panic on tube or at work?

[chung]

I do sometimes feel like having a panic attack on the train. The last time it happened was when I was coming home on the tube feeling depressed and suddenly the train came to a stop while underground. The driver said we were being held but after a few minutes there was no progress.
At that point there were quite a few passengers. I could not escape. The train was hot and I didnt know what to do. Everybody else looked calm and I was becoming more and more panicky.

What can you do?

[nomorepanic]

My advice is here:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/coping/

[Dragon1988]

focus on other things, get up , move around. take distractions on the train next time...i used to play games ...on nintendo :O

[AnxietyDJ]

I definitely get very panicky on the Tube / public transport and have really struggled to find anything to help the situation... It is definitely the feeling that something bad is going to happen to me, and that I will be powerless to stop it or get off the train / bus / Tube, which - in my case - leads to feelings of intense dread / dizziness / sickness etc.

I always tried to use distractions - i.e. a book / game / music etc. to get over it, but have found that even that doesn't work these days - although I was told that in the long run distractions are a very bad idea, because you are not solving the problem.

From a few CBT sessions I had, I was basically informed that the only way to get over the issues was to force myself into uncomfortable situations over and over and to stay there until the anxiety faded (it should only ever last for approx. 45 minutes - or so I was told). Unfortunately, this really didn't help me at all (quite the opposite, in fact)... If the problem is so bad that you cannot cope with it, I don't see how it really helps to be forced into it all the more!

Any other tips / solutions people may have, would be really appreciated!

[milkcarton]

I get this everyday commuting to work.

Some days good, some days bad. Avoidance does make it 10x worse, so don't avoid. Anti Ds helped me back in 2012, I didn't suffer from the dizziness on the tube during this time. Considering going back on these as we shouldn't waste the best part of our lives feeling terrified.

Milk x

[Brunette]

It helps to be forced into it because the body finds it difficult to sustain the flight or fight response.

But you have to start by accepting that no harm will come to you even while you are feeling uncomfortable. Only then will you break the cycle of fear - panic - fear.

[chung]

It helps to be forced into it because the body finds it difficult to sustain the flight or fight response.

But you have to start by accepting that no harm will come to you even while you are feeling uncomfortable. Only then will you break the cycle of fear - panic - fear.

I do know that no harm will happen but that doesnt stop them happening.

I dont think avoidance or being forced into it is the answer. Have you ever suffered one?

[Catherine S]

And so it begins....again.

[Brunette]

I do know that no harm will happen but that doesnt stop them happening.

I dont think avoidance or being forced into it is the answer. Have you ever suffered one?

Yes I have, but I no longer do. That's how I know it works.