That Changed My Life

Having grown up 600 miles from the nearest ocean (and spending my life in search of a permanent motion sickness cure), I remember my first time on a boat vividly.

Free Willy had just come out and I was absolutely losing what little cool I had left. Speeding out into the ocean, waves crashing around me, wind in my hair… pure exhilaration. A feeling I still get every time I’m on a boat (even if I am hundreds of miles from the nearest orca).

But almost immediately, I started violently throwing up. I ended up spending the next few hours laying down next to a 55-gallon trash can, trying desperately to keep my insides intact. But… that didn’t happen to young Jason James Richter! What gives?!

In search of a permanent motion sickness cure

And so went every single boat trip after that. Me, booking “full day trips” where I spent the entire time puking off the back of the boat with a revolving door of strangers asking me how I’m doing. Raise your hand if you know exactly what this feels like?

This post covers how I permanently put my debilitating motion sickness to bed, all the things I tried over the years that didn’t work, and how you can hopefully benefit from my struggle. Freshly updated after a decade free of motion sickness! Enjoy!

My experience with motion sickness

Unfortunately for me, the fact that I grew up nowhere near an ocean didn’t help my case. Though the boat version was the worst of them all (living in Florida later on was real fun), I still spent the first 30 years of my life suffering from motion sickness in cars, on trains, on roller coasters, on planes, you name it. If it moved, you’d be seeing what I had for lunch.

Add in a love of travel and just think about what a typical travel day looks like: care ride to the airport, flight or two to reach your destination, train ride to the city, cab to the hotel, etc.

In short, traveling was both my love and my nightmare. You’d think after traveling so much for so long that you’d be able to build up a tolerance to motion but noooo. Apparently, that only works for things like spicy foods and alcohol.

Needless to say, motion sickness was an ever-present threat in my life.

What didn’t work for my motion sickness

Over the course of 30 years, you can imagine I tried everything imaginable in search of a permanent motion sickness cure. Or, at least a reliable one. Among my search for a solution, I tried:

1. Dramamine

Dramamine is but a temporary solution that works by simply knocking me out cold. Sure, I’d spend a few hours not throwing up, but how fun is a theme park when you’re asleep on a park bench? (True story)

How beautiful is a drive through the Tuscan hills when you can’t see through the brain fog? How interesting is a new city you just landed in when you arrive comatose?

It’s true, they do sell Dramamine “Less Drowsy.” But if you actually think this works, I have a unicorn to sell you. For what it’s worth, I’ve also tried Bonine and generic meclizine and it’s all the same to me.

2. Ginger

Ginger allegedly is great for motion sickness-associated nausea. I took daily ginger capsules in hopes of finding a permanent motion sickness cure I could fit seamlessly into my life with no side effects.

They “worked” for about as long as I could convince myself they were working (which was never long). I really tried to Jedi-mind-trick the hell out of those little pills but apparently the force is not strong with this one.

Fun fact: Dramamine also sells a “Non-Drowsy” formula which is just ginger capsules. Go ahead, try them. I’ll be right here when you’re ready to continue.

3. Acupressure wristbands

These are wristbands or bracelets you wear that apply pressure to certain points on your wrists. And somehow this is supposed to magically stop “motion sickness, morning sickness, and chemotherapy induced nausea.” Sure, Jan.

This concept is pure baloney and all those stupid bracelets do is single you out to everyone else on the boat that you’re probably going to start puking at any given moment. I don’t know about you, but my motion sickness was so bad ain’t nobody got time for these woo-woo gimmicks.

4. Looking at the horizon

(I wish you could see my face as I type this.) Amongst the revolving door of boat strangers who would offhandedly check on my well-being, there would always be at least one man who’d say, “Just look at the horizon.”

OH OK IS THAT ALL? How foolish of me to think motion sickness was anything more than simply where I looked. With all due respect, sir, kick rocks.

