Hey guys quickly I was invited to go to the zoo today by my daughter's grandmother. I had planned on letting my daughter go but I want to go to and I feel like I'm getting anxiety keep me at home and I feel like how my going to get better if I don't go out what should I do ? should I go or should I stay she's really really wanting me to go . However I'm afraid I'm going to get a panic attack or something but I really deep down in my heart I want to go when I'm tired of living like this please give me your advice . The thing that scares me the most is the off-balance feeling that I feel in when I get a panic attack I feel like everything it's a surreal . I'm already having a little bit of a bad moment as well because tomorrow is my daughter's birthday party so I feel like maybe this exposure at the zoo around lots of people might help me for tomorrow but I don't want this to backfire I don't know I'm just really needing to know what you all think . So basically I'm anxious about being anxious out and about but I've tried to follow the advice of Dr. weeks I've taken my tranquilizer and I want to try to do this !
Guys ! I need your advice ASAP ! Please 😐 - Anxiety Support
Guys ! I need your advice ASAP ! Please 😐
JoMarie5, I understand your feeling exactly. You are being pulled in two directions. You say your daughter really wants you to go but your decision needs to be for you. If you really want to get out and enjoy the zoo, then make the decision to go. It's the going back and forth in your mind that is causing anxiety to rise. Wear sunglasses which will cut down on the stimulation of the surroundings. Know that we have to step outside of our comfort zone at times or we end up staying stuck. You took your tranquilizer, take a deep breath, exhale slowly and make it a great day. Good Luck x
Thanks ! And I do really want to go . I daughter's grandmother told me come on just go you got to do this because if not you're just going to stay stuck . And I can feel the old me wanting to come out and just go ! And for some reason I've been focused on my breathing a lot lately so I've already been focused on my breathing today and I feel like I'm having a little bit of like tight chest and heart flutters but I know that'll go away once my mind gets distracted .
I hope you ended up going but if not there is always another time. I feel the same way as you regarding going anywhere. I have to fight with my brain every time and tell myself I can do it and nothing really bad will happen. I went to the zoo two weeks ago, did get a panic attack and called for an emergency ride to get home. Well my son also wanted to come home so it gave me an incentive to stay because I know I rather have him enjoy the zoo then sit at home with me. I also knew that staying would make me feel like I accomplished something. I ended up staying for three hours, did a lot of sitting and I did get nauseous by the end ( it was really hot) but I made it! I know it won't happen all the time but I will keep striving for it.
I did the zoo and a water park last week with depersonalization/derealization which is pure hell so I think you should force yourself to go.
I did girlfriend I did ! Had one freak feeling and I was ok after that . I walked it off . But my breathing and chest is messing with me now . I have been listening to Dr. Weeks audiobook it's helped some .
JoMarie, you went?? Really?? Give yourself a "high 5". I'm proud of you, that was a huge step forward. You deserve to relax now. x
Yes ! I went ! Kept breathing funny but I did it . And I developed a fear of bridges too . But I walked over swaying bridge ! And I my word ! I couldn't look down but I made it across to the gorillas ! Tomorrow is my daughter's birthday party. Please say a prayer for me to be able to enjoy that and get everything done without being so anxious. The only thing is today I did take a xanax so I feel like what if I couldn't have done any of this today without it . Dr. Weeks advice is to do this so that way you ease yourself in . And the bitch I call anxiety is saying what if you wasted your good day and tomorrow might suck ! But it can't because I have lots to do for my daughter's special day !
JoMarie, again I am so proud of you for taking that extra leap of faith and going despite your fears. Great job...
It's funny when you mentioned that your daughter's birthday was tomorrow, I did think to myself, could I have done 2 days in a row??
But I don't have a doubt that you will do it and make it a great day. If you need that little help from Xanax, then go ahead. Don't feel guilty about it. If you were popping pills and not going forward that would be different. You need that little crutch/security blanket right now and that's okay. Let us know how it goes for you.
I'll be saying a prayer and sending good thoughts your way, so know we are all behind you in this. Try to get a good night's sleep tonight..
Wishing your daughter a Happy Birthday on her special day with her special mom. x
Thanks so much ! And even though she has no idea how much you have been there supporting me I'll make sure to let her know that Mommies friend wishes her a Happy Birthday! Again you have no idea how much I am grateful for your words of reassurance , wisdom and compassion mean to me .
Update about my daughter's birthday party ! It went fine I found myself focusing a little bit on my symptoms however I was surrounded by my family and my friends which made it a little better and easier for me and really have much of an appetite at the party as I expected I wouldn't but everything went fine . All the negative thoughts that I was thinking about that day all the things I thought would happen that morning didn't and that makes me smile because it lets me know that they are just thoughts and these are not my reality . I hope one day I could stop focusing on my symptoms all together as I excepted that everything is just anxiety however there still a little part of me that is in denial not gonna lie . However deep down inside I do know this is anxiety and I do know that I cannot and will not hurt me and I will get through this . Best wishes!
Good for you! I am trying to expose myself to all normal activities like you. It's so hard to let those physical symptoms happen ( for me it's shaking, dizziness, weird heavy head feeling and feeling like I am going to pass out) without wanting to quit the activity, I did notice though these symptoms get worse when I am tired and when I am hungry so I try to take it easy and eat snacks. I also get the negative thoughts all the time and the actual event turns out better than I thought. Congrats of accomplishing all these activities!
I feel the exact same symptoms that you do right now I am not even joking ! I have been for the past month actually except my vision is kind of jumpy that's the only difference I believe unless yours is as well . And my body will start feeling well if that makes any sense .
I hate all these symptoms but it is nice to know we are not crazy and you can talk to people who understand. My vision is also off! I have been having these symptoms since March but I have had panic attacks for at least 20 years ( managed with medication). I also got diagnosed with Lyme in March ( now treated) but it lead to so much health anxiety. Any tips on how you get through the passing out feeling? I just went back to work which is leading to some further anxiety at this time and I upped my celexa which can lead to some increased anxiety until your body adjusts. Let's keep up getting better!
Honestly I have no tip sorry 😐 I'm some what stuck myself. I just let time pass . I just wait and know it will go away but it's kinda hard to do with nagging symptoms. Do you feel like your swaying as well sometimes ?
Yes, especially around that time of the month it's really bad and this swaying feeling is getting somewhat better with meds but it definatelly still happens. I agree about time. I definatelly notice things getting better but I wish it would go faster. I also have GI symptoms ( probably side effects from meds and antibiotics) which don't help with my health anxiety. Are you managing without meds? I have been on psych meds for about 20 years so I am assuming I will probably be on something the rest of my life. I never took any Ativan before this hell started though
No I'm not on any medication I tried Lexapro but woke up with a horrible panic attack I never tried again. You should definitely try some probiotics so they might help you with your Jessica if you go on my profile I used to have bad G.I. symptoms they seem to have subsided somewhat since I haven't been paying much mind to my stomach but they are still there . I feel like health anxiety moves from one thing to the next like currently been focusing on the off-balance I'm gonna faint follow her breathing bullshit and I'm not focusing on my stomach so much . Oh and don't let me forget about the dreaded unreal feeling .
I get like this when people as me to go out or of try is loads of people it's a horrible nasty thing but we have to try and deal with it all which is really hard some time x
Need some help please 
Anxious thoughts have reduced quite a bit bit still get chest pains and other around my body What more do I need to do?
