This reply is primarily to the person who is terrified of "vomiting".
You reminded me that when I was very young I too was terrified of
vomiting, (which is weird cuz I, and my brothers and sister often had
stomach flu.)
I remember whenever I felt nauseous I would go to great lengths
to avoid vomiting - even though I knew it would make me feel better.
In fact, I remember once I asked my mother what would happen when my
stomach had reached it's full capacity (not in those words of course),
as I did not understand digestion, elimination, etc. at such a young
age, and she replied "I guess a person would throw up". I was
absolutely terrified and stopped eating for a couple of days. I
didn't tell anyone why because I knew they'd force me to eat.
I guess I must have grown out of all that. (More likely some other
fear grew to take it's place.)
Parents should always remember how incredibly impressionable children
are - there's a million things I was told or witnessed as a child that
I understood and assimilated in my childish capacity that make up my
personality, fears, strengths, etc. - as with all of us. They are
extremely powerful because they are pieces of who we are. I get so
frustrated at things in my personality that hold me back! It's like I
understand 'intellectually' things about me that aren't 'real' and
shouldn't effect me, but it goes so deep these things control me
anyway.
I know everybody has them - 'isms', but they suk.
I call it "Invisible bondage", and my desire to get free thus far has
surpassed their hold on me, but I have a feeling it is a lifelong
struggle.
Hearing some of the phobias people have, my heart goes out to you - it
isn't fair, life is hard enough. I firmly believe though, that for
each of these 'negatives', there are counter balancing 'positives'
that we should search for and focus on. Like a blind person who
develops excellent hearing ability, or even an alcoholic who has
unusual compassion and sensitivity.
Here's to all of us finding our unique positives that manifested with
the seeds of our fears - and a Prayer that we can learn to feed and
nurture the positives, and that they grow hearty enough that we never
have to feel the void that our fears have caused us!

God Bless all!