5. Scopolamine patches

I don’t even know where to start with these little hell patches. Scopolamine patches (sometimes called Transderm Scop) are prescription-only small round patches you put behind your ears to prevent motion sickness.

First of all, these are just a temporary motion sickness solution used for certain activities. For instance, during your honeymoon in Hawaii when you don’t want to be puking all over your new husband or wife.

I don’t know on what planet these work for anyone. Using the Scopolamine patches was a nightmare in the purest sense of the word.

Beware the side effects

Think your motion sickness can’t get any worse? Throw on a Scopolamine patch. Believe it or not, using Scopolamine patches made me so much sicker. Did you know one of the side effects of Scopolamine is nausea? Please just kill me already.

Besides that, I suffered pretty serious blurred vision and just straight-up couldn’t see for two straight days. They gave me unbearable dry mouth and made me constantly dizzy. I’m talking 48-hour vertigo. I couldn’t walk a straight line for days.

But the funnest part? Removing them will make the side effects worse, severe withdrawal symptoms and all. What a romantic way to start a marriage!

6. Seeking professional help

Having spent a lifetime suffering from motion sickness and trying every conceivable remedy, I visited my general practitioner. Now, I knew there was nothing new she could tell me, but my hope was maybe there was a permanent motion sickness cure she could prescribe me.

It was when she pulled out her phone and searched “How to cure motion sickness” right there in front of me that I knew this was a lost cause. (Yes, she has a medical degree. No, I never went back to her again.)

7. Not going anywhere at all ever

It was starting to look like the only permanent motion sickness cure that would truly work was not going anywhere, ever. Which, for anyone who isn’t a recluse, doesn’t actually work at all.

My motion sickness breaking point

By the time I hit 30, I’d tried everything there was to try. I’d accepted that being nauseous much of the time was just my crappy reality.

One night, my husband and I took a 10-minute train into Boston for dinner. And guess what? I got sick before we even got to the restaurant. By the time dinner was over, I was back to normal. On the way back to the train, I started to feel nauseous again. But wait, I haven’t even set foot on the train yet? Alas, just the thought of riding the train made me feel sick.

It was at that very moment I started to consider that perhaps my problem wasn’t purely physiological. I pondered this for the entire cab ride back home (during which I sat up front with the drive). By the time we’d reached our destination, I’d resolved to seek mental help. Specifically, a hypnotherapist.

It was time for something new

Obviously, I was at my wits end. I’d tried everything else and I was 30-years sick of this shit. At this point, I was willing to try anything, even if it was something as cuckoo as hypnosis.

What helped me decide to try this was the fact that I was currently working with a woman who, through hypnotherapy, had lost over 100 lbs and had completely changed her eating habits. She made it seem so normal and I could see the results with my own eyes.

I didn’t know how hypnotherapy worked or in what world it would be able to help me, all I knew was that I got motion sickness from simply fearing I would get motion sickness. To me that said: something ain’t right upstairs.

The permanent motion sickness cure that changed my life

The very next day, I found a psychologist here in Boston who also specialized in hypnotherapy and immediately made an appointment. A few sessions later and I was cured of my motion sickness, completely, 100%. I kid you not.  

I couldn’t believe it myself. My husband couldn’t believe it. Even the doctor—who had worked mostly with compulsive eaters, those with phobias, and chronic pain sufferers, but never anyone with motion sickness—was shocked by my transformation.

I was making myself sick

Can I explain how psychology helped cure my seemingly physical ailment? Not exactly. But the fact that my therapist diagnosed me with agoraphobia might help.

As it turns out, much of my nausea was the result of anxiety. Anxiety that was caused by the fear of getting motion sickness. I was literally making myself sick.

Now I know you’re thinking that can’t be true. That some of the motion sickness must’ve actually come from the imbalance between visual and internal perceptions. That some of the motion sickness was indeed physical.

And that’s what I thought too. I thought maybe hypnotherapy could help with the anxiety-induced nausea, but that I’d still never get to ride on a boat with barfing. Until I did. And then did again. And again. Boats! Boats! Boats!

