Airport/Travel Anxiety

[Becca97]

I am 19 and have been suffering from anxiety/panick attacks for a few years now. It is especially bad when I go to the airport...I don't mind the idea of flying and actually on the plane I seem to be fine but the lead up to going and waiting at the airport is where all the problems are. I will try and calm myself down on the way there but I just end up in a bit of a mess and have to walk away from whoever I am travelling with to be alone. My symptoms are mostly severe nauseousness, pins and needles in my arms and head, upset stomach and a feeling like I am going to faint. I have propranolol but it doesn't really do a lot and I end up just having to ride it out. There are so many places I want to go and see, but I just don't know what to do...I can't talk myself out of it and I want to be able to get a hold of this :( any help would be appreciated!

[TuesdayBlue]

Hey Becca,
I found this site with some tips that might help? http://www.wheresmydopamine.com/trav...nsights-brain/
This is cut and pasted:

If you are the type of person who is prone to worrying about the unknown, here are some guidelines to help you adjust:

It’s a good idea to plan well in advance, especially for the first few days of your trip. Book accommodation. If you’re on a budget and opting for dorm rooms, you might want to consider getting a private room for just your first night. Make sure you research the transport options for getting into the city. Make sure that you have the address of your hotel written down clearly on a piece of paper. Don’t rely on electronic devices that are prone to running out of battery when you need them most. If you’re travelling long-term and buying one-way flights, make sure that you don’t require an outward-bound ticket. You may get trouble at immigration.

Use Street View on Google Maps to virtually check out the area around your hotel. This will help you feel oriented. When you’re settled, take a walk around the block. Street View can be used to check out bus terminals, airports or another place that can feel overwhelming.
Set aside extra funds for your initial week. For instance, getting an authorized taxi from the airport instead of trying to figure out the public transport can do wonders to quell arrival fears. For maps and addresses, , but consider loading up a map on your phone while you still have access to wifi. You’d be surprised at how often Uber and taxi drivers get lost in their own city.

Put aside some money for “hotel asylum”. Sometimes, especially if you’re travelling alone and staying in drab budget accommodation, things can reach a tipping point. Make peace with over-spending and book yourself into a good hotel for two or three nights. Don’t feel guilty about turning your back on the outside world for a few days. Take the time to recharge. The benefits to your mental health will far outweigh the time and money.

If you don’t speak the language, use Google translate to get some basic phrases like “I want to go to… / Where is the bathroom? / How much is it? / I need to go to…”.

If you’re travelling long-term, create structure and set up a routine. Though the familiarity of your surroundings will be hard to control, you can set up familiar activities. Exercise not only has powerful effects on your well-being, but it is a good way to create structure in your day. Set an alarm and begin each day with a jog. Alternatively, visiting the same coffee shop each morning to gather your thoughts will provide a sense of stability. Alternatively, you can create structure by having a “project” on the go. I once met a guy who was creating a photograph collection of unusual trees and football fields. For me, this blog has provided me with an important sense of structure to my days.

Tread lightly with alcohol. If you know that one drink at the bar will lead to 5, consider avoiding alcohol while you adjust. A hangover can bring with it a fierce sense of confusion and disorientation.

Stop comparing, relax your expectations and slow down. The web is a wash with countless travel bloggers documenting their fabulous and carefree escapades. Remember that they’re not showing you the behind-the-scene stuff. Your adventure will be unique and worthwhile in its own way. With so much information and opportunity, deciding exactly what to do and how much of it can feel overwhelming. As soon as you accept that you can’t do everything, the things you do get up to will start to feel worth it enough. In any event, slow travel can be far more rewarding.

You can go home, anytime. Returning home might feel like you’ve failed but its just as empowering to be able to say that you didn’t enjoy it. Everyone knows travel can be hard. It doesn’t mean that you aren’t able to travel, it simply means that at this moment in your life, you’re happier else where. You may never opt to use your “go home free” card, but simply knowing its on the table can be reassuring. If you do decide that its time to schedule your flight back home, first take hotel asylum.

Don’t forget that you’re learning. For me, reminding myself that although things may feel like a mental struggle at times, travel is not simply about the pursuit of hedonism. It is to gain experience about life and learn. Stop fighting so hard against hardships. Take time to reflect on the lessons you’ve learnt and recognise the value in this.

But, the unknown is not all bad. Part of the fun of travelling is about the thrill of discovering new things. In my experience, although hours of research online can help you plan and visualize your trip, too much research on the internet can be overwhelming. And, its very likely that your own imagination will do a much better job of envisioning your destination from the comfort of your home. In such case, you may find yourself arriving, feeling just a little bit disappointed by your surroundings. Give yourself time for acclimatizing and enough cash for creature comforts and it won’t take long before you realize that pursuing the unknown is part of what you were looking for.

Best of luck...

[dorabella]

Becca,

I get exactly the same symptoms when I have to travel away from home - doesn't matter whether by train or by plane. It's a form of agoraphobia and the symptoms you have are classic hyperventilation - the pins and needles, nausea etc etc.

