compulsion to jump to safety???

[lifeissweet]

hi everyone, i am quite new on here and have mostly been looking on panic attacks forum cause thats what i thought i had, but when i read a lot of the posts on here i think i am generally anxious.

i have lots of "things" that i worry about, irrational thoughts (like i worry that my brain will just stop working or that ill 'forget' how to think etc), and panic/agoraphobia.

one main one thats worries me just now is i cant go upstairs (in particular in shopping centres where you can look down onto the bottom floor) because i am so scared that i panic and just jump in order to escape and get down to safety...does anyone else get this??

i would never walk over a bridge just incase i lost my mind and jumped...i am not in any way suicidal btw, i just have fear that ill panic so much i cant control my own body!!!

anyone else the same?

[bottleblond]

Hi Laura

I know exactly what you are talking about. It's like your body is preparing you to the dangers around you and avoiding these situations seems to be the easier option, "fight or flight" they call it. Your constantly aware of these dangers and your brain prematurely works out the quickest route to safety before any dangers even emerge.

Try looking up "fight or flight" i'm sure it will be alot more informative than i am. :blush:

Good luck sweety

Love Lisa
xxx

[Granny Primark]

The thoughts about jumping off a bridge is one of my fears.
It started last year when I was driving over a bridge into our city centre and there was a man standing on the wall on the bridge being pursuaded not to jump onto the dual carriageway below.
After talking to people who had seen this event unfold I was told that there had been 3 suicides on the bridge.
Its easier to walk into our city centre than go in the car from my daughters, but when I do this I am absolutely petrified.
I walk on the outside of the pavement and constantly look down or even txt people.
Im not suicidal either but the bridge really feaks me out since last year.

[pinkpiglet]

I get these bizarre thoughts too. When I go to the shopping mall I get these thoughts that 'what if someone jumps or falls off the top floor and lands on my sons buggy' or, 'what if a kid falls over the bars and lands on their head'. If I am on the top I cannot walk near the rails never mind look over them as i get scared I will get a urge to jump over. I walk around with these thoughts popping in and out of my mind and I cringe- literally! (god knows what people think when they see me).

[ladybird64]

Join the club :)

This why I avoid bridges, ahte being in buildings where there is a lot of glass (you can see all the floors above and below :ohmy: ) and I also feel this fear when I'm crossing a busy road and get stuck in the middle waiting for the lights to change. It normally happens when the road is full of traffic whizzing by and I feel kind of "trapped" in the middle, I feel that I might walk in front of the traffic just to get away.
It is all connected with anxiety and I'm working on getting myself better.:)

[JasonB]

Hi Laura,

I'd like to draw your attention to my response in this thread, as I believe it will help you understand how to break the fear/doubt cycle to help you overcome your anxiety and worrying thoughts with regards to bridges, stairs etc.

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?p=394257#post394257


The underlying cause of your phobia is the personal "doubt" which then creates the fear. The fear then fuels the doubt. And suddenly you have an irrational phobia.

Your anxiety about jumping off a bridge will never make you actually jump. It is impossible.

You'd only jump if you wanted to. Which you don't. So...

...you have no reason to doubt yourself.

So the next time the fear arises, do not react as before, and remind yourself that you know, and have faith that you won;t actually jump.

The fear will then gradually subside, and you will fear comfort knowing that you can cross a bridge, or jump down stairs, without anxiety.

Peace and Good Luck

Jason

[tom1]

Oh my god, you describe a very similar problem I have lauragcam. Often, when I am walking anywhere that is steep or in front of crowds of people I feel the 'fight or flight' response kick in and I just start feel highly disorientated and jumpy. I kind of feel a bit of vertigo even in non-related height situations.

I think it's safe to say it's fairly common in anxiety. I would even go as far as to say it's more than likely a form of panic.

[lifeissweet]

Hi Laura,

I'd like to draw your attention to my response in this thread, as I believe it will help you understand how to break the fear/doubt cycle to help you overcome your anxiety and worrying thoughts with regards to bridges, stairs etc.

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?p=394257#post394257


The underlying cause of your phobia is the personal "doubt" which then creates the fear. The fear then fuels the doubt. And suddenly you have an irrational phobia.

Your anxiety about jumping off a bridge will never make you actually jump. It is impossible.

You'd only jump if you wanted to. Which you don't. So...

...you have no reason to doubt yourself.

So the next time the fear arises, do not react as before, and remind yourself that you know, and have faith that you won;t actually jump.

The fear will then gradually subside, and you will fear comfort knowing that you can cross a bridge, or jump down stairs, without anxiety.

Peace and Good Luck

Jason

hi thanks so much, you have made me really want to go to the shopping centre to show myself that i wouldnt ever actually jump.

i think i just have to go a little further each time til ive been all along the top floor. ive just been avoiding any situation in which, if i was to panic, i would be a danger to myself ie, if there was anything to jump off etc.

im convinced ill panic so much ill just jump "to safety" which if course wouldnt be safety...and i have terrible visions of myslef doing it.

sometimes in the car as a passenger, (i dont drive), i start to think what if i panic and just jump out the car, so i make myself think...."in order to do that id first have to undo myu seatbelt and open the door etc...and so as long as i dont unbuckle my seatbelt then im safe!!! (so irrational i know..but thats just me!)