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...
Hi. Thank you for opening and reading my post.
I've been feeling 'off' the past few days, thinking that it was due to lack of sleep... But after thinking deeply last night, I realized that I'm getting anxious about a trip that I'll be going on. I will be going to Europe in 2.5 weeks. I didn't realize I was already anxious about it because the trip is still half a month away! But it does make sense. The last time I went to Europe, I had panic attacks every single day for five days. I get claustrophobic on the plane and I get emetophobic (fear of getting sick) whenever I leave home for a long time. This trip will be seven nights/eight days long. I'm going to see my best friend, but I'm not even looking forward to it...
I'm aware that I'm creating this anxiety by overthinking it. I know that the plane ride will be uncomfortable, but I know that I'll be safe. I know that if I were to get sick, I would have my best friend there to make sure I got medication and/or rest. I know that these ideas are unreasonable, non-life threatening and downright silly if I'm honest... but I can't help how I feel. I also didn't have the financial backing for this trip, so I'm excited for it to end... I need to start putting money back into my savings account and that's been impossible with this trip coming up.
I think I'm anxious to be anxious when I'm far from home. I can face my anxiety alone and cope with it. I can deal with it how I need to on a daily basis, but when I have an audience, it isn't that easy. My best friend is aware that I have an anxiety disorder, but it's hard to explain the severity to someone who hasn't experienced it on this level before. I've had anxiety for my whole life. I go to a therapist. I take daily medication. I've tried to increase and decrease doses. I meditate. I try it all but I'm still drawing a bit short. I always wish for a cure. I always hope that one day it won't be so debilitating and I will finally feel content.
I made my trip miserable last time and I do not want to do that this time. I want to enjoy this trip. I'm going on this trip so that I can face my fears. I refuse to bend to them anymore. Anxiety altered my life for too long and I won't let it do so anymore. I know that I need to stop thinking about this trip so negatively, but I also know that I won't be able to simply stop thinking one way when I'm habitually a nervous person. I know that if I want to see a change in the course of my thinking, I need to break the habit as much as I can. Only then will I see a difference.
I wanted to come here and get other opinions. It always feels so much better when I can talk to someone who understands...
Best wishes,
Morgenlicht
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So mad at Xfinity! They're trying to charge me $115 per month for the same service I had been paying $50 the last four years. I took the equipment to UPS for shipping and cancelled my subscription today! Next door was a cookie shop called Crumbl. I had heard of it before but never went in until today. I don't need one more sugar fix, but maybe it will help with my sad) grieving heart....$15...
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Lately I've been feeling scared and full of anxiety. I recently found a lump under my nipple. I hurt my back too. I'm in the process of moving. I'm run down. Everything is hard
Is it a symptom of my chaos addiction that I get off on the travel anxiety? Somehow it feels more productive than my business-as-usual anxiety. I'm a bit of a road warrior and feel all the anxieties you listed here, plus some, and STILL find myself dreaming my next trip before I can get past the jet lag. So much world and so little time. . .
When those pre-travel anxieties hit, I channel the over-thinking parts of the anxiety into learning something new about the place I am visiting. There's always something more to learn and the tricks and tips I picked up on the last trip always serve me well on the next trip.
Gentle support while you work through the pre-travel anxiety. Vent freely. Vent often. Listening. . .
I hope you will keep us updated on the good parts, too.
Welcome aboard.
I think maybe it could help to keep journaling the whole time and separate your irrational fears from reality. This will give you a visual of how your mind is creating false situations and over-reacting to what is actually happening. I hope all goes well for you.
As stated already above by Restful, journaling would be a good idea. Start now! Write down your feelings, both good and bad (I'm sure there's a lot of good in there too!) about the trip. Write down all the things that you are looking forward to doing while you are there..... cafes, restaurants, shopping, shows, go dancing?, tourist attractions, the scenery, seeing your friend face to face, laughing together, etc.
For every perceived negative thing about the trip, I bet you can come up with at least two positive things about the trip :) I have found that most worries I had about something coming up never actually happened :)
I admire you for facing this head on! Great for you! I feel that you will be just fine and you will have a great time and you'll be glad that you went. :)
These bits of advice make me feel so relieved that I'm not the only one!
I will DEFINITELY start journaling. I actually love writing so this is something that sounds really fun.
That's a good idea, too. Finding two things to outweigh the one bad? I'm going to try this right now.
I can't express thanks enough. You are all so wonderful.
I hope you enjoy and have lots of fun. Tell yourself “you and everything else will be ok”
"I’m not afraid to fly though. I think it’s just the idea of having to sit for the duration."
That's exactly it. I'm not afraid of being in the air, but sitting still in one spot makes me restless and more anxious!
The trip really was amazing, but I was anxious every day of it. I had to hit a reset button in my brain every morning to try to get myself out of negative thinking. But I'm sort of used to having that bad habit and I was still able to enjoy it!