To walk put of lecture

[shouldnthavesaid]

There's about 300 peoppe here. I can't do it.

shouldnthavesaid Hows it going? What is your lecture about? Are you at uni? Studying what?

Well OP your talking about the problem that's halfway to curing it!.

Best wishes anyway:-)

I did it

Made it all the way through.

I'm just constantly on highest alert just now, cannot calm down at all. I thought it was maybe with moving but physically can't settle. I'm on anti depressants. I am waiyong to aee a disability advisor at uni but also student counselling, they said they've an exceptionally long waiting list unless I want to go see a 'student nurse' (like school nurse type set up I guess).

It feels like I'm climbing a mountain just getting up in the morning some days.

Thank you all so so much though , I thought I was alone with these feelings :(

Well done, a great achievement.
Which antidepressant are you on?

Its psychology for Speech and Language Therapy, it sounds like it will be really interesting.

Its escitalopram 5mg although GP at home said I could increase if I wish, and waiting to see a doctor here too.

Well done for making it through.

Well done! You are not alone, and you can get though it.

Yes look at dosage, ask about propranolol and CBT. So glad the course is interesting, that's a brilliant motivation

I used to get this with my first degree.

Only once in the three years did I actually leave the lecture theatre.

The things that helped was sitting right at the back next to the door, so if I had to scarper I could.

I also used to get remedies from Neals Yard and put them in water and sip on them. They helped a LOT. It's like rescue remedy but more specific for your particular needs.

My issue wasn't the people it was how high the ceiling was. I get major vertigo/sense of agoraphobia when I'm near tall buildings or high ceilings.

I dont get it much now but it sucked back then.

I'm now doing another degree and the panic doesn't exist anymore.

Definitely look at upping the dosage - the recommended starting dose is 10mg.

shouldnthavesaid Have you tried your local mental health Trust or Mind? In my county they run low intensity wellbeing services and there might be a group course you can get onto that will help whilst you are on the University counseling waiting list.

Could you try the 4-7-8 technique?

CnP from www.smallfootprintfamily.com/4-7-8-breathing-stress-relief-techniques

The technique is called 4-7-8 Breathing, and it has five easy steps:

Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, right behind your front teeth.
Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4.
Hold your breath for a count of 7.
Release your breath from your mouth with a whooshing sound for a count of 8.
Without a break, breathe in again for a count of 4, repeating the entire technique 3-4 times in a row, then resume normal breathing and activity.

Well done on making it through it. Its so difficult when you feel like that. But you did it. Good on you. As others have said, seek further advice from you GP if you feel you need it.

Well done you!! I have awful anxiety and hardly ever go anywhere - got to go to school GCSE thing tonight and dreading it ... you did brilliantly - you didn't run out

You are not alone with this, all the useful advice based on first-hand experience that came flooding in within a few minutes lets you know that there are a lot of women who feel like this. It's also not silly to grab whatever help is available with both hands.

Well done for sticking it out. I'd echo the advice to sit at the back at the end of the row. It can really help to have that knowledge that you have the exit right there - and some space at the side of you.

I second the advice about counting your breaths. Really well done though, you've achieved a lot today. 💐

If Propranolol work alongside your anti depressants it would be worth asking to try some. Keep remembering how well you're doing, how interesting the lectures are, and how helpful they are to your work. You are safe in lectures and if it helps to focus on the screen or even on your laptop/notebook, do that while you slow your breathing.

I feel the same as you in crowded rooms.

Am on propranolol and also try and touch something to make me think about something else (eg bottle of iced water, chew gum, fan myself).

I was in a meeting today with a group of people I know and like but was near the front of the room and started to panic - had to give myself a talking to as I knew they weren't judging me / looking at me, but I could feel myself heating up. It did pass eventually.

Well done for making it through

Well done for making it through OP. I just wanted to say lectures are ALWAYS so, so full in week 1. After that they thin right out so fingers crossed you won't feel as bad as you have today.

Some excellent advice here and well done for getting through it.

Hopefully this will help too - I regularly give lectures of this size. In a room of people that big it might look like I'm making eye contact with people and talking directly to you, but I'm not - it's a bit of a trick. There may be one or two people whose eye I catch but mostly I'm making it look like I'm looking at you by staging how I move my head. In reality, there's so many people so far away that I'm pretty much just looking at a sea of student faces. If anything, you're more anonymous in a big lecture - I won't be picking anyone out in particular.

But fewer people will attend as the weeks go on , and in other courses you'll be in smaller groups. If it really gets to you bow your head so you can see the screen but you're not looking face on, then you know the lecturer isn't looking at you in particular.