hiya

[nicci]

This is my first time here, been reading some of the post and its me i feel the same way as most of you,palpatations,sweats,rapid breathing but it all happens to me outside around people,supermakets are the main ones i am beginning to avoid them but i just hate the way they make me feel, i know im not in any danger but yet i still have that familier feeling of panic i either fight them which is hard or i leave and that just makes me feel like a faliure

nicola fencioglu

[clickaway]

Welcome to the site Nicola,

Supermarkets seem to be a favourite place for panics and anxiety.

I suppose a supermarket is outside many people's safety zone, outside the house and is full of people. Also you have to queue and many people don't like that either - suddenly our brain is idle and give time for negative thoughts to surface.

As you have already seen, there's loads of support and advice here.

Take Care,

Ray



Don't wait around for other people to be happy for you. Any happiness you get you've got to make yourself.--Alice Walker

[trac67]

Hi Nicci,
I can relate to what you are saying so much, i used to hang on to the trolley for dear life in the supermarket, and ran quite a few times.
I then decided to stick it out and take it a step at a time in there gradually staying in there longer and longer, and now i dont have any problems at all, i even let the kids push the trolley.
You can do it.
Take care
Trac xx


its "just a thought"

[Meg]

Hi Nicci

**i either fight them which is hard or i leave**

Another way is to do it on small stages.

Enter , buy one thing from near the entrance and out .
Then build up very very gently to several items from maybe one isle and then pay and leave fast.

Then tell yourself how well you're doing and build your confidence up with positive experiences

Do not allow youself to get into the habit of avoiding. It brings bew problems



Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[seh1980]

hi Nicci,

I used to hate going to the supermarket too - it's fairly common amongst anxiety sufferers. As Meg says, try it in little stages. That way, you slowly build up and feel good about your achievements..

Sarah :D

"Life is too important to take seriously" Corky Siegal

[nicci]

Thank you guys for the advice,you know this is the first time i have'nt felt alone with my problems and you know it feels good

nicola fencioglu

[meatybuddy]

hi nikki

i have the same problems when going shopping but i havent mentioned anything on these forums about it.
i allways avoid bug busy supermarkets as they tend to make me have a bad panic attack .

i think its the thought of being in a big crowded place and no way of escaping quicklybut i have started to do like meg suggested by going in for 1 thing then paying and leaving and slowly getting more and more from the supermarket , but it is very hard to do it at the beginning and im still at the stage of getting a few items paying then leaving quickly..

i wish you all the best nicci

Meatybuddy

[nicci]

Hi meatybuddy,

I will try and do it, but its so hard to even step in one of the shops i had a bad p/a in, had a really bad one the worst ever i think i can safely say about a year ago and have never been back in there, but do u know the feeling when u feel like you are running out of shops to actually shop in, its just the people i really hate the crows and the waiting at the till to be served thats when i can honestly feel like my anxiety is at its worst.

B ut anyway good advice yes and i will give it a go :D

nicola fencioglu

[nicci]

MEATYBUDDY,

Sorry about the typo, i meant to put the CROWDS, not crows lol im not frightened of them.
Nicci

nicola fencioglu

[Meg]

Nicci ,

Maybe take someone with you to start with purely for diversionary tactics . Ask them to keep you talking at the check out and focussed on somethig else rather than wandering thoughts which will revert to fear if left unchecked.

Well done Meatbuddy -a few things is better than none or one ... onwards


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[nicci]

Hi Meg, i know what your saying meg, but i feel i want to go alone when i go out as not to embaress myself i guess im still at the stage where i find it embaressing if i panic i just need to be able to run.
I have to catch the train to work in the nights and there is no getting away from catching the trains that are the most busy especially now that the school kids are back in school,caught it today and almost lost control, as soon as i stepped on the train my anxiety went through the roof, but i managed to stop it from becoming a panic attack by looking out the window and counting chimneys, it worked for me but felt like **** still. I suppose i am doing well as i used to catch the earlier train and that gets me to work way to early. Every day is a challenge but everyday i do it. :D
Nicci

nicola fencioglu

[Meg]

**as soon as i stepped on the train my anxiety went through the roof, but i managed to stop it from becoming a panic attack by looking out the window and counting chimneys, it worked for me but felt like **** still**

Well done .. so what can you do in supermarket that is similar distraction ??

Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[nicci]

Hi,
What can i do in a supermarket i dont know,maybe count tins but dont you think i will become obsessed with counting in time if i use this alternative to calm myself all the time?? it is easy to walk out of the supermarket i think and thats proberly why i do it, where as on a train you are trapped u have no choice but to calm yourself or have a p/a, i know it sounds negative and i really need to change my way of thinking. If anyone has any suggestions let me know :D

nicola fencioglu

[Meg]

so you can try alternatives , plan in your head something that is going on at home - a DIY projects , a family party or something that takes concentration and logic.

or be sociable and comment on someones piece of jewellery and start a conversation -

Whatever you feel might work for you and try several approaches

Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[kimmy]

hello nicola,
what you gotta try and think about is
:-actually your running way from your thaughts, there is nothing physically going to hurt you!! its your thaughts your trying to run away from, you can never run away from them. Yeah it gets easier when you have left the shop but you feel like a faliure when you have, just try and stay, what do you think will happen if you did?? whats the worst........all you thaughts are thaughts, not reality. Just take it gradually and if next time your in the store and you make it a few more minutes than you do normally, pat yourself on the back. Take your time and dont beat yourself up over it hun, we have all been there. feel free you to pm me any time. good luck xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:D

[nicci]

Hi Kimmy,
I know exactly what your saying to me, sometimes i do stay sometimes i leave, i really do try and tell myself its not going to harm me but the feeling of anxiety can be so overwhelming as you know,i just wish i could stop being so negative about it after i have an attack i want to just think ok its done its over get on with it but i tend to think about it to much thats what i mean by changing my way of thinking, i know what i have to do its just putting it in to practice and i do try.

Like today i have woke from my sleep feeling extremely giddy and shakey, had to go to work this morning by train as i always do and done it, as the morning has gone on i can honestly say that im feeling less giddy now but still anxious, now later i have to catch another train to my night job which i catch every day,but its diffrent with this train there are more people on this 1 and my anxiety shoots through the roof, now do you think i should avoid the busy train or catch the earlier 1 which is quieter and gets me to work a lot earlier but do you think i am running away from it if i catch the earlier one, but the way i think is im still catching a train,should i think like that or not ?

Im sorry i have really gone on about it today, i just guess its because i feel more anxious, i dont know.
Nicci x

nicola fencioglu

[mirry]

Hi Nicci,

You were mentioning about trying to keep your mind busy in shops so you can avoid a panic attack.
I am facing my fears daily making sure I go into a shop .
A new thing i have started doing which is great for taking your mind off things is counting up how much the total of my shopping will come to.
I dont start until i get them on the actual conveyor belt at the till, then i look at it all and think OK 99p + 60p = £1.59 + 1.99 = £3.58 and so on.

Another thing i do whilst walking around the shops is everything i pick up I ask myself is there a cheaper quality version (this keeps me looking for bargains and thinking constantly).

Good luck and please dont give up on shops because its a slipery slope that will lead to further problems for you.
ALL THE BEST!


mirryx