Dear Prudence,
My (20s F) motion sickness and my boyfriend’s (20s M) desire to help seem to be conflicting with each other in a way that’s been bugging me. I usually avoid my motion sickness by driving everywhere myself and taking medication when I must be a passenger (on planes, buses, etc.), but I was in a situation recently where he needed to drive me somewhere, and ended up with a major migraine and nausea in front of him. I did not vomit but I often do when I find myself this ill.
Since this incident, he has been peppering me with questions about my issue and wants me to try every remedy—those anti-sickness glasses with the liquid inside, pressure point wristbands, patches, you get the idea. I get that he wants to help and doesn’t want me in distress, but I know how to manage my own body and don’t want to try things I know don’t work on me and will just end up with me getting sick again! How can I get him to understand that I love him dearly and appreciate his care for me, but I know myself well enough not to need help? I have tried telling him but he will not drop the subject and continues to buy “remedies” for me without asking.
—Emotionally Motion Sick