got to go to london for a conference - terrified!

[allergyphobia]

Hi everybody,

Just looking for some support. I've got to go to london on Thursday for a conference and I am absolutely terrified. 1. my train is at 7am!!!!! and then will have to get tubes etc across london. i hate being hot and squashed, hot/stuffy environments make me cough and i panic being trapped......

i'm also worried of course about eating. i simply wont have the lunch but im worried how i'll look eating my own packed lunch. :(. i have to go with a colleague who is a bit...up herself (sorry can't think of a better phrase) and i'm worried she'll judge me for it too. even eating my own food in a strange place can make me feel panicky and like i will have a reaction.

i haven't got my car at the moment so i've got to stay at my boyfriends the night before. so i will feel even less together as i will think i haven't got everything ready right....

so sorry for the whinge i am just dreading it from start to finish. it's such a long day and i get so tight chested when i'm tired and i won't be in control the whole day :'(

any tips or hugs would be greatfully received :( xxxxxxx

[ditzygirl]

Oh sweetie-you poor thing.

Can you persuade your colleague to get a cab across london - in all honesty these days its not that much more expensive, adn I don't think anyone would judge you for choosing not to use the tube i know plenty of people who won't use tube trains.

Take your own food and I always have a pocket of sweets to keep you going. Oh and a bottle of water or two.

Rescue Remedy pastille and/or drops might help ( don't eat to many pastilles or you will spend day in the loo!!!) and small bottle of lavender or something to calm you. Don't worry what anyone thinks of you - just do what you need.

Don't forget how many people suffer anxiety - I bet there are others going to your meeting who are feeling as you do.

On the plus side if you can relax London can be fun, there is nothing like the buzz.

Good luck and try to enjoy itxx

[Vixxy]

Pack yourself a bag with lots of distractions. I usually take a book, a magazine, my ipod, Nintendo DS, pens and paper, a puzzle book, a stress toy, breathe mints, water, pills.
I'm sure your "up herself" colleague would be kind if she saw you were really struggling. Let's hope so anyway! You might even get to know her better because she might drop her front too :)
If you're dreading eating, then you could just have some lucozade or something similar to keep you going?Maybe a handful of grapes, or your safe foods.
Good luck :)

[mumble]

All good advice from above posters - another thing I find is to remind myself in these types of situations that although I feel pressured or under obligation to be there, I still can leave. You're most certainly not trapped there or in this situation.

[allergyphobia]

thanks everybody for your advice.... i'm really working myself up about it but am hoping a nice early night will fix it. currently running on about 4 hours sleep as had to stay at my boyfriends last night too, and i couldn't sleep as don't like not staying at my house, so i am now doubly worried it will happen again... i reckon i'll be so tired i will zonk out though, fingers crossed!!! thank you all so much...will do an update tomorrow night to let you know how i get on! am going to take about 6 bottles of water haha! xxx

[allergyphobia]

and very good point ditzy about others at the conference suffering from anxiety too - we are never alone, are we? x

[ditzygirl]

no we are never alone - just a shame there is such a stigma for panic. Life would be so much easier if we could all just laugh it off.

Good luck in London - I bet its really christmassyx

[london]

i dont like the tube and i am londoner but your be ok you see
you can always get a bus dont have to the tube
good luck god bless

[mabelthemini]

Best of luck hun, just a note about the packed lunch-if anyone says anything just tell them you have a special diet..veggie/vegan/nut allergy so you bring your own to avoid probs.

Will be thinking of you-take care :hugs:

[allergyphobia]

Here's a very speedy update! Will write another one later. Just on the train home!! That's right I survived, two tubes each way both at rush hour, navigating round london, eating in an unknown place and all the while concentrating on the conference! Everybodies advice was amazing, I used the allergy excuse to my colleague and no questions were asked, I feel so chuffed with myself! Only about one minute of anxiety all day, not even when I was squashed up hot and tight in the tube, I just smiled my way through it. Thank you everybody so much for your support. I'll clock in when I finally make it home!! Xxx

[ljd]

well done for you for going and it seems to of goosted your confidence tc

[ditzygirl]

:yesyes::yesyes:WELL DONE - THAT IS BRILLIANT NEWS, HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A BIG GLASS OF SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE. YOU SHOULD BE REALLY PROUD OF YOURSELF:yesyes::yesyes:

[lammylama]

Really well done to you :hugs:.....see you did it once so you can do it again,must be a huge step in the right direction for you too. Massive congrats to you xxxxxxxxxxxx

[Vixxy]

Huzzah :yesyes: well done you!!! Now you need to keep a note of this and remember that you can do it!

[buddah99]

Hi everybody,

Just looking for some support. I've got to go to london on Thursday for a conference and I am absolutely terrified. 1. my train is at 7am!!!!! and then will have to get tubes etc across london. i hate being hot and squashed, hot/stuffy environments make me cough and i panic being trapped......

i'm also worried of course about eating. i simply wont have the lunch but im worried how i'll look eating my own packed lunch. :(. i have to go with a colleague who is a bit...up herself (sorry can't think of a better phrase) and i'm worried she'll judge me for it too. even eating my own food in a strange place can make me feel panicky and like i will have a reaction.

i haven't got my car at the moment so i've got to stay at my boyfriends the night before. so i will feel even less together as i will think i haven't got everything ready right....

so sorry for the whinge i am just dreading it from start to finish. it's such a long day and i get so tight chested when i'm tired and i won't be in control the whole day :'(

any tips or hugs would be greatfully received :( xxxxxxx

Hi there

I work in London and so know this can be problem.

Try to plan as much as you can, for instance eating wise keep it simple with easily digested food:)also I visit the toilet before I leave for the underground or train as it means I have a bit more confidence for the journey....

Always keep some water with you if you need to sip some as this can help with acid I find and keep you calm.

On the train etc I find an ipod with relaxing music the best thing like Enigma:yesyes:

Also try to NLP a bit e.g. visulise everything being fine, as a I found this helps reduce anxiety

B. (john)

[Vanilla Sky]

Well done Amber , you will beat this honey , :hugs::hugs:

Mummy lol xxxxxx