5 days around family at Christmas out of town.

[Yikes1953]

Am in the middle of family get together requiring Xanax not to flee to my hotel room too often. Am off my Weight Watchers program to cope. Both help. Plus siting alone reading or doing my computer a lot. They don't suspect how freaked out I feel I don't think in reality, but I feel like they think I'm a freak. I just want to be at home alone with my cats.

[Agora1]

I hear you

Hang in there, pretty soon you will be home xx

[Yikes1953 in reply to Agora1]

Thanks, I do have a pretty supportive and tolerant family. They don't try to stop me from going back to the hotel to recharge/get a break. Pretty lucky, but symptoms still persist. Am thankful for my family and especially your words of encouragement Angora1!

[AnxietyInNewYork]

I find myself in this situation every other year as well. It is my kids that keep me going even when I don't want to I guess. I too have a supportive family but that doesn't make the anxiety go away. I think the best thing you can do is make sure at least a few people that you really trust know what is going on and understand if you need to step away from the crowd occasionally. Being in social situations is exhausting for me so I make sure that I have a quiet spot to disappear to with my phone for a while when I need to.

Hang in there, you are not alone and I hope you are feeling better soon.

[kkat37]

Hang in there its ok! Just experienced this myself and I did feel guilty for leaving but its ok take as many breaks as you need to its ok. They will understand if not they don’t matter. We have to do what we need to do in order to stay healthy.

[Yikes1953]

Thanks so much. That is what helps even when I'm in the situation.....to tell a few trusted people about how I tend to feel. Then when I feel that way I take them slightly aside and tell them it's happening. I have asked them to say that I'm in a safe place where people like/love me....that they want me to stay, but to go if I have to. I'm sorry you feel that way too at times or lots of times. I hope I can help you as you are helping me if the chance arises. In the past when I didn't stay in a hotel because there ws room in the house for me, then I sat in my stepmom's gigantic walk in closet....lol.