Holiday fear

[Mellyjohno]

Hey all I am new to this site .i am 35 I have pure o and GAD .mainly health anxiety I am a hyrocrodiate.i go away on holiday week Friday and fear is starting to set in slightly .i haven’t been abroad for few years after needing to come home early due to me flipping out with panic .i have started with tummy pains and bloated stomach past few days so prob my ibs. I am looking forward to it but mr anxiety needs to rear it’s ugly head ,my fear abroad is being ill there and in hospital .

[Eliana5]

I know how you feel. Sometimes fear and anxiety will aggravate IBS..a vicious cycle. Try to visualize having a wonderful time in your trip, or during the holidays. Sometimes when we try to not have so much anxiety or fear (hard I know) we tend to get less cramping or flare-ups. Try if possible to enjoy eating a holiday meal, and not worry about cramping, etc..

[Merth83]

Exactly. Anxiety and IBS are very related and codependent in my life too. I don't travel out of state much but when I do, I always make sure I have my Imodium and my Xanax on hand. If I know I'll be flying somewhere, I am very careful about what I eat and drink in the days leading up to the flight and I will always take an Imodium beforehand so I don't have to worry about using the plane bathroom. It can be hard when traveling to put aside all that anxiety about getting sick but the best thing you can do is be prepared and don't be afraid to enjoy yourself. Aside from my Xanax, something that helps me relax a lot is instrumental music. I will go to YouTube and look up "relaxation music" or something like that. You can find a lot of videos on there with hours of constant, calming instrumental music. I often will listen to one of those videos while at my office job when I feel anxious. Also, distracting myself with things such as reading or sewing or some other mundane activity will often help me forget about my worries long enough for them to fade away. I hope you have a wonderful trip! Keep coming back to this forum, it's a great place for us to give and ask for advice and find new ways of dealing with our issues.