How Did Your Holiday Period Go?

[jayone]

Hi all, hope everyone is well. How has your holiday period been? It's a stressful time of year especially with family meals, going out with family etc.

Mine has been ok. The journey down to the in laws was not nice. Had a 2.5 hour journey as a passenger in a car. The moment I sat in the car the anxiety started. 20 minutes later and I was drenched in sweat, and was feeling very hot, even though it was actually very cold outside and wasn't hot in the car. Stopped at a service station and had a starbucks hot chocolate and a bar of chocolate. The sugar seemed helped and I returned to normal shortly after. 12 miles before we got to the destination my heart started to do it's skipping. Not nice seat belted into a car with a skipping heart.

Eating with family was hard. I'm paranoid about eating food in fear of choking so had to have a few drinks before I ate. Seemed to help and managed to keep up to ensure I didn't have a full plate of food when everyone else had finished.

Apart from that I've been ok. Had some horrible sharp pain in my ribs last night. Kept me awake till 3am with anxiety even though the pain only lasted 1 second.

So all in all I'm coping ok. I'm dreading the journey home though.

[kellyzac]

Hi if id of been away for christmas that would of been my post to a tee!! i get the eating in front of people thing incase of choking horrible isnt it! I stayed at home this year and everyone one came to me i had afew anxious days leading up to it but i wasnt that bad on christmas day after all that worrying. I did find myself getting anxious at the end of the day when i just wanted everyone to go home!! Now its just the cleaning up aftermath!! I usually find the trip home easier as im on the way back to my safe place! Hope your not to bad try and read a book or something to distract your attention.

[jayone]

Thanks Kellyzac,

Still at the familys house at the moment. Leaving tomorrow morning. I can't wait to get back to my place of safety! You got it spot on there. I even chose to go back in the sports car (as apposed to my gf who's in the landrover) just to ensure I get back quicker! Hows that for deep and irregular thinking? lol.

I've not actually drank much, nothing above 2-3 pints of beer. Usually around meal times. The fact I'm away from home is why I can't drink. If I get a hangover hear god help me. I'll be awful.

I've had a lot of spells of mild anxiety that lead to tiredness. And everything I do, and everywhere I go I keep thinking "What if I die".

But, thanks for your reply. Appreciate it. Would love to hear from others but I think the forum is dead this time of the year.

Less than 24 hours! Woooooo. Exciting times.

[somedude]

I went away a few states(7 hour drive...) for most of the holiday..It wasn't so bad but I really did want to be home a few times. Anxiety came and went but overall I had a good time.

[muzikluvr79]

Mine was okay. We went to my inlaws, which is 2 1/2 hour drive. I had a small panic attack in the car driving on the way up and wanted to turn around and go home, but I had my two little kids and the car and knew I'd ruin Christmas if I went back. So I pushed through it. When I was there I had fun. ON about the third day, we went to a movie and I started panicking and had to leave. I went back to my in-laws and had a bad panic attack...vomiting and even depersonalization (which I have been experiencing quite a bit lately and didn't even know there was a word for the way I was feeling). I tried to keep my mind occupied by playing cards, games, etc. Of course, then there was the fear of having another attack, which is what I really hate. :( On the ride back home, I was fine because I knew I was going back to my "safe" place.

[loveandfireworks]

Currently on my way to meet my boyfriends parents....that causes anxiety in itself but also add in the fact that they live 2 1/2 hours away so I had a panic attack for the first part of the drive worrying about being away from my "safe place". My symptoms were shortness of breath, light headedness, and really bad abdominal pains and naseua. I don't even know how I finally calmed myself down but I finally did. I also don't like being on the road for long periods of time because my ex got into a few car accidents with me in the car due to his not really being focused and now I am paranoid when anyone else drives when I am in the car, afraid that they are going to get too close to the other cars and not be able to stop in time (like what happened when my ex was driving). I know I can't think like that but I cant help it and this whole drive I have been freaking out at my boyfriend if he gets too close to the other cars or is driving too fast for my liking.