Holidaying with Agoraphobia

[Jamesflames]

I'm off on holiday in an hour or so and I'm full of angst in anticipation. It's only a four night trip to Butlins in Bognor as the kids love it but this is a bit beyond my current "safe zone". I've had a good look at google maps and have discovered that the distance to Bognor is about twice the width of my current easy travel area.

I've packed plenty of diazepam, 3ds, Claire Weekes mp3s and book so I am fully tooled up for facing some agoraphobic panics.

It bugs me that I find myself needing to plan it all this much but it is really playing on my nerves. Hopefully once the first few waves of anxiety have passed I can chill out a bit and have a good time.

Any of you other agraphobes planning holidays? Do you get the same need to plan every aspect of the trip?

[shaka]

I know the feeling have a good time

[kittikat]

Totally get where you are coming from here.

I manage to do one long weekend away each year, but it's tough going....I plan everything down to the last detail and spend the morning of departure in complete angst. We go to the same place every year with other family members which helps as once we arrive, I feel fairly comfortable with all my safe people around me. I know the route like the back of my hand, and although only 45 miles from home, any deviation from the route I know (eg. roadworks, dirversions, missed turnings etc) completley throws me and sends me into panic. I hate being out of my small comfort zone and hate being away from home (my safe place) for any length of time. By the time we actually get going, I am already exhausted from the planning and going over everything in my mind Although I do enjoy myself to a point, I am constantly worrying and counting down the days until I get back home to my safe and familiar environment.

I hope you manage to relax and enjoy your time away, but just wanted to say you are not alone here. Best of luck.

Kitti

[nicola1980]

I totally understand, last yr before my anxiety and panic got really bad we booked a hol abroad for a wk in june of this yr, well to this day i dont know how i got on that plane even after 15mg of diazepam but i did it and had a great time, yeah i had the odd anxiety attack but i used to take myself off for some time out and funny enough whilst i was away my anxiety and panic was alot more under control than when im at home and i didnt need any diazepam for the flight home! Hope you manage to enjoy yourself x x

[Jamesflames]

Thanks for your replies. Just arrived and I don't feel as bad as I thought I might. Still a bit shaky though. I'm looking forward to finding a bar now.

[kittikat]

Great news Jamesflames you deserve that drink now!! Have a great holiday. K

[Elle-Kay]

This is me down to a T! We go on a week's holiday to Shropshire in September, and I'm simultaneously dreading and looking forward to it. On our holiday last year it took me a good 3 days out of the 6 we were away to feel something like comfortable, and I was in a "better" place with my agoraphobia then. Like you, I've looked at Google maps so I know how long it should take us to get there, and I've planned in my mind what I will "need" (books, Nintendo DS, DVDs etc.) to the nth degree. I hope I can relax and enjoy it, and that you are doing also!

[Jamesflames]

We're a strange bunch aren't we?

I actually wrote down how many miles I drove once we arrived in my little notebook of positive things.

Been feeling ok after a little moment this morning.

I hope your trip goes ok for you.

[Ham87]

Ive only been on one proper holiday since having agoraphobia/social anxiety. I was anxious a week beforehand and hated it. As I was going to India, had to go on a plane, which I didn't like either as couldn't relax. But when I arrived I was fine most of the time, partly as was at the beach 90% of the time. I didn't actually take anything that would keep my mind of things, not sure why. But I usually find that when Im away from home, my anxiety isn't that bad.