Anxiety/feeling sick when queuing up to travel

[wigancasino]

Hello all

I've never posted in a forum like this before, nor have I actually ever spoken about what I'm about to, because I worry that my husband/family just don't really understand, and it is difficult to articulate I suppose, but I will endeavour to explain myself!

Basically, my main issue seems to be with anxiety/panic when it comes to travelling places. By this, I don't mean I'm afraid of flying or driving or going on the Tube, it's just the entire ordeal, usually prior to the actual travelling. The general feeling I get is my stomach starts to go a bit wild, and I feel like I'm going to vomit, or cough too much and then vomit, and if I don't have any water to sip then I will do just that. I suppose it's a feeling of being trapped, and not being able to get away to actually *be* sick if that makes sense. So for example, when I'm in the queue for security at an airport, and there's nowhere to go, if I don't have water I just start to retch. I think it must be entirely psychosomatic because it can't be possible that I am physically ill each and every time I travel. Once I am out of that situation, I start to relax a little bit more, until the time comes to get on the plane and I'm in a queue there.

I don't know if I have managed to articulate this very well at all or get across what it is that I feel, but if anyone has had similar experiences, I would be very happy to hear about them. I'm not sure if it classed as 'travel anxiety' or not really, because it happens even if I'm going to be in a taxi for a short journey.

Thank you for reading.

[Catherine S]

Hi there and welcome to the forum. At first I thought it could be claustrophobia when you mention feeling trapped. I'm extremely claustrophobic and have been since a small child, but for me I can panic when actually on the train or plane rather than just being in the stations or airports. You mention it's a feeling of being trapped if you feel ill and can't get to a safe place to be sick, this sounds more like emetaphobia...the fear of vomiting, and particularly in public places. Could this be the problem?

ISB x

[Phuzella]

I used to get that feeling a lot. Supermarket queues, theatres, anywhere where you're not in control so to speak. They were my panic attack triggers. I get the odd wobble even now but just tough it out. Mindfulness helped me a lot.

[wigancasino]

Thank you for your reply I Still Believe, I've thought about what you said a lot over night, and I think you might have a point, although I'm not sure it's the entirety of the problem, but it's definitely something that strikes a chord with me, so thank you.

Phuzella, thank you for your response also. It's a relief to know I'm not alone with the feeling (although of course I don't want anyone else to feel like it!). I will look into the mindfulness concept and hopefully put something in motion.

Many thanks again :)

[Chocolateface]

Could you feel worried about things that may happen that are out of your control? Like in the queues do you worry about being stopped by security or not having the right documents, or in a taxi is it that you are not in control of what happens, not saying these are what you feel just giving a different perspective, my travel anxiety kicks in from the moment I leave my house until the moment I have checked in in case I have forgotten something.