Ok...what else..?

[belle]

So i have a terrible cough which i now know is a chest infection. I needed to collect a perscription from the nearest OPEN pharmacy which was 25 minute drive away.

Firstly i was not alone during this whole ordeal, i was with my "mummy"!

Driving to the pharmacy i suddenly became panicky (on dual carriage way, no where to escape!!!!). I was already short of breath because of my cough and then on top of that i was panicking - great.

I realise now that i am scared of the dark, NOT all the time mind you, ONLY when i am in the car. I had an intense feeling of claustraphobia. The darkness felt like it was closing in on me as we drove alone very dark roads. I think where i live we have the only 2 laned roads without street lights.

I said to my mother...."Um...feeling a little bit panicky" to which she replied..."Why? You are driving in a car, sitting down, doing no different to what we do most days.." Which of course is true. My panic subsided and i managed the rest of the journey. Coming home i was perfectly fine.

So...again, like i said...does anyone else get that claustraphobic feeling in the dark...or am i just going mad??

Thanks,
SarahC

[groovygranny]

Nope! I hate the dark too! And all the time!

Maybe the claustrophobic feeling has something to do with our eyes not adjusting too well?? If we can't see as much as we do in the daylight praps that introduces an element of uncertainty or of 'what-could-be-hiding-there'?? Dunno really, just know it isn't a very nice feeling!

It's funny tho, really weird in fact, that when I was at my lowest I wasn't afraid of the dark !!!! How on earth can that be explained??

Guess we'll just have to go mad together Sarah lol !!

lotsa luv

GG [:P]

xx

'There are no such things as strangers; just friends we haven't made yet!'

[Echo]

Hi - I'm a new person! I just wanted to 'talk' to others that also suffer from panic attacks and reading some of the topics I am so pleased I can relate to everyone's experiences. I had my first panic attack on my birthday last year.....was very scary as I had no idea what was happening to me. My boyfriend was driving at the time and had to do a quick U turn to the hospital and carry me in like a baby - all my hands, feet, legs and face had locked up, not to mention the fact that I couldn't breathe. Very very scary. Since then I have had a few moderate ones, but on Tuesday I had another extreme one with the locked up hands etc. Anything now gets me thinking about it....including a drive to the Doctors to talk about it! Doctor wants to give me a blood test to see if I have an over active Thyroide gland....has this been the cause for anyone else?
E x

[taf]

Hi to both of you! A nasty chest infection can wear you down so much that anyone would panic, I am sure! The darkness might have just been the only thing different at the time, but your poor system was weakened. I am sorry you are suffering, and know this will pass, too. When my hubby gets any viral illness, he says it seems to travel to his weakness...his weak back, and he suffers pain there, too. If you could visualize our anxiety as something we are working with right now, and is our "weak area", this would make it clear why anything that would knock your system down such as that nasty bug could trigger anxiety.
Echo...welcome! Sorry you have had that situation! I think other people here would agree that a full blown panic attack can leave you feeling like you've boxed in a ring....locking muscles, etc. I am so sorry you are going through this, but this too shall pass! Your site administrators here are a wealth of information, and have you checked the info about panics on the front welcome page for tips, etc? I find them very helpful! Is there a cognitive behavioral therapist in your area you could talk to whilst you are undergoing the anxiety of having your health tests? This adjunct supportive therapy will make it so much easier for you to work with your docs instead of fearing them, I think.
Love to all,
Taf
survivor of some wicked panics, but still here to talk about it :) They do get better, I promise

[sandlin]

Hi

I also get really panicky driving in the dark. That was why i had to stop doing on calls and do nights instead but then i moved the panic to somewhere else. I also find i have to talk to someone via my bluetooth iif driving alone at night.


Linda xx

[fightingonstill]

Hi
I get terrible fear of driving full stop after having some terrible panic attacks a year ago now whilst driving on dual carriageway.
Now i am still fighting it and i have to really push myself to drive anywhere at all (with my very supportive mums help!)
So she is still trying to help me conquer this latest anxiety, bless her and she sets me small tasks to complete which really helps plus she is my co driver!
I have now managed to do a couple of miles on dual carriageway which is great for me....but if its raining or dark etc then i clam up completley and i do think this is because our vision is slightly off the norm which really doesnt help, then the claustrophobia kicks in of course.
The BEST and most definatley the HARDEST thing to do, i believe is to keep going at it and NOT avoid it. I have given myself no end of excuses to NOT drive anywhere, leaving my husband to do it all i.e "I will get dinner on and you run the kids to Footy practice" so on and so on always avoiding the fear. If you can though, you must push yourself as i am really trying to now also as it does get slighlty easier in time
Its good to hear you are not alone isnt it?
Nikki x

[belle]

Thanks for all your responses!!

Nikki...
YES, rain does it too (and fog)!!! Again (I am sounding silly now), if its really fast coming down on the windowscreen i feel closed in.
How can i be a claustraphobic agoraphobic...lol
The problems are neverending aren't they!
Sarah

[Piglet]

Lol Sarah I too hun am a claustrophobic agoraphobic :D:D

I think though when we look at what agoraphobia has now come to mean it isn't so simple as being afraid of open spaces is it. Infact it's come a long way from meaning that anymore. I think it's classed in latin or somesuch, as 'a fear of the market place'!!

I'm a bit different to those of you who hate the dark as I positively revel in it. For me it means I can get out for evening walks and do so much more. I really like the fact things aren't so visible cos that then means I'm not so visible either. Hence the embarassment of panicking in public is much lessened as people can't see me so well!!

Love Piglet :)

"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.

[belle]

You're right Piglet. Agoraphobia is a lot more complex than we realise. There's many (different) things that make people agoraphobic. Like you and i - you love dark, i hate dark. Some people fear fainting, some dying. But what it comes down to, is that we're all scared that *something* catastrophic will happen when we leave our homes...hmm.

BEFORE (ugh...i hate remembering life before i was HIT with this illness) when i use to drive, the darkness never bothered me, rain never bothered me, however fog always has scared me.

Agoraphobic rocks!!!!!!!!
How the hell did i end up like this?
Sarah x

[bb01234]

As you said all phobias are different, but they are also the same. They are a symptom, not the cause.

Your unconscious mind knows what it's doing for you: Address the cause and the symptom will no longer be need.

This is more helpful than it sounds since within it lies ALL effective therapies.

Change can occur. Note I'm talking change, not simply coming to terms with the problem

Regards

Brian