Swimming

[Buddhagirl]

Hi all,

I'm new here and as an anxiety sufferer already feel at home. :) I take venlafaxine 75mg and it actually does the trick. My lifes great despite the odd meltdown here and there.

So, I used to be able to swim and, after a slight panic in the water when covered by a huge wave years ago, I've lost all confidence. I've booked a holiday with a newish boyfriend for 2 weeks and am suddenly panicking about swimming. I can't possibly tell him about my panic (though he knows that I suffer with anxiety and take pills etc) but it's my personal choice to not mention the swimming thing. Call it embarrassment or whatever, I'd just prefer not to right now. I've been swimming a few times and can actually swim okay but seem to have lost all confidence, especially with treading water. The problem is that the more i panic, the harder it is (you may know that you float when you're relaxed and sink when you're tense)! I have a swimming coach who has said once I relax I'll be absolutely fine. Its crazy! I'm not even scared of water so whats going on.

The point I'm making here is that I'm building this all up in my head so much that I'm becoming almost terrified of the holiday. I'm catastrophising (?) without a doubt and blowing it all out of proportion. Can anyone suggest how I should just relax?

Thanks in advance guys xx

[Tyke]

Hi Buddhagirl

I lost confidence swimming after suffering from general anxiety, but I found it helped just going to the local pool regularly and practicing until my confidence returned. I actually found I couldn't swim at first and my wife said to me 'you never forget it once you've learned, it's like riding a bike!' You just need to build up the confidence by taking easier steps initially.

It's a shame you don't feel you can be more open with your boyfriend. Is swimming likely to be such a major part of your holiday anyway? Is he a good swimmer? If he knows you have anxiety and cares about you, he really won't mind about it at all and it would ease the anxiety if you were able just to tell him straight.

Whatever you decide to do, have a great holiday!

Tyke

[Buddhagirl]

Thanks Tyke. Much appreciated. I'm not sure how big a part swimming will be but I want to be able to just pop into the pool when I feel like it without being rigid with fear on the sidelines! However, I've had a couple more sessions and I think my confidence is really coming back. My strokes are improving and I'm enjoying it again :-) What chance do you have of 'relaxing' when you're an anxiety sufferer?? xx

[Lindy]

Maybe you could encourage going to the sea more than the pool? that way you can just sit on the shore in the sand with the water lapping over your legs - plus you are more likely to be chilling out or messing around in shallow waters than in the pool which might be more swimming-orientated. Good luck! x