I am due to go on a long haul flight from Kolkata to London on Sunday (18 April) and my fear of vomiting problem is coming to the fore.


I've had the fear ever since I can remember and spent much of my childhood in counselling over it - not that it did any good for me. Whenever I get into a situation where my anxiety is heightened - such as exams or a job interview - my throat dries up, I start retching and have to take valium to stopthe problem.


I've managed to force myself through life with greater difficulty than most. I've been living in India, my wife's home country,for the past six months despite my anxieties that I would catch one of the country's nasty stomach bugs - gastroenteritis, amoebic dysentry, etc. So far, I've had no problem, apart from the occasional bout of irritable bowel syndrome which always comes from eating different kinds of food.


But I've dealt with the vomiting fear by always reminding myself that a friend or relative is near at hand to look after me if anything did happen.I'll be flying back on my own, which has removed my psychological safety net. Consequently, I am scared stiff and will be relying on my little stock of valium to get me through check-in and customs - a very slow process in Kolkata.


What do other people do in these circumstances, when a sense of vulnerability heightens their phobia of vomiting?