Post

[Elon78]

How can I stop loosing control when paying at a super market till for shopping. If a queue starts building I panic and can't

Bag items because I'm more worried bout the queue, when I took anti depressants before all this went ??

[Hidden]

Sometime I feel the same and feel the panic starting. If this happens I ask the assistant to help me pack as I don't want to hold the queue up.

[Elon78 in reply to Hidden]

I know

Wat u mean it's sometimes only bagging a few things tho so don't like to.i can't do a big shop on my own only odds and ends, when I took anti depressants I was great doing it

[Hidden in reply to Elon78]

I know how you feel . Sometimes I just have a couple of things and I can feel the panic trying to bag them. I try taking deep breaths through my nose and out through my mouth , but its hard when the panic sets in. All part of anxiety I suppose. I hope you can get some help.

[Hidden]

It's up to you to control the negative thoughts with positive ones. It's not easy I know, but if you were to tell yourself 10 times that you were going to have a panic attack you would, so why not tell yourself you are fine and you'll be fine.

[walkthisway]

This used to happen to me - any queue, anywhere, including in traffic while driving. As davewavy says it is about controlling negative thinking. We get ourselves into a cycle of anticipating panic earlier and earlier in the situation - so we only have to think about the queue and we start to feel anxious and panicky.

It is possible to challenge your thoughts but it takes practice - start imagining feeling fine when you are in the queue, stop the anxious thinking. Then move on to actually being at the shop - just get one or two items - keep challenging the thoughts, say I am fine I am fine, distract yourself, cough, sing, snap a band that you keep round your wrist, speak to someone in the queue. Once you get through one queue without panic you are on your way. You may relapse but that doesn't matter. Reward yourself with kind thoughts and a pat on the back. Look on the internet for more advice - and well done for joining this group and asking for help - that is the start of getting well again.

Good luck and let us know how you get on. I have been where you are and I managed to recover - although it took time. x