Hi everyone,
I need some reassurance and advice about something that happened to me two weeks ago and I can't stop thinking about the sensations now. We had a fire drill where I work and while I was waiting with my group to re-enter the building, I got this overwhelming feeling I was lifting off the ground and rising straight up in the air. I know, intellectually this is impossible and will NEVER happen, but now when I go outside I keep on thinking the same feelings and it scares me. Has this happened to anyone before and do you think going through this program will alleviate these feelings? I would love to hear from anyone who might give me help please!
Is this overwhelming stress and anxiety?
-
Guest
-
Guest
-
Guest
Johnny -
That same fear has paralyzed me for the last two years or so. I'm finally getting used to the sensation and it's not scaring me so much as it used to. I still have trouble with it on clear days (I'll explain this later) when driving, especially on a hill with my motorcycle.
For me, the feeling is almost like vertigo. I get the sensation that I don't know which way is up and I'm going to fall. The odd part is that the feeling is such that I feel like I'm going to fall in the direction I'm looking. So if I'm looking down a long straight stretch of freeway, I feel like that's down and I'm falling in that direction. Or if I look up into the sky, I feel like I'm upside down and that I'm going to fall "up". The sensation is worse for me on clear days because there are no clouds. For some reason I feel more grounded when the sky is cloudy; perhaps it's the feeling that something is above me rather than just empty space.
Just like you, I know this is completely irrational and that gravity doesn't stop working just because I'm afraid, but the fear is still there. Fortunately, I've dealt with this fear long enough that it's doesn't affect me nearly the way it used to. I'm becoming much more comfortable dismissing the feeling when it comes along. It's just like all our other fears; the more exposure, the better we become at dealing with them.
My advice to you is to keep fighting your fears and don't run away. Running away only reinforces the anxiety response. It also has helped me to try and "ground" myself. I do this by paying special attention to the physical things around me. By this I mean feel the solidness of the ground, feel the heaviness of the objects around you, note that everything is staying put and so will you. Sometimes I'll even jump up and down a few times in place when I can. First, it burns off a little tension and adrenaline and second, it shows me that I always come back down to Earth!
Good luck and feel free to contact me anytime.
Jamie
That same fear has paralyzed me for the last two years or so. I'm finally getting used to the sensation and it's not scaring me so much as it used to. I still have trouble with it on clear days (I'll explain this later) when driving, especially on a hill with my motorcycle.
For me, the feeling is almost like vertigo. I get the sensation that I don't know which way is up and I'm going to fall. The odd part is that the feeling is such that I feel like I'm going to fall in the direction I'm looking. So if I'm looking down a long straight stretch of freeway, I feel like that's down and I'm falling in that direction. Or if I look up into the sky, I feel like I'm upside down and that I'm going to fall "up". The sensation is worse for me on clear days because there are no clouds. For some reason I feel more grounded when the sky is cloudy; perhaps it's the feeling that something is above me rather than just empty space.
Just like you, I know this is completely irrational and that gravity doesn't stop working just because I'm afraid, but the fear is still there. Fortunately, I've dealt with this fear long enough that it's doesn't affect me nearly the way it used to. I'm becoming much more comfortable dismissing the feeling when it comes along. It's just like all our other fears; the more exposure, the better we become at dealing with them.
My advice to you is to keep fighting your fears and don't run away. Running away only reinforces the anxiety response. It also has helped me to try and "ground" myself. I do this by paying special attention to the physical things around me. By this I mean feel the solidness of the ground, feel the heaviness of the objects around you, note that everything is staying put and so will you. Sometimes I'll even jump up and down a few times in place when I can. First, it burns off a little tension and adrenaline and second, it shows me that I always come back down to Earth!
Good luck and feel free to contact me anytime.
Jamie