Travel and Emetophobia

Fun times basically. I flipping hate emet when travelling. I can be completely fine at home for months, yet the minute I have to get a flight half way across the bloody world, emet rears it’s ugly head. I wrote a few months ago about travelling with the phobia and how I try and cope. I also wrote about flying. I used to enjoy flying, even with the phobia, yes! But after a really bad flight, it has super put me off. Basically I had a bad case of IBS half way through the flight and then a woman sat next to me had a fit. This all set me off into a pretty bad panic attack. And panic attacks are pretty hard to hide when you are sat in close proximity to 200 plus other people and a load of cabin crew. I’ve found you cannot loiter by the toilets or the galley, scratching your arms like a mad woman and looking ashen, without arousing suspicion! Cabin crew start asking what is wrong, and then you end up getting into a whole convo which goes something like this:

Cabin Crew (CC) – Are you ok? (busy opening all those little locker doors)

Me – Erm yes (blatantly not ok. Excessive fidgeting, irrational breathing and manically chewing gum)

CC – Are you sure? (raised eyebrows)

Me – Erm yeah I’m fine. I just have this thing about being sick.

CC – You feel sick (CC now looking panicked and subconsciously reaching for that little paper bag)

Me – No no, why??? Do I look like I feel sick?

CC – Yes, you’re very pale…

Me – (omFg !!!!!! I look ill, I look ill. Im gonna be sick, im def gonna be sick) Erm, no, I have this thing. Erm this phobia about being sick. I get really scared that I’ll be sick. I don’t feel sick.

CC  – Huh? (now looking at me as if I’m bonkers and clearly CC have no idea what to suggest or do) well do you wanna sit down and read a magazine?

Me – YES YES! (Just leave me alone, stop asking questions and stop thinking I’m gonna be sick. Am i?!)

So yes, after the IBS incident and after the woman who had a fit next to me, it has somewhat put me off flying. I also feel incredibly guilty about the whole fit incident. I am not good in a medical emergency. If you are ill, you do not need me around or near you. I am a hindrance, not a help.

So there, this isn’t a positive post and I certainly provide zero constructive advice on how to face your fears and be positive! How do you cope with travel and anxiety? Do you try and just “get on with it”? Do you ever feel anxious when travelling or are you super cool with it all?

For up-to-date emetomum stuff, follow me on twitter: @emetomum1

 

Why I Haven’t Posted For a While

Goodness, it has been way too long since I wrote my last post for my emetomum site. And if you are at all interested, I’ll share with you why I have been a bit off the radar. The reason is life haha. Life has simply gotten in the way and taken over.

Vomit Coincidences and Ridiculousness!

So I’ve had this shitty vomit phobia pretty much all my life. As much as I hate it, there have been a couple of positives and it has led to some funny incidents. Funny now that they are in the past and I can look back and say “hey, I got through that and I was just fine”.

Why I Decided to Have a Baby

To be honest, I’ve never overly wanted a baby. I’ve never been one of these super broody women who adores kids and really wanted a child. I never even “liked” kids if I am really really honest. They are germy, they get sick, they are messy, they stick god knows what in their mouths and they lick their hands and fingers ALLLLL the time.

Primary School and Dinner Lady Bullies

I honestly don’t know how I got through school days. Whenever I look back, all I really remember is clinging on to my mum each morning, crying, pretending I DID feel ill, and generally causing my parents a lot of stress. School was a problem for me pretty much from day one. I remember vividly being at my first primary school. I would have been

Why I Started Blogging

I recently wrote a similar post for another blog I run and decided it was time to write down why I felt the need to start emetomum. It’s something I’d been contemplating for a while. I was procrastinating a lot about whether to combine the two blogs

How Emetophobia Impacts my Husband – The Fallout

I asked my hubby if he’d write a bit about this for the blog. He said he would but I know he is busy with a new Xbox game…! Anyway, since it is Mental Health Awareness Week, I thought it would be good to take a look at how my issues impact my husband on a daily basis. I hope to pop his thoughts on here when he gets around to writing ;)

My Top 10 Festival Survival Tips

My Tips for Surviving Festivals With a Vomit Phobia.

Surviving WHAT I hear you say? Did she say a “festival” – as in a camping, with drunken people, in a field, in a tent, with porta loos for nearly a week? Yep, that’s what I said haha.

What NOT to Say to Someone With a Vomit Phobia!

This is a very tongue in cheek post and I certainly am not having a rant but these are the things people say to me regularly if they know I have emetophobia (a fear of vomiting). If you aren’t emetophobic and come across someone who is – here are the things not to say and ask haha!