Uptight about a camp week coming up.

great lakes blue · Post by **great lakes blue** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 10:58 am

Afraid of being away from the house for over a week. Also afraid of what the camp week might bring. I don't like water very much, and I'm afraid that they'll throw me in as a staff member as a prank.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 11:55 am

Good for you for signing up to be a staff member. Most of us would just avoid the whole thing and not even think of doing it.

You remind me of me and one of my issues. I tend to extrapolate and try to live the whole week in one moment and what if every possibility and then the whole thing seems overwhelming. I've learned to do one moment at a time. One technique that is helpful to me, is when I start to feel anxious, I switch to my cognitive brain and start doing easy math. Like I say it inside my head 1+1=2; 1+2=3 2+3=5; 1+3=4 4+5=9. I get myself so muddled up in math and which fact was I on that the anxiety just fades away and truly doesn't come back. It is cool. As for the water-- if they throw you in, hold your breath push off the bottom of the pool with your legs and you'll pop to the top. Then it's over and you are out. You don't have to enjoy it, but it is not the end of the world. I bet it won't be as bad as you fear.
Have a super time and enjoy the little times and interactions that you have. They are precious.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:15 pm

I agree. I had to pick my son up from the airport last week and I diidnt mind the 40 minute drive there, it was the parking garage that I feared because once you enter it you start driving in an upward enclosed circle for 3 stories to the parkingarea. i wrote some positive statements for my 13 year old daughter to read to me if I felt i needed it. So I was feeling ok as I aproached the area and you have to take a ticket and the arm goes up and you start into the circle thing. I swear as soon as I took the ticket my heart started racing but nothing else. I didnt feel nervous or sweaty or out of it. so I started driving into the circle thing and around and up and I swear it was not nearly as bad as i had anticipated it to be. I am proud of you for doing the camp thing in the first place. you are going to be fine.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jul 11, 2010 10:48 am

Thanks, guys, for responding. I'm not a very good swimmer, newrunner, but I've discussed that on my camp registration forms. Also, I can probably slip on a life jacket. I think that I'm doing the same thing you do newrunner, it's like, I can't enjoy the week at hand if I'm picking apart what MIGHT happen next week. And Michelle37, Thank You. Glad you made it up the ramp! It just goes to show you that we all have different fears. A lot of us are not the type to just talk about them to just anyone, so I'm glad I found this forum! You all have a blessed day, and THANKS.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jul 11, 2010 2:23 pm

Hi Great Lakes-

You said something in your post about being an extrapolater like me and it made me think.... my husband who has NO problems with anxiety is hit with this tunnel vision too. And I see it our children who have just been given big assignments or a bunch of little ones and it just seems overwhelming. What I am trying to say is that is seems that this is Normal, and not only saddled on anxious people.

Pats on the back for going and sharing yourself. Have a great time, one day at a time.