does anybody feel this way?

[lonelysolitude]

Hi ,


Does anybody feel anxious while waiting in line for something,like at the check out counter in a grocery and banks.I am always fidgeting while waiting for my turn and sometimes can bring a mini panic attack.I also feel this way stuck in a traffic and it is driving me crazy.To begin with I am feeling fine but then when its a long wait i get these weird feelings and my neck starts to tense up.

[vernon]

hi. Yes this is one of the most common problems with anxiety. Lots of people even run out of the shop/ store etc. Best thing for this is to distract your mind, talk to someone in the queue or sing to yourself trying to remember all the words of a song or even do a puzzle in your head. I hsve even counted plowers on wallpaper, or floor tiles etc, anything to keep mind bussy. take care. Vernon

[FAN]

hi vernon is dead right on this one its very common you just got to distract yourself ..........i usually step from foot to foot or try calculate the price of all the stuff in the trolley

fan x

"dont wait for the light at the end of the tunnel..........stride down there and light the bl**dy thing yourself!

[Juliet]

Oh God yes!I get this all the time,and vernon is definatly right..distraction is the key.But also not running away from the situation because it feels uncomfortable.Once you stay in these situations and realise that nothing awful happened,you will be able to put it down to experience and retrain your mind.Takes time,but definatly works. good luck xx

[seh1980]

My worst one is at the post office when there's a huge cue and it's hot and stuffy..

[doddy]

ive always hated wating in shops and always always get anxious, but to be honest now i grab a paper and read it will waiting or count somethings on the shelves, just simple distraction really helps with this one, try to never leave though as this will make it harder next time and if you keep doing the distraction it will get easier and easier, sometimes i dont even notice anymore.

take care

doddy

[della]

hi lonely


yes i felt the same way for years in fact on many occassions when i did try to the shops....on many occassions i would maybe only have one person infront of me and my stomach would knot and i really felt as though i could scream at people ..."cant you hurry up are you stupid cant you see how i am feeling" the sheer intensity of feelings in me i am suprised that i did not actually harm anyone. You could try distraction methods ...like seeing how many differnt items you can see or how many people are wearing a certain colour...it may hel.


RELAX AND TAKE CARE


della[:O]

[nomorepanic]

Very common.

You need to distract yourself from the queuing and then it gets easier. Read a paper or chat to someone in the queue.

As for stuck in traffic, read my coping page on the website - www.nomorepanic.co.uk/coping.htm

It gets easier with time but whatever you do don't start avoiding it ok?

Nicola

[bubbles]

Yes, I get this in queues of any sort.

As everyone has said, distracting yourself seems to be the main way to deal with it. We are stuck with our thoughts when we are in queues---& we all know what these dratted thoughts do!
It does get easier once you realise that it won't actually harm you.


Linda. x



Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.

[sal]

Hi

Yes i have been there it is the pressure that if you cant do it what will you do, what will people think, but we forget that people probably wont even notice, but it becomes an obsession and we make ourselves so much worse thinking about it. I know i do.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.

[henri]

hi there,
i always get like this - it's so annoying but it really helps if you can do something while you are waiting, like reading or something. i always listen to my ipod in queues and make sure that i listen to songs that i know all the lyrics to so i can sing along in my head and stop thinking about the queue.
hope that makes sense!
henri x