I tell you this to say: no matter how much you believe your motion sickness is purely physical, hypnotherapy is worth a shot. You never know until you try and all you have to lose is your copay.

Also, what if. What if it does work? What if it changes your life and you’re free to travel as you please? Or what if you could finally go on a cruise or roller coaster or reenact Free Willy out on the high seas?

What hypnotherapy is not

Hypnotherapy is (likely) nothing like your preconceived notions. It is not making you cluck like a chicken. It is also not making you moon someone when you hear a doorbell. No one is going to swing a pocket watch in front of you and they’re not going to say things like, “You are getting verrrrry sleepy.”

When I started seeing my doctor, I became the patient of an actual, licensed clinical psychologist who just happened to use hypnotherapy as one of her treatment methods, not a kook from a late-night TV ad.

Hypnotherapy is not scary and, despite popular belief, you’re conscious and in control the entire time. You’re awake and lucid and interacting with your doctor. You’re not being manipulated or brainwashed. You won’t be forced into any unpleasant or embarrassing situations. That’s what the gynecologist is for.

What hypnotherapy is

The hypnotherapy page on Psychology Today gives a pretty great summary of what to expect. Basically, hypnotherapy is a form of guided meditation in which you learn to use your thoughts to combat real-world issues.

You know how sometimes you’ll drive a long distance and realize you have no idea how you got there? That’s hypnosis. You don’t remember the drive because your thoughts were focused elsewhere, but obviously you stopped at all the red lights, turned where you were supposed to, and didn’t kill anyone. You were focused inward mentally yet operating physically.

What to expect at hypnotherapy

While every patient and doctor and treatment plan is unique, here’s what I experienced, just to give you an idea.

During hypnosis, I was guided into a seriously relaxed state (the most relaxed I’ve ever been actually) and presented with certain real-life situations. I was then guided through solutions to those problems that would help change the way I perceived troublesome situations in real life.

The entire time, I was conversing with my doctor, in total control, and able to wake up and walk out if I so pleased. (But again, I didn’t want to because it as the most relaxed I’ve ever been.)

Every person is different

As with all types of medical intervention, every patient is unique. For me, it took only a couple of sessions before I was completely motion sickness-free. I can still remember the first time I noticed it working.

My husband was driving and I was in the passenger seat. (I think I’ve figured out where the anxiety comes from…) I could feel my stomach start to tighten up and I knew I was getting sick.

So, I used what my doctor had taught me and I could physically feel the motion sickness vanish. I had just used my mind to get rid of a physical sensation. Am I a Jedi after all?

Life after finding my permanent motion sickness cure

Immediately after my sessions I was able to be a passenger in a car (in the backseat even!), fly on a plane without sleep-inducing drugs, ride on a train facing backwards, ride on the subway standing up, and sail the stormy seas on a boat without a revolving door of strangers thanking me for chumming the waters, har har.

I’ve even started reading in the car while my husband drives. Did you hear me? I said reading in the car.

I’ve been on boats all over Hawaii, Belize, Italy, France, Austria, Czechia, Mexico, Belgium, Norway, Bahamas, New Zealand, you name it. If there’s a boat, I’m getting on it. I’ve been on a cruise, taken all-day fishing trips and snorkeling excursions. I’ve ridden countless roller coasters, trains, and even a hot air balloon!

Motion sickness is a non-issue now

What it all boils down to is: motion sickness is not even an issue for my anymore. I never think about it anymore, plain and simple. I don’t have to pack pills or barf bags or stress about always knowing where the nearest restroom is. And I don’t have to worry about being “that girl” who grosses everyone out in the NYC subway—and there’s some pretty stiff competition down there.

What used to be a near-constant struggle is now barely a past recollection of the way life used to be. As of this update, it’s now been 10 years since my hypnotherapist cured me of motion sickness for good. TEN YEARS, people! I haven’t gotten motion sickness in over TEN YEARS. No one is more shocked by this fact than yours truly.

