In the Wilderness

[never2late]

My wife and I just returned from our annual wilderness trek. It is beautiful, but very desolate country (no radio, television, telephones, cell phone service, internet, email, etc).

Last year our trip was before my latest round of panic and anxiety began, and this year it was at the tail-end of coming out of it (I've been panic-free since the end of July of this year).

There was one or two instances where I realized how isolated we were, and it began to give me those early warning signs of an attack in the works. I was able to just chill out. I stayed on the "edge" for about 15 minutes or so each time. I'm sure many of you know about that balancing act of being on the edge.

I was very curious as to why it would seem so dangerous and threatening one minute, and not so dangerous and threatening the next. Nothing had changed. Why would one be on the verge of panic, and then without changing anything in their reality, return to not being on the verge of panic. Is it just varying degrees of perception of a given situation? It has to be, since it IS the same situation!

Needless to say, we're back home. It certainly was beautiful. My sports car had a front wheel bearing go bad, but it happend less than one mile from my service garage upon returning. That was a stroke of very, very good luck (better than coming down a mountain). The car is back in service as of the end of day today.

Just a little story from a "previous" panic sufferer and his recent adventures into the land of wilderness.

[Veronica H]

:) hi There

Your story gives me hope as I used to love a trek into remote areas. I have managed a few trips since my panic attacks but so far to well populated areas. As you point out, this is an illnes of how we think which in turn dictates how we feel. It can be controlled and the important thing is to push forward. Anticipation is much worse than the task itself for panic sufferers.:yesyes: well done.

veronica

[marie1974]

hiya matey and im glad u had a great time in the wilderness hehe and that u kept your cool too.

very lucky id say with your car, nice to hear from u and i hope u and your family are all well. hugs xxx

[Mikke]

My family also go for holidays in teh wilderness, we have a cabin in the mountains. It's a relatively ok standard in the cabin (electricity, tv signals, phone etc), but during the winter it's get stormy, the roads are poor, and the whole place is very remote.

I get these attakcs while beeing there as well. Last year I remember one episode, where we had travelled from our home for hours and drove by the last cabin before our own, nearly arriving. There was an ambulance helicopter landing at our neighbours, apparantly the guy in this family had an heart attack.
That weekend was a disaster for me, I coulnd't help but thinking how far away from home we were.

I realized it's a matter of thought.
I think all anxiety is intertwined with thoughts, and that's why you can feel safe one moment and unsafe the next.

[pooh]

Hi there never

I used to be really into hillwalking and I love being in the 'wilderness' its where I feel the most comfortable and relaxed. It's just the travelling that gets me lol If I could snap my fingers and be anywhere in the world in an instant boy I would be in my element.
Good to hear of you getting back to enjoying the experiences you love

Pooh x