anxiety about traveling - Panic Disorders Message Board

beachbum505 · 05-26-2005, 07:43 PM

hey everyone, this is my dilema.... I'm only 16 and I've been having panic attacks for many years now but I've learned to control them. Whenever I go places [like traveling] I get really anxious and feel like I'm stranded in a foreign place. I think of the worst situations and it's very hard to sleep. Now, my friend and their family invited me to go to a lake 5 hours away to go hang out and have fun, just for the weekend. I want to go really bad, but I'm scared to go! Does anyone have any tricks to get calmed down? I don't know why I feel the way I do when I'm away from home, its just this feeling of being deserted. It's not the actual like driving/ flying ect. its being there away from home. Especially since this isn't my family I am just afraid of how I'll handle it. I want to go thats the thing!! Ahh i don't want to live my life being afraid of leaving my house.
Anyone have any advice? itd be appreciated

hry33 · 05-27-2005, 02:40 PM

feeling panicky when far from home is quite common, valium or similar will help a lot

TylerParr · 05-30-2005, 01:52 PM

I know EXACTLY what you are going through! I just got back from a vacation about 4 hours away from home and still got a little nervous-thinking the things that you probably did-the worst that is. Anyways, it is all mental and might be medical, but you are still so young and shouldn't be worried about too much. Try to have as much fun as possible. I am 22 years old now, and can remember going on vacations at your age, and the thing is that I really didn't think about anything bad happening. I think that is the key to it all. Think about good things and take your mind off of the bad things. Focus and concentrate as hard as you can on your surroundings and just try to think of good things. Like youth and nature, and the fact that you will never be 16 again, as hard as that might be for you to do right now. So enjoy it.

laurgan · 06-28-2005, 05:01 PM

I can sure relate to this. I have had this problem for many years (which you want to avoid).

If I could do it again I would try and travel on a regular basis to build confidence.

I would tend to avoid it or make execuses which just makes matters worse.

My problem was with feeling or being sick while out of my comfort zone.

Eventually, practice and perhaps an emergency med like Ativan will get you over the hump.

Let me know if u would like any more info.

Cheers

hry33 · 06-29-2005, 12:41 PM

to beachbum
maybe tell the friend about your problem otherwise the friend may think you just rude, as mentioned, a suitable dose of any valium type med will help a lot and make you more confident about leaving hope in the future

some people get a severe form of homesickness.....