Fears

[indymike]

Hi I'm new to the group suffer from general social anxiety with a severe case of claustrophobia. My major triggers are elevators and air planes. Tomorrow I have to go to Houston Texas from Indiana by plane for my work and staying in a high rise hotel so I have to face both my major triggers tomorrow any help would be greatly appreciated mostly the elevators.

[Loki1018]

Ask your doctor to prescribe you some xanax it helps tell him a lose dose though because I don't know if this maybe the first time you maybe taking it. I have .25mg and i break them in half so I'm functional and not knocked out cause they do cause drowsiness and to me it's a fight to not go night night when I take a whole but when I develop a tolerance to them I tend to stop taking them for a little while so that I don't have to up my dose

[indymike in reply to Loki1018]

Yea I've been on xanax for 18 years I'm up to 1 mg twice a day.

[Hidden]

What about some relaxation music or breathing exercises... try to find something that can help ease your mind and nerves

[indymike in reply to Hidden]

I have not been on a plane sense the late 80's don't know the rules of them now. I'm going with other colleagues and being a manager worried about embarrassing myself

[Hidden in reply to indymike]

Are you leaving early in the morning. You can call them and ask if it's allowed or not.

[indymike in reply to Hidden]

That's a good idea thanks.

[Loki1018]

Jesus 1 mg has me out for like 20 hrs abit of an exaggeration there but for a while and then I have no recollection of anything once it kicks in it's like being roofied I guess no memory as to what happened before it takes affect lol and it also gives me the munchies and I've woken up to empty food wrappers around me and be like wtf how did this all get here

[indymike]

I take one at 6:30 am and on at 5:30 pm and keeps me balanced out all the time as long as I don't hit a trigger.

[chrisg43]

i hear you. i too are very claustrophobic. getting a bit better though. like when i take the train or have to be in a car for a long time i read a magazine, or a book, do crossword puzzles, or color. it distracts me so i dont think about being where i am. as for elevators, i currently only use an elevator to go 4 floors up. only if i have to. otherwise ill take the stairs. when i do get in the elevator i immediately close my eyes, breathe, and imagine im somewhere else. it distracts me long enough for the doors to open at my floor and then im out. relief sets in that its over. good luck to you.