Major anxiety over travelling/staying with friends

[JosieLouise]

Please help, I've been panicking all day...

I have this friend who recently moved 200 miles away. We're pretty close. She understands my anxiety a lot and she has similar problems. Before she left she told me I could always come and visit.

So I suggested that I visit before I start uni in September. She said yes and it's all planned. But now I'm having severe anxiety about it. I can't concentrate on anything else. I desperately want to go and see her (mainly for fear of not being able to maintain the friendship, yay social anxiety) but it just seems so impossible. The last time I slept away from home (in somewhere other than a hotel, by myself) I was so sick with anxiety I didn't eat the entire time.

My friend will totally understand, which makes it easier. But I feel like such a failure. I'm crying uncontrollably about this right now, and that's definitely a warning sign that this is too much to handle at the moment.

I know I'm going to feel absoloutely terrible about myself but I don't think it's worth the anxiety.

[.Poppy.]

Would it help to pinpoint the reasons you think you'll be anxious? Is it the trip there? Staying away from home? Spending time alone with your friend?

There may be ways to combat it. Maybe soft music to play while you're travelling, or if you're not driving, you could find a way to sleep. Maybe if you're afraid of sleeping while you're there, you could take a sleeping pill. If you don't think you can eat, try small meals or snacking while watching TV instead of a big, focused dinner.

If you truly think it will be too much don't go, but based on my experience, sometimes it's better to push yourself a bit and try to cope rather than regret it.

[JosieLouise]

Thank you for replying.

I'm worried about all those things, and more. I can't pinpoint exactly what, but whenever I think about going it's like fight or flight in my brain and I immediately start crying. I feel like such a failure.

[braindead]

Do you have to drive or fly to your friend , it all gets a bit too much if you have really chronic anxiety, i can visit so long has i drive i hate being a passenger, has for flying that's to much for me , Do you take any medication for anxiety if not if you're not driving a benzo like valium or lorazepam just enough to get you to your friend and then on the way back if needed may help. Tell your doc what you plan to do he may help with a tempory script :winks: