To ask for your experiences with Bath/strange atmospheres

[AliceInBlunderland13]

Semi-regular poster but I’ve name changed for this as the details could be quite outing. Also not really an AIBU but posting for traffic and all that…
There have been two periods in my life when I have lived and/or worked in the city of Bath, Somerset and I’ve experienced problems with my mental health on both occasions. The first was right after I finished by undergraduate degree in London and I moved to Bath to do a Masters at the university. I started in the October and by Christmas I was experiencing terrible panic attacks and depression. I did manage to complete the course but as soon as I finished I ended the tenancy on my flat early and moved back home. I then worked in my home town for a few years, during which time I had no problems with my mental health. Then I decided to do a PhD and took a position again at the uni in Bath. This time I didn’t move there but instead moved to a nearby town and commuted in. Yet again within a couple of months of being there I began experiencing daily panic attacks, terrible anxiety and feelings of dissociation, and depression. I tried to stick it out (had counselling, on meds etc) but I still felt utterly miserable so I recently quit the course and found a new job in another town.
Even after having counselling, I’ve never truly got to the bottom of what triggers these episodes. Logically, it could be stress related as both a Masters and a PhD are obviously a lot of work but then I dealt with the stresses of my undergraduate course just fine, and the job I had between my Masters and PhD was high-stress and I loved it – in fact I used to think I worked best with a bit of pressure.
Then the other day, I was reading an old thread on here (bored while I wait to start my new job ) about places people found creepy. Several people mentioned that they didn’t like Bath or that it had an odd atmosphere – I think one poster described it as ‘melancholy’. Now normally I’m very rational and logical (except when the anxiety takes over ) and wouldn’t give it a second thought, but I couldn’t help wondering if anyone has any experience of feeling anxious/down in a particular place, or if anyone else has felt this ‘atmosphere’ in Bath? I know some will say it’s a load of pish but I guess I’m just interested in other people’s experiences really…

I start feeling free once you get to the top of Dartmoor heading west. Yes, it's harsh, yes, it's damp, but the bleakness and desolation and sense of millennia relaxes me and I can breathe properly. And when the sun is out and the wildflowers are blooming, it's absolutely beautiful.

I agree, @MitziK. On the other hand, my husband has been known to say 'This is like Mordor'.

I had the same feeling in Great Yarmouth, just overwhelming feeling of despair and sadness, me and oh went to Eyam, very weird and the streets were totally empty, just really creepy, it was like the place had really closed down, very eerie,

I don't like great yarmouth either. Some places make me feel weird. It's not the surroundings but more of an aura in the area that I do not like. I HATE Plymouth!

My parents went to Great Yarmouth once and also said they hated it, my DM also really disliked Newquay.

Ive never been to Bath but actually really want to go now after reading this thread, just to see if I get any similar vibes from it.

My mother & I adored Bath, but my father didn't like it one bit. He reckoned it was due to the fact it's in a dip surrounded by hills.

Great Yarmouth is a strange one. I was on a course once and we all had to name our favourite place in Norfolk. I (as an incomer) said somewhere i thought was picturesque - everyone else in my group (native Norfolkers) said Yarmouth. It was weird - especially because, like pps, whenever i go anywhere near there i want to run away screaming. I was thinking "you live in one of the most unspoilt counties in England and you choose that shithole as your favourite?!"

Me and DH went to Bath last year and loved it. Didn't feel strange at all.

However (and apologies in advance to anyone who lives there) I cannot stand Cornwall. I visited several times when my late SiL lived there and every single time I felt so depressed and couldn't wait to go home. Can't put my finger on what caused it - it just all seemed so grey and miserable, even when the sun was out. My mood changed as soon as we crossed the border into Devon. I've never felt like that anywhere else that I've been.

I'm the opposite, Bath is my happy place. Glastonbury on the other hand gives me the creeps...

Cornwall does feel depressing at times.

I think a lot of people find seaside towns quite depressing. They are often old and weather beaten, packed with relics of a once great bygone era. Also, they are the end of the road for a lot of people, so homelessness, drugs and other social problems are common and give an air of sadness and desperation.

I live in Hastings and I love it, but it’s a weird place. But then, I’m weird.

My family live in Brighton and while I don’t feel a sense of impending doom there, I don’t get the appeal.

I spent some time living in a couple of towns on the Surrey commuter belt and hated them. Lacked personality and everyone seemed disinterested in general, but everyone I knew thought they were lovely places to live! I guess we all belong somewhere and what suits one will not suit the other.

As I’ve said previously, Isle of Wight is the only place I felt things weren’t quite right. The whole place was covered in thick fog the whole time I was there as well, which didn’t help. Also I visited this horrid little wax works that was terrifying, so maybe that’s tainted my view...

Agree about Harrogate being weirdly soulless. I get the same feeling in Ilkley...there seems to be a lot of spa towns being mentioned. Also stayed overnight in a pub in Glastonbury once and just couldn't sleep. Like heightened senses, hackles up and raging anxiety (which I've never had before or since) all night. Was fine in the LGI maternity ward (pp) but then I was rather preoccupied and quite heavily drugged every time I've been in there!

Bath is basically in a bowl, which I think has a lot to do with it feeling weird. I still like it, though.

Portland is weird because it's an island, has virtually no trees, has the Verne and used to have the naval base and underwater weapons establishment. I quite like visiting and we had some great times visiting friends down Chiswell as children, but I wouldn't want to live there.

I haven’t been to the Isle of Wight, despite having lived in sight of it for some years and every NHS letter I get reminding me Hampshire is very close to it. I even had a colleague who got the ferry over every day when I worked in Southampton. Not been to Hastings or Glastonbury, either.

I think geology can play its part in how you feel about a place. I prefer living on chalk rather than heathy soils. I can also believe we won't all have the same sensitivities, in the same way some people like broccoli or fish and others don't. So it's no surprise some people feel weird about certain places and others don't.

I work in Bath...it's fine.
Visit Glastonbury a lot to see friends...batshit.

Love Cornwall!

This is off the Woo track (and I'm more of the Radon being a factor), but following on from a pp I wonder if any of these places are associated with celtic rituals, druid sacrifice or just some horrible bloody events. Romans weren't known for being gentle. Just a thought. When I was in Bath I almost wanted to shout into air: please stop crying.

And what's with Plymouth?

And Banbury is smack bang in concentrated Radon centre so I wonder what anyone living there thinks.

.

I lived in Bath for two years and loved it and never heard of anyone saying this

@CatherineOfAragonsPomegranate I grew up near Banbury, it was one of the nearest shopping towns to our village and I had school friends who lived there. It wasn't a great place to live back then (we're talking 20+ years ago) as there was a big drugs and gang problem but I never felt any bad vibes or atmosphere at all when I was there. I drive through it now when I go back to visit my parents and don't feel it has any negative energy. This thread is really interesting though!

i once had a flatmate from Banbury. Seemed nice enough until one night he got a cab home after a night out. He had no money - just a bottle of tequila.

Any guesses as to what he did when he realised he couldn't pay the fare? Did he offer the cabby the bottle as payment? No. He "lamped him round the head with it and legged it".

And then, of course, he came home to relay the story to me with a cheeky grin as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

The place I hate and can't wait to get out of is Brighton. It's so sinister and dirty and urgh. I am always so glad to get on the M23 heading north out of there.

I also dislike Hastings for the same reasons.

Such an interesting post! Another Bath Uni alumni here and I hadn't really realised until reading this that I felt the same. I attributed it to being homesick (although I never moved back home since being 17 so odd in itself). Could never settle or relax, always looking forward to the next time I knew I would be leaving. Strange because I found it picturesque, varied, and welcoming on the whole, but the aura of the place used to really affect my mental health too

Cheddar Gorge was mentioned, and I also found that place creepy and gloomy. Mind you, I was with Ex, which certainly didn't help. OTOH, I saw a bloke there who seriously ignited the Phwoar factor, I couldn't take my eyes off him, never felt anything as hot as that before. Never felt that way about Ex, ever.

I hate Norfolk. The area around Cramer. I felt it had really weird energy and it felt sinister.
Don't like Plymouth or Newquay either.
Ageee Surrey commuter towns are as depressing as hell.

I haven't been to Glastonbury, but have heard others mention an odd vibe. Have been to Hastings, that was depressing.

I wonder if the radon thing could be at least a partial explanation. Maybe those born in high radon areas dont feel the effects the same, which would account for some differences of opinion.

Drogheda co. Louth. Migraine every tine we went. And then when I was taken to see Oliver Plunketta shrivelled skull in the cathedral. Well. That was the end of it for me
Nightmares.
Just visited Berlin and maybe it's my imagination but there is a air about it.

And can I add a vote against Brighton. Just hate it and gave ip trying to like it spmewhere in the early 90s. Can find no charm in the place but it was about the only place we cld afford as young people to have a day out to so I tried to convince myself it was wonderful.

Im exactly like this with Leeds.