I have been treating emetophobes for nearly four years at my hypnotherapy clinic in Harley Street, London. Most sufferers are female who have had symptoms since their youth. They have wasted years avoiding situations where either they or someone around them could become ill. Because of the extreme lengths they go to avoid sickness most of my clients have not been sick since childhood. Indeed most boast how long it is since the last time they were sick. Those with a mild phobia have anxious thoughts while eating. Some suffer so severely they refuse to leave their home. Some sufferers experience discomfort almost all the time, others just in response to direct stimuli. Sometimes the phobia hides for years until something triggers it to show itself.

A typical emetophobe displays some or all of the following tendencies:

• Probably female, below average weight.
• Eats out in restaurants very rarely and when doing so is very choosy - avoiding chicken, spicy or unusual cuisines.
• Does not drink or restricts themselves to a single glass of wine.
• Does not like pubs or clubs
• Dislikes dinner parties, weddings, social events and crowded rooms which can lead to anxiety / panic attacks.
• Eat little in public and sit near a door.
• Frequently checks sell-by dates on food packaging
• Avoids flying and travelling by boat.
• Avoids public transport, preferring to travel by car and drive
• If they can visit a cinema / theatre, they would insist on sitting at the end of a row.
• Avoids pregnancy fearing morning sickness and also fear of having a child and not being able to care for them if they were to become sick.
• Avoids anyone with a real or imagined sickness bug - either within their own environment or in public places.
• Very aware of vomit on pavements and checks weather forecasts to see when rain is due.

Click here to see what causes emetophobia