focip

Fear of Coughing in Public,
This fear manifests itself in a variety of ways including:

1) a realization that “yes, you might in fact be sick, and the cough is the least of your concerns”. Alternately

2) caused by the fear of judgement of others in your immediate vicinity, for your obvious selfish decision to not heed warning to stay home, despite how unrealistic that expectation is for many people whose career and financial well-being do not allow for that.

3) worrying about the improper coughing technique of an open cough, hand cough, or deep throated coughing fit ruining dinner out, an important presentation for work, or your blind date that was love at first sight.

4) the much feared, cough-o-rama, where one individual cough turns in to a chorus of others that precipitates in a collective fear of a two week quarantine without having a change of underwear.

My severe FOCIP while commuting on the train, resulted in me coughing with my mouth closed and going def when my eardrums burst from the pressure. At least I couldn't hear the disdain verbally emanating from fellow passengers.