Swallowing While Trying to Control Breathing

[acoosticant]

Hi,

I have to take a polygraph tomorrow at 2pm (first one ever) and like most people I have skeletons in my closet I would rather not be divulged. I have read the free book on this site and have been practicing various countermeasure techniques. I have even had my wife (the ultimate lie detector) practice with me asking different questions (CQ, IQ, RQ) to see how I can react.

My greatest problem thus far is when I try to control my breathing after a relative question (I have great rythm from playing bass guitar for so many years  ) sometimes I have to swallow which obviously will mess up my breathing pattern. Does anyone else have problems with this or know how it will be addressed and interpreted by the polygrapher? Any tips on keeping this from happening?

Thanks in advance!

[cesium_133]

...I have skeletons in my closet I would rather not be divulged.

Don't we all?  If they're of the kind that could get you into some form of trouble, well, that's why this site is here to help.

I have read the free book on this site and have been practicing various countermeasure techniques. I have even had my wife (the ultimate lie detector) practice with me asking different questions (CQ, IQ, RQ) to see how I can react.

LMAO!  Women are that way.  If you can BS your SO on CQ's, RQ's, and IQ's (lol), you've done well.

My greatest problem thus far is when I try to control my breathing after a relative (sic) question (I have great rhythm from playing bass guitar for so many years  ) sometimes I have to swallow which obviously will mess up my breathing pattern. Does anyone else have problems with this or know how it will be addressed and interpreted by the polygrapher? Any tips on keeping this from happening?

Thanks in advance!

Good questions.  The RQ's that you're concerned about are relevant questions, by the way, not relative.

Myself, I am not a big fan of breathing CM's.  If you get your breathing too consistent, you can be suspected of something, and breathing is the one factor on the poly that is, or can be, a totally voluntary action.  Even the anal sphincter CM can be made to be slightly involuntary, especially if you squeeze enough to produce a cramp.  My advice, which I hold in deference to George's (if his be different), is to perhaps use breathing on 1 or 2 questions, if you wish.  Remember, any breath pattern you use will show up, and if recognized by a polyman as a pattern (esp one described here), you could be in some trouble.  I'm not saying not to use it, but be judicious.

Mental CM's are the best, and are to be used (as with any CM) on CQ's only.  They're invisible, leave no physical traces, and can be explained away if needed as nervousness or upset or revulsion to a question.

Hope this helps...

[George W. Maschke]

...

Don't we all?  If they're of the kind that could get you into some form of trouble, well, that's why this site is here to help.

No, it's not. AntiPolygraph.org is here for the purpose of exposing and ending waste, fraud, and abuse associated with the use of polygraphs and other purported lie detectors. We make information about polygraph countermeasures freely available to the public to help truthful persons protect themselves against the risk of a false positive outcome, not to help deceptive persons hide "skeletons in [their] closet."

[cesium_133]

You're right, George.  My fault.  I should have thought about that one.  

The best thing to do in life is to be honest and upstanding from the start, so that you have no "skeletons in the closet".  The victims here are the false positives, not the false negatives who deserve to be accused of wrongdoing.

I retract my comments on this site being here to help the dishonest...

[underlyingtruth]

No, it's not. AntiPolygraph.org is here for the purpose of exposing and ending waste, fraud, and abuse associated with the use of polygraphs and other purported lie detectors. We make information about polygraph countermeasures freely available to the public to help truthful persons protect themselves against the risk of a false positive outcome, not to help deceptive persons hide "skeletons in [their] closet."

With that said, there is still an awful lot of hierocracy among the law-enforcement community.  I haven't met an cop yet who thinks that they have to follow the laws just like "average" citizens.  I could also quote multiple users on this site who justify that their particular reason for being disqualified as a candidate is somehow unique and should be an exception.  Multiple discussions occur about how a candidate should not confess their actions because they would be disqualified if they "told the whole truth."  Everyone feels very comfortable defining the "truth" for themselves.  Guess what; leaving out information is just as much of a lie.  
Is it unreasonable for an agency to exclude a candidate because they used an illegal drug or stole something?  Absolutely!  But many want to find a loophole because they believe "It was just a one time thing." or "I haven't done that for years and it's not the person I am now."  I'm sure for the majority, that is true.  Everyone deserves a second or even a third chance.  However, part of that process is admitting to mistakes in the past and accepting the consequences that come with them.  If that means not getting a job because of an agencies requirements, then so be it.  That person may think the policy of the organization is too restrictive, but obviously, they are getting their employees from somewhere, otherwise, they would change their policy.

The purpose of this site is to help protect innocent people from false-positives, but it will never be that restrictive.  There will be those that use the information to pass a polygraph while flat-out lying.  This just goes to show that the polygraph is a flawed instrument and should not be used for any purpose.

[acoosticant]

Well without being specific, yes I am under criminal investigation for something I did not do. They say if I pass the poly, they close the case (my lawyer will be present).

However, those things I may wish to hide are certain events that have occured in my past that could reflect negatively on the investigator's perception of me. If I am asked about these things, I would like to be able to cover them because they have nothing to do with the potential charge. However, we all know that just because they are irrelevant events to the potential charge, the investigator (due to lack of any other evidence) will try to turn them against me. Also, since I do not believe in the validity of polygraph testing, I need to be prepared as I can be to protect myself from false positives on the serious questions.

Now about the problem with swallowing...

[underlyingtruth]

I highly recommend that you NOT take the polygraph unless you can get all of the information completely suppressed if the result is unfavorable.  Either they have enough evidence to charge you or they don't.

On the issue of swallowing:  As long as you're not making a pattern of it (i.e. swallowing after a certain RQ each time) I wouldn't worry about it too much.  Your breathing pattern will be interrupted each time you answer or swallow, these are expected RANDOM actions.

If I want to swallow, I swallow; no big deal.

[acoosticant]

Thank you underlyingtruth. Just for the record, the poly I am taking today is with an independant guy my attorney has coming in. We are taking it at my attorney's office with just him and the polyguy present.

Now the sheriff's department has already said they would not accept the results of an independant poly but they may just have to deal with it. My guess is this: they have absolutely nothing but a statement from another person as evidence (and I provided a wealth of evidence supporting my side) and they want to get me in to take a poly so that no matter what the outcome, they can say I failed and then proceed to drill me for a confession. They do their best not to hint at it, but I think they are getting pretty desperate.

Thank the Lord for this site for giving me the forsight to see how all this works.

[acoosticant]

I showed up for the test and ended up not having to take it because it looks like the investigator is going to drop the case anyway due to some new evidence showing the accuser's statement to be false.

Thanks for your help in any event!