Over the years I've tried all the usual avenues to combat the anticipatory fear and anxiety but can't say that they have really helped. Ultimately you need to develop strategies for coping with the inevitable symptoms of anxiety.

Just accepting that you have the irrational fear is the first step.

The next step is to understand that it is you that is (involuntarily) inducing the physical symptoms by allowing your anxiety to escalate. By hyperventilating -and I don't mean the obvious gasping for air but the unconscious silent over-breathing - you are taking in more air than you need but not exhaling properly which in turn upsets the carbon dioxide balance in your system - thus causing the pins and needles. At the same time your anxiety causes your adrenalin levels will ramp up causing the nausea, stomach upsets and the feeling of impending fainting - which is the point at which your body is saying 'stop - I've had enough!'. A bet that at this point you start to calm down and your system and breathing starts to return to normal?

Next step - develop some strategies - other than the pills - which enable you to 'turn off' the anxiety. I've always found that the old method of breathing in and out of a paper bag (bag over your nose and mouth) - or if you don't have one to hand - cup both your hands over your nose and mouth and breathe in and out slowly - count to three as you breathe in and count to five as you breathe out - usually works a treat. You will find that within a few minutes your natural breathing pattern returns to near normal and the panic will start to subside. Breathing in this way enables you to breathe back in the carbon dioxide that you exhale, which in turn puts your system back in equilibrium.

Final step - accept that anticipation is the worst part - the fear of the journey - the actual experience is usually fine. Just tell yourself that you've done it before and you were fine so why shouldn't you be again.

It takes some convincing yourself that there is nothing to fear - and I'm sure a lot of us seasoned anxious types have despaired at times but it does get easier.

here's another thought - get hold of a copy of Claire Weekes classic book 'Self help for Your Nerves' - and oldie but the best and it does explain the mechanics of the anxiety state in a very productive way.

Another useful book which would help you with the hyperventilation problem is Dinah Bradley 'Hyper-ventilation Syndrome: A Handbook for Bad Breathers' which is good for explaining the problem and echoes some of the coping strategies i mentioned above. Shirley Trickett 'Coping Successfully with Panic Attacks' is another good book. I often travel with one or other of them in my bag - get them out whilst I'm sitting quietly panicking and read them until the panic attack passes off. Always works for me.

Hope this helps.

[deepbreaths]

Wow. I could've written that myself. I live in the US and will be taking a cross-country trip, leaving on Saturday. I literally feel the same way. Anxious the few days before the trip. Barely sleep the night before, nausea, pounding heart, churning stomach. The panic - I just want to cancel the trip.

Once I am through security and actually on the plane I feel much better and usually have minimal (if any) issues on the trip.

So...my advice is to remember that once you get through the anticipatory part (the WORST for me) then you will most likely feel fine (or much better). I always have meds (Ativan) with me just in case. That gives me a little peace of mind. I also agree with the other post - remember other trips you've taken and know that you can and will successfully travel again!

[RVCtraveler]

deepbreaths (and becca too!) - I found your post inspiring and I can totally relate. I'm about to embark on a 4 week trip to Morocco to take a language class. Something I've always wanted to do. It's the day before I'm leaving and I'm panicking too. I'm working through it now - trying to at least so I just wanted to say thanks for sharing and I'm sending positive thoughts! You can do it - love yourself. whatever you decide to do will be great. Message me anytime if you want to work through it...I get it!!!

[deepbreaths]

RVCTravler - that is awesome! I'm sure once you get through the "getting there" you will be so immersed in what you're doing you'll be feeling just fine. Think of the of the confidence you'll gain by doing this.

I'll be sure to give an update when I return!

[Layla1988]

Gosh I could've written this myself.
I actually joined the website to write practically this very post.
I have suffered from panic attacks for around 10 years, although I have always been 'homesick' even as a young child which now I am older I can see where anxiety attacks/issues.
My anxiety attacks generally occur when I am away from home such as another city or country but sometimes come on at home or out of the blue. I had tried hypnotherapy, cbt and rem therapy, none really helped. I don't take meds or haven't seen my gp. (I paid privately for all therapy)
Anyways the real low point was 3 years ago on our honeymoon to Spain in which on the second day of our week there we had to book flights and return home as my anxiety was so bad it was just like one long 48 hour panic attack. I was 6 months pregnant and I couldn't eat, sleep, just crying so for mine and the babies health we returned home. Then last year I plucked up the courage to go abroad again for a week and I had anxiety at the airport and pretty much every day whilst we were there but not on such an extreme scale, like I don't think it was that noticeable to those we were on holiday with, expect my husband who knows me inside out!
But we've just booked a last minute holiday to Spain for 5 days in August for my sons 3rd birthday and I am both looking forward to it and anxious. I don't want my anxiety to ruin the trip for myself and I want to be able to look forward to holidays. I just think my children & husband deserve a summer holiday so that's what pushes me through I guess but i want to be able to enjoy it myself without the anxiety or as much anxiety anyways.x