It's complicated!

Over the years I've managed to 'narrow my phobia down' and pinpoint what it is I'm scared of. I've got a little hierarchy and it goes something like this:

- At the bottom end with the least amount of anxiety attached to it, is 'Drunk Vomiting'. Although it's not something I've done (been close many a time though!) and it's not something I'd like to do, it doesn't terrify me. Sure, I'd freak a little bit if I thought it were about to happen but I reckon I'd be ok with it.

- Just above 'Drunk Vomiting' is 'Pregnancy Vomiting'. Again, I didn't vomit during pregnancy. I did have terrible nausea though and it was 24/7 and pretty awful. Luckily for me at the time, I was living in Canada, where a wonder-drug called Diclectin is licenced (unlike here in the UK) and that really took the edge off for me. If I threw up from this nausea though, it would have been scary but not terrifying and I think I would have been alright with it.

- Getting towards the top of the scale now we have 'Food Poisoning Vomiting'. This TERRIFIES me. This has prevented me eating certain foods my whole life; eating what I want in restaurants; only eating certain things at other peoples houses. I think it's the sheer thought of vomiting over and over again along with how horrendously ill you feel with it.

- Right here at the top of the scale is 'Noro'. This is what I'm most frightened of, pretty much for the same reasons as food poisoning, symptom-wise, but also because of it's rapid-onset without warning; the fact it's so contagious; the fact it's so common etc.

Now I'm back at work, I have more time to read (hurrah for 20 minute tram journeys!) so I got a book today - that well-known classic "The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook". I've heard mostly good things about it. You'll be the first to know how I get on with it