Blood/fainting anxiety and nervous passenger.

[Dean26]

Hello to everyone, My name is Dean i'm 26 and live in the U.K. I joined this site to feel a little bit better about myself, I have suffered with anxiety for over 12 years and am currently waiting to see a 4th psychologist, I'm having a bit of a tough time at the moment and wanted to speak too/hear from like minded people as I have no contact with any anxiety sufferers in my life and feel like an anxiety alien who crashed landed on earth!
I have had problems with anxiety and to a lesser extent depression since I was in my early teens and haven't achieved much since. I have a controlling fear of blood/needles but especially FAINTING that really affects my day to day life, even though I have nothing to do with those things daily! I've recently developed a nervous passenger problem and i'm finding it so hard travelling in cars, I don't drive myself and every time I see a car pull out i'm convinced the car is going to hit it and crash!

Is there anyone on this forum who may have had any similar issue and may be able to offer me any support/advise?

Hope to hear from anyone friendly

Dean

[HealingTime]

Just wanted to share that I was diagnosed eons ago with vaso depressor syncope and one of the triggers is stress. I have gone over the times I've had an episode and yup, a lot of times it was stress! I have been able to keep from fainting by laying down and propping my legs up against a wall for several minutes even after the feeling passes.

I also have the nervous passenger problem ... mostly if I'm on the back of my husband's motorcycle but also in a car. Can you just not pay attention? That's what I do.... play on my phone, look out the side window, do anything other than watch the other cars.

[Dean26]

hello Healingtime and thank you for the reply, I don't actually faint when im panicking or when im worrying its just something that comes into my head all the time and makes me panic and feel like im losing control. I have fainted a few times when having blood tests and blood tests are a major fear of mine, I havnt had one for many many years. Vaso depressor syncope sounds awful, you sound like a trooper to deal with it. As for the nervous passenger thing I do lie down in the back of my friends car, but as a 26 year old guy I do feel pretty stupid not being able to travel about even as a passenger, most guys my age are driving at 100 miles an hour and loving the speed! Im Just finding it all a little overwhelming lately because im seeing school friends of mine climbing the steps of life, with cars, relationships and good jobs and im not able to achieve these things due to anxieties hold on me! How have you found this website Healingtime? have you managed to find people to converse with? best wishes Dean.

[Dcoito]

Having blood work is my worst fear as well! Ugh hate it. And I passed out too before, also went into a seizer because I was so tense I forgot to breath. Lol. Since then I Diderot go back to the doctors for 15 years! Not good! So I decided to tuff up and make make an appointment back in may. Guess what? Before my appointment I was suppose to have blood work done. My anxiety spiked to the point I couldn't leave the house! My doctor prescribed me Ativan ( lorazepam ) so I could have the blood drawn, in the mean time I learned some breathing skills to help me , and ways of occupying my mind. I just did the alphabets real slow in my head, or you can do them out loud. I also had a support person with me. My mom! She helped push me! Finally the day came I took 2 Ativan , and my mother drove! I just layer back and practiced my breathing. Informed the technician of my anxiety. And she had me lay down. Only way I recommend! It she I also had a gel ice pack with me. And hydrated a lot before hand to make it Easter for the technician. I felt nothing. I just held my ice pack on my head. Did my deep breathing and said the alphabets. Then boom it was over! I laughed in joy! Even told the tech I loved her! LOL. It was a breeze I will have the same routine every time I have to have blood drawn! And the Ativan helped tons! IV learned a lot about anxiety. The small amygdala part of the brain no larger then a walnut will send messages to the rest of the brain there is danger, because you fear while being a passenger that the driver will hit another car, or visa versa. Is just that. The amygdala will send a message to the rest of the brain causing the fight or flight reaction to your body. Cutting off oxygen to the rest of the brain. Your rational thinking part of the brain. As well as the rest of your body such as adrenaline, shuts off the digestion of the stomach as well! All that is normal reaction! Nothing is going to happen to you! What you need to do is test it to get it as bad as it can get, and see nothing happened to you. Everything is just thought, and sensation that escalates because of your thoughts! Go with a good friend or family member. Let them know what you are trying to do! Face your fear! Let it all happen welcome it! Do not react against it. Just tell yourself you will be fine at the end. Very important that you breath! Super important. Your rational thinking part of the brain will need the oxygen! Breath deep, and slow through the nose. Hold to count of 3 slowly breath out. Keep doing that as you feel sensations of anxiety! After desensitizing your amygdala. To single while riding in the car it will then shut off, and you should be fine! .