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Original poster

On the train, feeling anxious

21 replies

momiamarichman · 06/09/2021 11:55

Heading into London today to visit a friend and family member, about a 1 1/2 hour train ride and I'm feeling so anxious this morning! I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks generally but I'm really freaking out today Sad

I have emetophobia so get really anxious about being sick and I'm so stressed today that I'll come down with norovirus or pick it up from somewhere. 😓

It's ironic because my being anxious actually makes my stomach hurt at this point 🤣
I also really need the loo but avoid public toilets like the plague unless they're really nice (again due to the phobia) so I'm forcing myself to wait until I arrive in London in an hour. Shock😅

Any wise words?

OP posts:
gnarlyauldboiler · 06/09/2021 11:58

Can you just chat here? Sometimes, if I'm feeling anxious when out I'll edit photos on my phone or clean out my email inbox to distract myself and provide something to focus on.

Original poster
momiamarichman · 06/09/2021 12:00

@gnarlyauldboiler

Can you just chat here? Sometimes, if I'm feeling anxious when out I'll edit photos on my phone or clean out my email inbox to distract myself and provide something to focus on.
Oh that's a great idea re email inbox! I've never cleaned mine Grin

That's exactly why I made the thread, helps so much for distraction and also to help level me out Smile

Hope you're having a lovely day!

OP posts:
QuestionableMouse · 06/09/2021 12:00

Anxiety is the pits. Can you focus on the positives? You have a lovely day out planned with friends.

Good hand and food hygiene will make you much less likely to pick up any bugs. (I didn't catch it when went through my family a few years ago because I focused on those)

Train loos can be hit and miss but seem at lot cleaner atm so might be worth having a look?

Original poster
momiamarichman · 06/09/2021 12:03

@QuestionableMouse

Anxiety is the pits. Can you focus on the positives? You have a lovely day out planned with friends.

Good hand and food hygiene will make you much less likely to pick up any bugs. (I didn't catch it when went through my family a few years ago because I focused on those)

Train loos can be hit and miss but seem at lot cleaner atm so might be worth having a look?

Yeah that's what I'm trying to do, it's such a big deal for me to go this far on my own from home so no wonder I'm working myself up.

You're so right re the bugs, when I was younger and one of my family members was sick only they had it as my mum taught us really good hygiene thankfully Smile

I know it's a part of life and I definitely need to get better with it if I want a child in the future and hope to go off to university next year!

OP posts:
LukeEvansWife · 06/09/2021 12:08

I have anxiety too so I know it sucks!

I went into the loo on a train this morning (not just randomly, I was actually travelling on it at the time Grin and it was clean enough for me to put my handbag on the floor!

Knittingupastorm · 06/09/2021 12:11

I’m exactly the same. Emetophobic and can get very anxious on trains. I find comedy helps, if your battery and WiFi allow it then YouTube clips of a fave sitcom or comedian might help? I think it helps me because it requires little concentration but engages me just enough.

LukeEvansWife · 06/09/2021 12:17

Or make up outrageous back stories for fellow passengers (eg man in suit is actually a spy on his way to a secret rendevous) or something equally silly

ClaudiaWankleman · 06/09/2021 12:21

Which station are you arriving at? A MN may be able to advise as to the nicest toilets within a short distance.

Original poster
momiamarichman · 06/09/2021 12:50

Feel like a failure Sad I'm on my way home. Stopped at a station halfway and had some water, little break etc but had a full blown panic attack and didn't feel I could continue into London.

Thank you everyone for your support Thanks

OP posts:
nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 06/09/2021 12:56

That's OK! You got halfway, that's twice as good as the times you didn't go at all!

Rome wasn't built in a day.

LukeEvansWife · 06/09/2021 13:00

Oh OP - don't be hard on yourself. You went halfway. You could have not even started out, but you did. well done you. Flowers

Sisalcarpet · 06/09/2021 13:02

Don't feel like a failure op! You got half way! That's good isn't it? And you tried to get to see your friends.

Be open about this and treat it like you would if you came down with a bad migraine or something. Try not to be too hard on yourself.

You have identified a problem and now you need to seek some help and support for it. So you might try some sort of calming app to practice "bringing down" your breathing, panic and reactivity levels when you are in a stressful situation. Practice it first in a calm situation though and work up gradually to stressful ones.

Don't go up to London but maybe go on a shorter train journey first. Break this problem down in to small steps.

Maybe seek help from your gp if you need help calming the physical symptoms (ADS and beta blockers can help with this).

And try and focus on things you can control like diet (eat healthily and don't take on too much caffeine). Exercise (get out every day) and maybe cut down on screen tome and take up a hobby that takes you in to "the zone" so you think.about nothing else.

Good luck Flowers

Sisalcarpet · 06/09/2021 13:07

Have a look at the books of Dr Claire Weekes (sp?).

Very old fashioned in style now but she was ahead of her time!

There also seems to be a website associated with her methods now but don't know if it is legit or not:

www.calmclinic.com/treatmentclaire-weekes

takingmytimeonmyride · 06/09/2021 13:17

Sorry you didn't make, well done for trying.

If you were going to Victoria I went to the toilets there recently. I hate public toilets too, but was desperate. They've been done up recently and were really nice. Also Kings Cross and St Pancras are decent. And I think London Bridge as that's all been recently done up too.

allycat4 · 06/09/2021 13:19

Also I've never got norovirus on trips and I've been through some dodgy loos Grin

QuestionableMouse · 06/09/2021 13:21

You did brilliantly even if you didn't make it. Next time will be easier now 😁

Original poster
momiamarichman · 06/09/2021 17:21

@allycat4

Also I've never got norovirus on trips and I've been through some dodgy loos Grin
Grin dodgy loo's genuinely scare me 🤣
OP posts:
Original poster
momiamarichman · 06/09/2021 17:22

@QuestionableMouse

You did brilliantly even if you didn't make it. Next time will be easier now 😁
Thank you! I hope so 💪🏻 feels like such a relapse in my anxiety as I've been managing similar journeys recently but today got the better of me!
OP posts:
Original poster
momiamarichman · 06/09/2021 17:23

Thank you everybody for your kind words!! Thanks ended up taking myself for some lunch in our local town instead as I'd got myself all dressed up and ready!

OP posts:
LukeEvansWife · 06/09/2021 17:27

Lots of people wouldn’t have started the journey in the first place so good on you for that. It’s not a relapse, you know you can do half of it now so that is progress

CurbsideProphet · 06/09/2021 17:29

@momiamarichman anxiety is so hard 💐 it's great that you went out for lunch and didn't go straight home.
I've had EMDR which is brilliant for anxiety. I'm planning to go back for a top up.

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