Hi there folks,
I'm feeling anxious tonight and I need some positive words.
Tomorrow, I'm flying from Detroit to Atlanta. Ordinarily, theis would not be a big deal, I have flown a lot over the years. BUT, this is my first flight since my anxiety and panic have gripped me. I have been to the ER 3 times in the last month (everyting was OK), but I still feel uneasy in places where I feel unsafe.
I;m going to visit my son, who moved there with his mom when we got divorced. Over the last several years, I have traveled there every other weekend to see him. But, I have n ot been there in six weeks due to the surge in my symptoms/anxiety/panic. Tomorrow, I'm going. I have to...for him and me. I am scared of the flight. Not the flight really, but panicking on the plane. Will I get my regular panic attack chest pains, how will I feel? Etc....
Now, the flight isn't all I am worried about. My son is autistic. He's mild, but still is. I am worried that I'll have a panic attack while with him this weekend and he won't know how to help his daddy. Man, I am scared. What I can't rationalize with myself is that 3 monnths ago, I was OK and traveled at will. I think I always had anxiety problems, but it just griped me so hard recently.
I just started the program, I am also on paxil and have xanax for bad moments. I skipped ahead and listened to the 2nd CD on panic attacks this week, to practice those skills. I plan on using them and I hope they work.
Any encouraging words and prayers are appreciated. I am leaving at 3:30 PM ET tomorrow. I know I have to do this, and I will. But, I am so anxious right now.
God bless.
Anticipating....need encouragement
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Guest
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Guest
Nbguy
just wanted to offer you my words of encouragement. Bring along your relaxation tape and keep playing it over and over. Practice your 2/4 breathing that they mention in tape two. It will be difficult but you can do it.
Keep your eye on the prize which is seeing your son and spending time with him. Remeber to float through the anxious feelings and they will pass. Good luck and God Bless.
just wanted to offer you my words of encouragement. Bring along your relaxation tape and keep playing it over and over. Practice your 2/4 breathing that they mention in tape two. It will be difficult but you can do it.
Keep your eye on the prize which is seeing your son and spending time with him. Remeber to float through the anxious feelings and they will pass. Good luck and God Bless.
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Guest
I know about the anticipation. My daughter wanted me to fly with her to Denver and I didn't. But I had anxiety just taking her to the airport. I had to take 1/2 a Xanax and then I used my skills and I did just fine. You need to tell yourself that even if you have a panic attack while you are with your son, do your deep breathing and relaxation. It will pass and your son probably won't even realize it. I have laid on the ground before and told my kids "lets look at the clouds and see what shapes we can see". While we were doing that, I relaxed and calmed down. They liked doing that too. It distracted me too. Try anything you like to do that would distract you. Good luck!
I have this same fear. But it wasn't always like this for me either.
I never loved flying because I've always been a worrier and had lots of "what ifs..." in my head about what could happen on a plane, but I dealt with it and started to actually kind of enjoy the window seat where I could watch below.
But just over a year ago, I was on a flight back from New York and sitting in a middle seat between two strangers. All of a sudden I felt lightheaded and short of breath. I really thought the pressure in the cabin had changed and that they'd be putting the oxygen masks down , it seemed so real. I was looking around in a panic, wondering why everyone else was so calm. I realized it was just me having an attack, and eventually was able to breathe and get through it.
This was one of the worst attacks I'd had though because I couldn't go anywhere or get up to walk or even talk to the people next to me. I felt completely trapped and totally alone in my paralyzing fear. Ever since that attack, the anticipation of getting on a plane is so stressful for me. I am not afraid of crashing, just of having another attack while on board a plane. It's really hard for me.
Tomorrow I fly to New York again (from San Diego), and I'm flying alone again, so I've been getting a bit worked up about it all week. Luckily I have window seats, so hopefully I can watch out the window and distract myself, but I am still very nervous. I have a xanax and will probably take that shortly before boarding to try to keep myself from escalating to the point of an attack. Take offs are by far the worst part for me, so I try to either strike up a conversation with my neighbor to distract, or focus on breathing. Just keep telling yourself you'll be okay - and bring lots of forms of entertainment to distract yourself from those negative thoughts.
Anyway, I'm thinking of you, and just know that you're not alone in your feelings, but that the rest of us are getting through and you will too.
I never loved flying because I've always been a worrier and had lots of "what ifs..." in my head about what could happen on a plane, but I dealt with it and started to actually kind of enjoy the window seat where I could watch below.
But just over a year ago, I was on a flight back from New York and sitting in a middle seat between two strangers. All of a sudden I felt lightheaded and short of breath. I really thought the pressure in the cabin had changed and that they'd be putting the oxygen masks down , it seemed so real. I was looking around in a panic, wondering why everyone else was so calm. I realized it was just me having an attack, and eventually was able to breathe and get through it.
This was one of the worst attacks I'd had though because I couldn't go anywhere or get up to walk or even talk to the people next to me. I felt completely trapped and totally alone in my paralyzing fear. Ever since that attack, the anticipation of getting on a plane is so stressful for me. I am not afraid of crashing, just of having another attack while on board a plane. It's really hard for me.
Tomorrow I fly to New York again (from San Diego), and I'm flying alone again, so I've been getting a bit worked up about it all week. Luckily I have window seats, so hopefully I can watch out the window and distract myself, but I am still very nervous. I have a xanax and will probably take that shortly before boarding to try to keep myself from escalating to the point of an attack. Take offs are by far the worst part for me, so I try to either strike up a conversation with my neighbor to distract, or focus on breathing. Just keep telling yourself you'll be okay - and bring lots of forms of entertainment to distract yourself from those negative thoughts.
