Oh wow

[eva82]

Ok so I'm in a packed auditorium waiting for my daughter to perform some holiday songs with her class and anxiety is sky high!!! I am determined to stay and watch my little one ... I need to get through this and be strong!!! I'm freaking out!!!!!

[DoogieJ]

My councellor said to me, it will be 10 minutes of anxiety (15 at worst) and then you'll be back to normal, you won't be dead. I've been told if I feel a panic attack brewing, I should just let it wash over me and ride it out. I've had them before and I'm still here.

[eva82]

Thanks for your reply! :) happy to say I didn't pass out, lose control or just run away from the whole thing even though every fiber of my being was telling me to just get out of that packed auditorium and go home where I am safe!! My daughter was so happy to see me there (she had been asking me all week if I was going to make it) and it just made all the horrible thoughts so away.

Panic is so evil, it robs so much from my life. I am glad that I stood up to it today and it gave me the confidence to see that I am really in control. I used deep breathing and calming thoughts... It didn't take away all those horrible feelings but it made them tolerable so I could see the function through. I still feel some free floating general anxiety even though I'm home, so I'm going to try and relax with some tea and a good book. :)

[Pat77]

Glad you made it ... that's it ... Just let the Panic came and go away ... it will! These few minutes sometimes seems hours but it goes away ... Do let let it control you ... try to be "friend" with it ... that's how I do ... I say: "come and go cause I don't have time for you now ..." somehow it seems to work ...
I am happy for you , cause I know how hard and I've been there ...
:yesyes:
Take care
PAt

[eva82]

I am so glad I did it too... My daughter hugged me so hard when she got home and said she was so happy to see me there!! It's true if you don't let it control you and you keep your thoughts calming, it's easier to deal with the waves of panic. Thanks for your kind words Pat!! :)

[Tero]

Glad you made it ... that's it ... Just let the Panic came and go away ... it will! These few minutes sometimes seems hours but it goes away ... Do let let it control you ... try to be "friend" with it ... that's how I do ... I say: "come and go cause I don't have time for you now ..." somehow it seems to work ...
I am happy for you , cause I know how hard and I've been there ...
:yesyes:
Take care
PAt
Yes, that. I started a thread on don't fight the panic.

[Carys]

This reminded me of something I went to last night. I was up in London for an event that was being recorded for telly. It was all fine and I was having a great time (seen the lights all round Regent Street etc) until I saw that you were 'absolutely not allowed to leave the theatre during the filming at all, as it would cause interference'. Of course I was not intending to leave during the event, but once I knew that I could not get out at all then I was frightened of not being able to get out. This is similar to your daughter's production; being able to easily 'get out/leave' if you want to is important to many anxious people and if you feel you won't be able to then you feel panicky.

As it happened, I had a moment of rising heat and a wave of andrenaline at one point, but after so many years of panic attacks I just sit there and carry on regardless...they are passe to me now, as they've never killed me and I am here 30 years after they first started ! :D So, as another poster said above, just accept that you might feel panicky, but nothing will happen, eventually the feeling will resolve itself and so you might as well sit and watch the performance than miss any of it.

Congratulations on managing to stay controlled, you should indeed take pride in having got through it !