How safe is London?? Anxiety!

[BeingmummyIsTheBestxo]

My partner has let slip that he's booked a weekend in London for in couple weeks time for my birthday, we will be going for one.nigjt and watching a show at the west end. He's booked it all and arranged childcare for our toddler. I don't want to seem ungrategul, I'm very thankful especially as h doesn't usually do gestures like this! But I a m scared, I do have anxiety and OCD but mainly pure o with the intrusive thoughts. It is quite severe. Since I found out we ar going all I have done is worry about things, terror attacks, being mugged, train crashes, getting stuck on the tube etc etc. I have been to London a few times before but obviously my anxiety has massively tripled. Those of you that live in London how safe actually is it? I imagine these scenarios are not common. I'm really scared and I just know that the whole time leading up to and the time of being there I will be an anxious nervous wreck. I've even gone as far to write a letter toy toddler as I'm terrified I won't come back!!

We went to London and seen Jersey boys in the west end when I as newly pregnant with DS and I loved it although I remember being very anxious and on edge that time around too but enjoyed it in the end!

I've been working on this mechanism and while it works short term I just can't seem to stick to it longer term for it to be effective.

I’ve lived here over 20 years and never felt unsafe or been a victim of crime. My 13 year old DD commutes into central London every day alone for school and has also never had any incident or felt unsafe.

I think my brain is trying to find danger and ways to avoid it as it's engrained in my brain to behave this way

CBT calls it a safety behaviour - it's to give yourself reassurance but it ends up doing the opposite.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_behaviors_(anxiety)

Please try not to let it spoil the thought of your weekend, it sounds lovely.

Another vote for the Uniqlo bag for purse and phone. Separate tote for clothes and toothbrush etc.

Where are you staying?

I understand your anxiety. I've lived in South east London for 15 years and worked in central for 10 but grew up nowhere near London. I always think I hate going into central ( i'm a bit anxious plus hate public transport ) but honestly whenever I do I love it. The musicals, the restaurants, museums, general culture. There's always something going on and it's always so busy you'll get swept up and have a great time. In all the time living / working and even when not working there I'd say I go into central for training/ trips out / helping with school trips at least 4/5 times a month still, I've never had a bad experience. General rule of thumb as others said just be careful of belongings like you would anywhere and phone being out in hand.
You'll have a great time!

And if you’re travelling via Euston, the Quaker cafe and the reading room at the Wellcome Collection are useful escapes from the crowds, if you have a bit of time to kill.

I have no idea where, it will be a premier in or something close by, although my DH has a habit of booking whatever is cheapest even if it's miles away from where we plan to go!

You'll have a great time!

I go with my DD18 a lot so it just us 'girls'. I've never felt unsafe.

If you were to ask him where you're staying/going to see a show, we could tell you what that bit of London is like and how to get around.

I will update when I find out where x x

I lived in London for 25 years. I’ve never considered it an unsafe place to live or visit. I’m letting my 16 year old go with his friend after GCSEs for a week.

It’s a wonderful city! Enjoy it.

I was there last week for work. I live in a semi rural area, my usual commute is past fields of sheep. Take a cross body bag. In my spare time I went on the tube, did loads of walking around, went to see a show and was out on my own late. Never felt worried or scared. It's very safe.

Please don't worry OP it's fine. The advice about keeping your bag zipped etc is all very sensible but if it lessens your anxiety further, I regularly walk about with my phone out, bag unzipped, ride the top deck of the bus etc and nothing bad has ever happened.

The worst that has ever happened to me walking around with an open bag is that someone has tapped me on the shoulder to tell me it's open.

It’s safe but only advice I would give from my DH’s experience who works in London, be mindful of where your bag is, if in a restaurant, cafe or pub where you may put it on the floor or back of chair. DH’s got stolen and unfortunately laptop inside.

Although this isn’t London specific but where we live an hour away there isn’t that sort of risk.

I just cannot understand why you have framed this post about London.

Your mental health conditions are very obviously out of control. You really honestly do need prioritise getting on top of these. Your focus should be on treatment and getting better - you know in your heart of hearts that you cannot continue avoiding everyday things because Anxiety.

Don't let it slide. Please make whatever appointment you need to make tomorrow.

Yes I did this to a woman on the tube just the other day - it was raining and her laptop had got damp.

But tbf I did get my purse nicked a couple of times in the nineties when I had a handbag with a dodgy latch which used to fall open.

I was born and brought up in London until 20s and I feel apprehension about my DS visiting his cousin, they are both 6th formers and I worry about the knife crime, this is in wealthy areas but maybe my youth is informing my fears!

The reason I asked is because yes I have anxiety but I don't think it's unreasonable to ask people opinions or experiences especially when you see terrible things in the news almost daily about knife crime, shootings, etc in and around the capital.

if you are going to the West end, it’s pretty safe. Knife crime I commented on is not central London a bit further out but I would say that is more a problem for my age son than people who are older going to the West end.

Dreadful as those are (and that innocent people get caught up in them) they tend to be gang related. Like I said, I've been in London since 1968 and I've never been near a knifing or a shooting that I know of. London's very big and has millions of people. The chances of it happening to you are miniscule.

They are not necessarily gang related but they are certainly more likely to be an issue for teenage boys than the demographic of the OP. I grew up and attended a school like Grange Hill believe me lots of violent crime did arise but this is not central London it is more inner.

Plus it was the 90s when London wasn’t as gentrified.