shopping should be easy

[lindajane1971]

Hi everyone,

Just nipped out to the shop for some things and now im back without half of what i needed and in a state.
Just walking round the shop when had a pain in my chest, i thought to myself , im ok, just ignore it, im ok.
then felt dizzy, started sweating and i just raced to the nearest checkout, my heart was racing, i "felt pale" and shaky. I basically threw all my stuff on the belt and was wishing the woman in front would hurry the hell up!
Finally threw everything in bags and got in the car and home, crying putting it all away and now just sitting wondering wether to go to the doctor, i am so scared........even though there no pain now and heart rate is back to normal im still sitting weeping.
I have no fear of going shopping, i enjoy it actually, i just dont know what to do :weep:

[ian1]

As weird as it sounds, the answer is to go back and get the rest of the things you need. If you don't, the fear builds up and it will only get worse. Often it is not the situation but the fear of the situation that gets to us. When you go back and it's OK, you will give your mind a message that there is nothing to fear in those circumstances.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes :)

[maddie]

I agree with Ian. Panic feeds on fear. Try not to be afraid of the same thing happening again. If it does, don't give in to it.

If I start to panic in a shop I look at something on a shelf - really look at it: the shape, colour, texture, packaging, etc. I take deep breaths and just wait for it to pass. Concentrating on something distracts my mind and no-one else in the shop realises I am doing it.

[Maj]

I agree with the others. Claire Weekes also says that recovery lies in doing the things we fear. By doing this you get stronger.
Myra:hugs:

[looking4answers]

Make yourself KEEP GOING!! I have had this happen so many times and made myself go back in the next time and linger on purpose and let others go ahead of me so I could intentionally feel anxiety and fight it.. Just keep going back and going back and going back.You are going to feel nervous and ill but fight it..Do your shopping no matter if you have to fly through the store.. fight it and complete it.. It makes you feel better to know you fought and won.. Don't let it stop something you like doing.. Good luck to you from someone who knows how you feel?

[lc2613]

the same thing happened to me and now im agraphobic with extreame avoidance behavouir, trust me while you have the guts and its not extreame go back and fight it or it will be a spiral down hill the last thing you want to do is not to go back, sorry to sound hard but i just wish i had the chance to turn the clocks back and fight it earlier. good luck xx let us know how you get on xx

[Slothette]

I agree....go back again because otherwise the avoidance of things will creep up on you and before you know it you will be avoiding lots more things. Just remember panic cant hurt you....yes its horrible and its difficult to go back but its the only way.

[Bill]

I have no fear of going shopping, i enjoy it actually,

You have NO fear of shopping and you enjoy it so go back with the thought of looking forward to it.

IF it happens again, DON'T fight it. DON'T run. Just stand still and WAIT. LET it do its worst and DON'T try to resist it. RELAX ALL your muscles, regain control of your breathing by taking LONG DEEP BREATHS and say to it "Come on, you DON'T scare me". Think to yourself IF in the unlikely event anything did happen, you are amongst people who will help you so you have NOTHING to fear. REMIND yourself that last time it happened, the feeling passed and it WILL again.

The other option is to stay home, never go out and miss out on ever enjoying shopping again so don't allow this ONE bad day control the rest of your lifetime.

Wipe the slate clean and FORGET it happened by remembering all the COUNTLESS times you went shopping before and Enjoyed yourself without any problem. If you keep thinking about this one bad day, you'll create many more bad days so try to say to yourself "Oh well, it must have been just a bad day".....it won't prevent it ever happening again but at least next time it won't frighten you because you'll know it WILL pass. You'll have plenty of GOOD days IF you don't keep thinking about it. :hugs:

[maddie]

Excellent advice, as usual, Bill :hugs: