Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
A friend wants me to go on a bus trip with her. It is a 10 hour trip. I get panic attacks when I can't control situations or go too far away from home. I have told her about my disorder. I have gone camping locally with her. I can take clonazepam which does help. But I also don't know her family who we are visiting. It is so far from home!!!! Any advice on how to do this trip? Its for 5 days. Longer than I am used too.
Pinpoint the causes of your travel anxiety and write them down. Some of it might be linked to a fear of flying or worries about leaving an empty house. You might be afraid that something will go wrong on the trip. You must identify the sources before you can address them cognitively.
Step 2
Review your list of "worry items" and write down ways in which you can take control over each item. For example, you can hire a house sitter or ask a neighbor to stop by if you're worried about your home. The American University Counseling Center advises keeping yourself busy on the plane if you're a fearful flier. An iPod, book or computer will distract you. You also can ask your doctor for anti-anxiety medication to take while flying. You might not be able to take control over every item on the list, but identify as many as possible.
Step 3
Use cognitive thought-stopping techniques to deal with the anxiety-causing items that do not have a way in which you can take control, advises the American University Counseling Center. For example, you cannot prevent unexpected things from causing problems on your trip. Picture a giant red stop light in your mind when you start to worry about possible problems. Remind yourself, "I cannot do anything about this worry. It is better to save my energy now so I can deal with anything that might happen later."
Step 4
Calm yourself with controlled breathing. This technique can be used in transit as well as during your trip. The American University Counseling Center recommends breathing in while counting to four, holding your breath for four counts, then releasing it while you count to four.
Step 5
Give yourself permission to have a less-than-perfect trip. You might suffer from anxiety if you are hoping to have the perfect vacation because you can never control every aspect. Acknowledge that fact and remind yourself that it's okay if something goes wrong.
Step 6
Ask your doctor for anti-anxiety medication if your fears are generalized. It is difficult to handle travel anxiety cognitively if you cannot find any specific reasons. The Anxiety Disorders Association of American explains that benzodiazepine medications like Xanax can be used as needed for short-term anxiety management during a trip.
the day after christmas my sister and her husband booked my kids and i a room in wisconsin dells to meet up with them and other family members,it was a 6 hour drive, i made it about 45 minutes and started to freak out and had to pull along the side of the road i was frozen in fear. i called my sister ,who was also going on the trip, to see if she could drive my van because i couldn't do it so i took some of my clonazepam and then i was able to relax and made it through the trip. i had anxiety the next day so i took clonazepam again and felt very relaxed again i wouldn't have been able to do the trip without it, it does make you a little sleepy though. if you don't think you can do the trip i would say don't let your friend talk you into to doing anything you don't want to do if she is a true friend she will understand that you can't handle going on a long trip like that. i hope if you do go that you will be fine. good luck to you :)