holiday fear

[lauraebowes]

hiya im going on holiday next thursday with my husband and little boy im so scared something will happen to me on holiday and i'll end up in turkey hospital alsojust changed my medication from citrolpram 40mg to sertine also petrified of the plane when i have a panic attack i run outside, no going to be able to do that lol. really dnt want to spoil my little boys holiday. please can some one give me some advice. :weep:

[nomorepanic]

Hi lauraebowes

A huge warm welcome to nmp.

You'll get loads of advice and support here and make some lovely friends along the way.

Best wishes

[lauraebowes]

thanks nic im really happy ive found somewhere where you know your not alone x

[emmi]

hi hun i have to go on a course today a stupid drivers awarenes for my husband not the same i know but in a room full of strangers not good you just have to remember that by breathing one two three in through your nose out through your mouth and distraction for 3 minutes it will pass we have had these feelings before and although not pleasant it has never killed us by thinking that something is gonna happen our minds get our bodys ready to fight or flight which results in anxiety and then more panic just remember to breath and tell yourself its all in your mind once you are distracted it will go away briefly for you to cope x

[terror-x]

atleast you get a holiday :( i hope you clear your mind and enjoy it tho :) have fun

[M155anthr0p3]

Hi Laura,

Welcome to the site.

I understand & completely sympathize over the way you feel. I always worry I will panic or something dreadful will happen to me when I am away from home.
The trouble is it's visualising yourself panicking that causes you to panic. You are imagining the worst case scenario.
Try not to dread the flight but look forward to it, think of how relaxing a lovely holiday will be. Take a book with you to distract yourself on the plane & picture yourself lying on the beach sunbathing...

Hope you have a lovely time & try not to panic!

Emily xxx

[emmax]

Hi Laura,

I felt exactly the same way as you do a couple of weeks ago just before a friend's hen do in Marbella! i really thought I'd have to pull out. I managed to get through it though and had a brilliant time and now feel quite proud that I got through it, and I'm sure you will be exactly the same! I had the exact same feelings about having to end up in hospital in Spain and about the plane as I'm terrified of flying, and get dizzy spells/panic attacks at the best of times!

I wish you a fab holiday :) xx

[lauraebowes]

thank you all for your comments and advice its nice to know your not the only one that thinks like this its calmed me dwn just knwing im not going crazy thanks to all of you xx

[carefree68]

Hi Lauraebowes,

I know what you are feeling I'm very nervous about my holiday. But try not to over think it...focus on all the positives and talk yourself down from all the negatives. Might sound silly but try some lavender oil on a hanky/tissue and when you get anxious/nervous breathe it in and think happy thought (maybe your son's face) it works for me...its worth a try..hope it works for you too.

Have a fab holiday.

Lisa

[chloevictoria]

Hello! I hope you have a really nice holiday :)
My advice would be to stop thinking about the 'what ifs' and just try and get through it (which is easier said than done). And if you end up not having a panic attack for even a few hours, tell yourself that it's an achievement and convince yourself you're not going to let it phase you.
x

[lauraebowes]

thanks Lisa for the advice on the lavender on a hanky im going to try that one. x

[morganbird]

Hi Laura
Before I went away on holiday my doctor reluctently prescribed me some diazepam just incase I had a full blown attack.
Maybe ask ur doctor for some just to calm ur nerves while your on the plane?
If he wont have u ever tried Kalms? Thay really help me when I am going on a journey
Hope this helps
Take care
Stacey x

[lmb_nj]

I'm going on holiday in a week's time too. I donh't have a fear of flying but the total flight time is at least 9 hours, but with a layover. I'm already trying to figure out how to handle it. Normally this would be a no brainer for me, but this last two weeks has turned me upside down.

I can't take ambien because you need at least 7 hours to rest and the two legs of the flight aren't that long. My friends would have to make sure I didn't do anything "weird" assuming they could even get me to walk.

I will try this lavendar hanky thing! I also bring cross word puzzles/word search with me. Easy ones, because if I can't get enough of the puzzle done without hints, pisses me off. Anxiety symptions make it hard for me to read for a period of time, but the cross word puzzles and word search are good. I also plan to bring a journal book so when I get upset I just start writing feverishly. May not be readable later on but at the moment it helps to get out the "pain".

[macc noodle]

Honey,

So what if you have to go to a Turkish hospital - you would only go if you really needed help because you were genuinely ill and therefore you would want to be treated and made better - so that is the only way to look at it.

And the chances of you actually needing to go to the hospital probably very close to ZERO!

Flying - well I used to absolutely hate flying - couldn't stand being closing in because when I panicked I had to move around to make the feelings lessen (just like you). My remedy ??

I break my flight down into 30 minute chunks and I plan to do something in each half hour chunk - at the end of each 30 minutes I get up and go for a wee (whether I need one or not is another matter it is purely the physical act of getting out of my seat and stretching my legs and mentally marking off another half hour gone before landing!!!!!)

It really worked for me and because I was so busy doing whatever I had set myself to do the time flew by and the panic was not allowed to over take me.

First half hour - used to be spent playing card games with the kids, second half hour - have a drink and skip thru the airplane magazine looking at the pictures (cos reading too deeply was always hard), next half hour - miindless chatter with whoever in my party will listen!!!! and so on and on ...............

And nowadays - well I love flying because it is always taking me somewhere good (like on holiday where you are going to!) and because I have banished the dreadful panic that used to spoil each trip.

Good luck and have a fantastic holiday

:D

xxx

[lauraebowes]

wow macc noodle gr8 advice thank you going to defo thing of something for each half an hour i have my little one with me so no doubt he can entertain me. thanks again x

[mingsy]

Hi Laura
I was in exactly the same position 4 weeks ago, before I was due to fly 10 hrs to Mexico, I'd worked myself into state, convinced that if I didn't have a major panic attack on the plane and try and get out mid air, I'd be even worse when I got there and have to be sectioned over there. Well I came on here and was given the push I needed and had the most fantsstic holiday ever, I won't deny the 1st hr of the flight I was jittery, but used distractions, books, magazines, an old gameboy that comes out every holiday, mints and water. One thing I did realise is that if you don't feed the panic, by continual thoughts it does go, so use as much distraction as you can and have a wonderful holiday xxx