Emetophobia

There are fears that make sense — heights, fire, a large dog. And there are fears that seem to come from another era. The fear of vomiting belongs in the second category. You know that no one dies from nausea. You know that vomiting is one of the most normal bodily functions — children do it, pets do it, drunk people do it, any stomach upset can trigger it. And yet the mere thought of it pulls you into a state you cannot control.

You watch your stomach. You avoid places where someone might feel unwell. You check food twice. You leave when someone mentions a stomach bug. You have developed an inner map on which everything is marked that could potentially be dangerous — and this map grows narrower over time, not wider. Your world shrinks. Not because it is actually getting smaller, but because you are making it smaller to feel safe.