Tips - Travelling Abroad with Anxiety

[hnskd]

Hi

I have suffered with anxiety since I was 17 to varying degrees and it started the first time I went on holiday with all of my friends from school.

It comes and goes and has been very severe at certain points in my life when I have experienced tragedy.

The problem at the moment is that I am going on holiday with my hubby and 2 children in a couple of days and I can feel the usual symptoms rearing their ugly head, not sleeping, feeling sickly worry in the pit of my stomach and we haven't even gone yet. I so desperately want to enjoy my holiday and not spoil for my children. I currently take 30mg of citilopram which I feel really helps me with the day to day stresses but I just wondered if anyone out there deal with similar situations and could offer me some tips before I travel?????? Please help x

I suffer on and off with anxiety too. I have had CBT which helped a lot. I found that my anxiety got worse before travelling (also with 2 dc), but once we had arrived the anxiety calmed down again. I also found that when travelling with the dc's, I had to concentrate more on sorting them out, (food, drinks, toys, arguing etc) so no time to panic!
So, no real advice but I think for me, the build up to the holiday is the worse part.

You sound exactlt the same as me & I am on 40mg citilopram. I went on holiday last year & didnt eat/sleep for the first few days & ended up flring home early. I also have a son who is 4. This year we arent going abroad I hate the thought of it atm, i like routine & home comfort x

I was diagnosed with severe social anxiety at the end of my second year at university, just before the start of the my compulsory third year abroad. I'm glad I got help when I did though because I'm not sure I could have survived 10 months abroad otherwise. The thought of having to live in two foreign countries more or less by myself (bar some people on my course who were also there) was terrifying but somehow I got through it. I was on 50mg Sertraline daily for about 18 months. I don't know if this is any help to you, but try and remember that a holiday is only temporary (I know, rational thinking and anxiety tend not to go hand in hand). Maybe it would be worth considering CBT if you haven't already done so?

Thank you for your comments they all help. It's just nice sometimes to know you are not the only one. I totally agree about the thought being worse than the reality. It's madness to think that relaxing and fun and sunshine can make you feel so worried. I'm a stickler for routine and control so because I don't know what expect that unsettles me. My husband and children are so excited i just don't want to spoil their fun. I have also come home from a holiday early when I was a lot younger but I've been away a few times since then and even managed to enjoy myself lol I just wish I had a magic wand to get rid of it permanently but after nearly 20 yrs of having anxiety on and off I guess it's just apart of me. Any more tips or comments greatly appreciated x

Let us know how you got on hnskd.

Travelling has always been an anxiety trigger for me. CBT definitely helped. But its the packing, anticipation and the flight that stressed me, as soon as we landed I was fine.

However I've had a rough year this year and not sure if I can face the added pressure and don't want to let my family down.. I'm so scared of being abroad and having a relapse.