Anyway, I'm thinking of you, and just know that you're not alone in your feelings, but that the rest of us are getting through and you will too.
May God bless you and yours always
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Kelly12345
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:52 pm
NBGuy,
I just read your post and I think by today you already flew, but I just want to tell you that I wish you the best, and please told us how it went. You know, I used to fly by myself all the time, sometimes twice a year to visit my Mom, now she leaves with me but I would like to visit my brother and I haven't been able to. Although I recently went to Las Vegas to my brother in law's wedding with my husband, and he drove over there. To be honest with you I had to go with a therapist for that trip, since I could not even do a trip by car, well I'm still working on it. Then I found the program. But I just want to tell you that in my car trip, a took a lot of distractions with me, like magazines, books, the sodoku game book to keep my mind busy with numbers, i-pot games, i-pot tv comedy shows so I could laugh, i-pot music videos, a portable dvd player, and lots of movies, end all that really help me. I haven't fly but, before I do that I want to buy "Achieving Comfortable Flight" by Dr. Reid Wilson CDs. When I order the progran I saw in the "Less Stress Press" letter these CDs announced, so they can problably help you for your next flight.... By the way like bna says remember "float with the anxious feeling [think is just anxiety] it will pass, [it always passess." Good luck. Lovelysmile
I just read your post and I think by today you already flew, but I just want to tell you that I wish you the best, and please told us how it went. You know, I used to fly by myself all the time, sometimes twice a year to visit my Mom, now she leaves with me but I would like to visit my brother and I haven't been able to. Although I recently went to Las Vegas to my brother in law's wedding with my husband, and he drove over there. To be honest with you I had to go with a therapist for that trip, since I could not even do a trip by car, well I'm still working on it. Then I found the program. But I just want to tell you that in my car trip, a took a lot of distractions with me, like magazines, books, the sodoku game book to keep my mind busy with numbers, i-pot games, i-pot tv comedy shows so I could laugh, i-pot music videos, a portable dvd player, and lots of movies, end all that really help me. I haven't fly but, before I do that I want to buy "Achieving Comfortable Flight" by Dr. Reid Wilson CDs. When I order the progran I saw in the "Less Stress Press" letter these CDs announced, so they can problably help you for your next flight.... By the way like bna says remember "float with the anxious feeling [think is just anxiety] it will pass, [it always passess." Good luck. Lovelysmile
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Guest
Thanks for all of the words of encouagement!
Well, I made it!
My son and I are ready to have our 1st weekend together in several weeks.
The plane ride turned out to be better than I expected. The techniques in session 2 are certainly genius! They all worked for me so well, I was even able to nap some on the ride (and it was a bumpy flight).
Here's a distraction tip I thought of at the airport that I thought I'd pass along.... I love to read and had a book I started a few weeks ago with me. I was thinking though, that book as a distraction might not work well as I have been reading it throughout the last few weeks as I have also been dealing with my panic, etc. I decided that buying a brand new book that I would have to concentrate on in the beginning to learn the characters, etc. would be a good distraction. Well, I think it worked. It may sound weird, but I did not want to read something I was into and comfortable with to distract. The new book did the trick.
Well, I'm here and ready for a good weekend. I'm still a little edgy and there's still the flight home on Sunday, but I am more confident now. Thanks again, everyone!!
Well, I made it!
My son and I are ready to have our 1st weekend together in several weeks.The plane ride turned out to be better than I expected. The techniques in session 2 are certainly genius! They all worked for me so well, I was even able to nap some on the ride (and it was a bumpy flight).
Here's a distraction tip I thought of at the airport that I thought I'd pass along.... I love to read and had a book I started a few weeks ago with me. I was thinking though, that book as a distraction might not work well as I have been reading it throughout the last few weeks as I have also been dealing with my panic, etc. I decided that buying a brand new book that I would have to concentrate on in the beginning to learn the characters, etc. would be a good distraction. Well, I think it worked. It may sound weird, but I did not want to read something I was into and comfortable with to distract. The new book did the trick.
Well, I'm here and ready for a good weekend. I'm still a little edgy and there's still the flight home on Sunday, but I am more confident now. Thanks again, everyone!!
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Guest
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Guest
Hi everyone. I made it home. I miss my son more than words can say, but I am glad to be back. I made it! It was hard, but worth doing. All I can say for the folks working toward this is:
1) Float with it...it works.
2) The breathing technique works.
3) Have some good distractions with you.
4) And as Lucinda says....Live for the precious, present moment.
I know, easy for me to say now, but it worked for me. This was something I had to do, so I did. As my mom has told me, "Sometimes you have to do it afraid." I still have some fear - my body symptoms still make me feel like crap - but you have to focus. To roll around and wrestle with my son, to see his smile, hear his laugh, and play King Kong-T Rex with him, was (not to be cliche') priceless.
I am energized and hopeful. Thank you again, Lucinda. And thanks to all of you!
1) Float with it...it works.
2) The breathing technique works.
3) Have some good distractions with you.
4) And as Lucinda says....Live for the precious, present moment.
I know, easy for me to say now, but it worked for me. This was something I had to do, so I did. As my mom has told me, "Sometimes you have to do it afraid." I still have some fear - my body symptoms still make me feel like crap - but you have to focus. To roll around and wrestle with my son, to see his smile, hear his laugh, and play King Kong-T Rex with him, was (not to be cliche') priceless.
I am energized and hopeful. Thank you again, Lucinda. And thanks to all of you!