How to find a hypnotherapist

First of all, know that hypnotherapy is sometimes covered by your health insurance (yay) and sometimes it’s not (boo). When I made the decision to try hypnotherapy, finding my doctor was super easy. For us here in the United States, there are two things you can do:

1. Find one through your insurance

At the time, I was able to log into my insurance website and search for doctors in my city whose profiles contained the words “hypnotherapy” or “hypnosis.” Unfortunately, the insurance company I’m with now doesn’t list that as an option so finding one just requires another step.

2. Find one through Psychology Today

Go to psychologytoday.com. In the blue bar near the top, enter your city or zip code. When the list of available doctors comes up, click the blue button that says “All Filters.” Scroll down to “Types of Therapy” and check the “Hypnotherapy” box. Feel free to also filter for other preferences like your insurance company, preferred gender of your therapist, etc. Then hit “Show # Therapists” at the bottom right.

The results that follow will show all licensed therapists in your chosen area that list “hypnotherapy” as one of their treatment methods. Read through their profiles and choose a doctor (or two) that you think would be a good match. (It’s time to get super judgy.) You can email them directly from their profile.  

Will hypnotherapy work for you?

Well, I can’t really answer that. Hypnotherapy is known to be generally effective, but as with any kind of therapy, you get back what you put into it.

You need to want it

If you don’t want to be hypnotized, hypnotherapy won’t work for you. A hypnotherapist can’t hypnotize you against your will. It’s a two-way street here.

For hypnotherapy to work, you have to be serious about wanting to change and willing to try. For instance, if a person truly loves smoking (ew), hypnotherapy will not help them stop.

It’s okay to be skeptical

Don’t think that because your inner voice is all, “Pshh this isn’t gonna work,” that hypnotherapy can’t help you. I feel like everyone’s a little skeptical, right? I definitely was, especially trying everything else under the sun. But I was willing to give it a try.

Amateurs welcome

You don’t need to be a master meditator for hypnosis to work for you. I know this because I’m not one. I imagine if you’re someone who already meditates on the regular, getting yourself into a trance-like state is probably easier for you than it is for someone who has never meditated.

Besides, hypnosis is a guided process. Your therapist will walk you through the entire thing and all you have to do is relax, follow commands, and use your imagination. You’ll be amazed at how your brain works.

How I used hypnotherapy again

My life was so drastically changed when I discovered a permanent motion sickness cure in hypnotherapy that I wanted to try it again.

From a very young age, I had been extremely arachnophobic. My fear of spiders irrationally affected almost every aspect of my daily life. And being that I’d just moved from the city into the ‘burbs surrounded by nature preserve, I was now living my nightmare.

My arachnophobia breaking point was the day a (tiny) spider crawled across my dashboard while I was driving, causing me to almost crash my car. I made it out with just a sob-fueled roadside panic attack and the desire to burn my car to the ground. I mean, that is the only solution, right?

Arachnophobia: Also cured

I decided to go back to my hypnotherapist and see what she could do about my spider issues. Just a few months later, this happened:

Long story short, spiders are not an issue for me anymore. They’re not something I even think about. Now, we coexist out here in the ‘burbs and it’s a beautiful thing. Seriously, I’ll see one in my house and just say hey and thank it for keeping the other bugs out and let it get on with its life.

Needless to say, I can’t swear by hypnotherapy enough.

Got questions about my permanent motion sickness cure?

I realize this is a super weird topic that invites many questions. If you have questions about using hypnotherapy as a permanent motion sickness cure, please don’t hesitate to ask them in the comments; someone else is probably wondering the same thing.

Again, I’m not a doctor—and I’m purely speaking from personal experience. All photos in this blog post brought to you by my hypnotherapy miracle cure.

More info for your next trip

Like this post? Have questions about permanently curing your motion sickness? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

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