Experience: I didn’t burp for more than 20 years

My throat made strange gurgling noises, like a creaky floorboard. My body would get full of air

When I was about four, I watched my two-year-old brother throw up into a basket of fries in a restaurant. He had a hypersensitive gag reflex, which meant vomiting was a common occurrence. I could never get that basket of fries out of my head.

I developed a fear of vomiting called emetophobia, meaning I'd avoid throwing up at all costs. This phobia has had a much greater impact on my health than I ever could have thought.