To fear vomit on flight to the point I’m watching who is sitting where?

[MelMar1]

I have a very bad fear of others vomiting, not myself vomiting (which I know is more the case in emetophobia). I have a flight coming up soon. I’m worried if a small child is sitting behind me that they could be sick and it could get through to my seat in the window seat, or if a drunk person etc. I can’t relax. Does anyone else get worried like this before a flight? I’m trying to tell myself if a child
or adult gets sick it’s not a common occurance that it will get on me. That’s my big fear that I’m stuck with it on a plane and it actually gets on me. Please be kind I’m bad enough with the worry!

I had 12 sessions, it was a cross between talking therapy and Hypnotherapy. Cost was around £800, which was a lot, but totally worth it.

I fly a lot, and can only think of a couple of occasions when anyone was sick. So as a matter of the raw stats I don't think it's a likely occurrence.

My suggestion is to wear noise-cancelling headphones and a hoodie/scarf - and turn the overhead vent on for plenty of fresh air if you find that calming. (I also travel with a handheld fan, as I find a breeze helps me relax when I'm feeling anxious or during turbulence.)

I once had an unaccompanied minor seated in the same row as me - I had the window and he had the aisle. He said he wasn't feeling well, which I think may have been a mix of nerves and a few bumps. I told the cabin crew that I have nothing to do with him, and while I'm a doctor, it's not of medicine and I wouldn't be looking after him. (I didn't phrase it so directly, but that was the gist.) At one point the flight got a bit bumpy again and he was clearly going to be sick, so I put the music volume and hoodie up, and looked out the window. All was fine - didn't get sprayed with anything, no smells, etc.

If I can do it so can you!

If people do vomit on a flight it tends to be low projectile and controllable to a degree that's why they use to give out tiny bags. It isn't usually projectile.

It doesn't help on this occasion, but for many parts of western Europe you can travel by train via Eurostar. Is that something to consider in future?

I'd suggest specialist help for the emetophobia. Phobias can be tricky.

You could ask the GP for some type of anti-anxiety med for the flight to help too.

My kids did often puke on long haul flights when babies/toddlers but they did it down themselves in business class seats so no way would anyone else have seen it. I’ve seen enough ‘tips for flying with toddlers’ threads recommending packing changes of clothes to know it must be fairly common but I’ve never seen anyone else’s do it. So I think it’s usually handled swiftly and unless you were unlucky enough to be sat next to a parent with a lap infant you’d never know. Maybe go with an exit row seat if you have the option since kids can’t sit there?

I’ve been on flights where multiple children were vomiting and the flight crew were collecting sick bags from behind other people’s chairs (they are there on all European flights I’ve been on, just tucked discreetly behind the menus and safety info).

Also flights where there were travel sick children. The parents were very well prepared and ready for it, even with small children.

In all cases it was well contained in bags, there was no smell and if I hadn’t seen it I wouldn’t have known it was happening.

So it seems very unlikely that the scenario you are specifically worrying about would occur. I would also add, I’ve flown a lot and on the vast majority of flights, I’ve not noticed anyone vomiting at all.

I recommend having good sound-cancelling headphones and a good play list. I find that having music on and my eyes closed can be surprisingly comforting in difficult circumstances, speaking as some who understands exactly what you are going through with your specific brand of emetophobia! Good luck, you’ll be okay.

It’s not that you are unreasonable, but your fear is not reasonable. I’ve never seen anyone vomit on a flight, and even if someone did vomit on you, realistically, it would be super gross and annoying, but you wouldn’t die and the world would not end.

Do try hypnotherapy, it’s really effective and you will be happier and calmer long term and won’t waste so much of your life worrying about this unlikely event. It would be nicer for you to plan a holiday and look forward to it! I used hypnotherapy, I didn’t go into an actual trance which I was worried about (!) but it was so so so helpful and really rationalised my problem.

To reassure you it’s very uncommon. I think a lot of adults would probably try get to the toilets if possible and would try to be discreet if they had to stay seated. I think anyone who knows they are likely to be unwell (motion sickness sufferer, etc) would be equipped with bags and know how to manage the situation. I think anyone who is drunk enough to be randomly vomiting wouldn’t be allowed on the flight to begin with as they would be visibly intoxicated.

I've no advice but you have my total sympathy, it's a horrid phobia to have, as it's so out of your control & can happen anywhere! I always feel on high alert for anyone vomiting on a plane, which is self defeating because I'm far more likely to see it, if it does happen because I'm constantly checking what people are doing.

It doesn't help that they make it a nightmare to get to the loo with the food trolleys. Wish they'd just do sandwiches and snacks and speed it up tbh. My child could never handle the smell of the hot food and it made him feel sick.

I could have written your post OP because I share your phobia.

I find myself immediately assessing nearby “neighbours” on public transport of any kind, for likelihood of it happening (I know this sounds mental to people who don’t have the phobia). Because mine stemmed from a school incident, school age kids trigger me most, but also drunks obviously.

On planes, I always have the window seat with my DH next to me so I have a level of distance from strangers there. I keep hole-free plastic bags in my handbag to make sure I have back up in case of “emergency” - never once needed, incidentally! I use headphones for music or flight films to zone out noises around me and have one drink to relax myself. I also use eye masks, or the hoodie up suggestion others have made.

If my initial “assessment” puts nearby people as low-risk (I know?!) I will have a much calmer experience.

It’s a shame that for us the flight will never be a fun part of the trip and more of an ordeal even though in all my years of flying nothing awful has ever happened.

I hope you have a good trip once you arrive, just visualise being there as much as you can.

I have only twice known someone be sick twice on a flight. Oddly enough, both times were adults flying back from Dubrovnik in the middle of the day. Never seen it on any other flights, including long haul.

I fly loads and the only people I’ve seen being sick on flights are my own children. We are always prepared and they have bags and are very discreet, no noises or anything. Now they take Kwells they haven’t been sick in ages but before we knew they got air sick one was sick down himself, but it didn’t go anywhere apart from on himself.

I think normally the only time we see people vomit is when they’re drunk or properly ill, and this seems to create more volume than a bit of airsickness.

if you have headphones on and just keep to yourself I don’t think you would know, even if someone was sick behind or close to you.

Are you getting this phobia treated?

My son vomited on a flight recently and it didn’t get on anyone but him.

I found the air hostesses very unsympathetic. When he woke up and said he felt sick the lights were off and I couldn’t find a sick bag. He was at the window and an older lady was in the aisle asleep so we couldn’t get up quickly. It took them several minutes to respond to the call and by that time it was too late. Definitely not the best flying experience we have had that’s for sure.

but it definitely didn’t get anywhere other than on him. I don’t see how it could go into the seat in front.

This is my biggest fear. Unfortunately it happened on the past two flights I've been on. I flew to New York and a kid behind me threw up the whole way. Then when I flew to Spain it was a woman a few rows back.

That second time we were stuck on the runway for ages so there was no ignoring it.

Not going to lie I hated every moment and just put my sweater over my mouth. Maybe you could take a mask as a precaution? You're not alone with this fear!

I've probably been on 200 flights, not a single vomit.

I have the same vomit fear. Its really hard to live with !