On holiday and anxiety making me misserable

[Muddlebubble]

I'm currently on holiday and my anxiety is ruining the whole thibg, have been waiting 3 years for this holiday and all i want to do is go home because of it.

On medication (40mg) citalopram have been on citalopram for roughly 14 years worked so well before now having to leep up it as struggling, spoken to the doctor before we came and maybe switching to sertraline when i get back.

Just wanted to vent i guess as i don't want to say anything to anyone here and have them worry

What are you feeling anxious about?

I almost always get bad anxiety on holidays

I dunno why ...I hate it .

What are you feeling anxious about OP?

You have my sympathy, i used to like holidays exploring new countries, eating out etc, even worked abroad on a company transfer for a few years,
but post covid struggle to enjoy travelling like I used to, may also be an age thing not sure.

Am currently on holiday and feeling anxious, was in tears a few times the other day at a water park it was so busy just not used to crowds anymore and was also convinced was going to loose DC; have also been feeling anxious about getting sick - I’m perimenopausal and struggling with the heat.

I hope you manage to enjoy some aspects of your holiday. I just had to be honest with DH and explain I’m struggling with the crowds heat and change some
of our planned activities.

Sorry you’re feeling like this OP. Being in a strange place and out of the normal routine can really trigger mental health issues I find. The pressure to have a great time can also make things worse. Is there anything you can do to calm yourself eg get away by yourself for a bit or whatever you would normally do to feel better? Please try to forgive yourself for feeling like this and to take the pressure off yourself to feel happy. This won’t be the only holiday you go on. I hope it improves as you settle in X

So sorry i didn't reply sooner, wifi dropped out.
Anywho im home now.
I guess you all were right just being in a new place, the heat, and i absolutely hate flying.
I am supposed to swap antidepressants as my usua citalopram although has done me well for many years just isn't working anymore, i hate that this anxiety rules my life.

If you haven't already done so, maybe consider getting therapy to get to the root of what's causing the anxiety? Surely better than taking increasing doses of anti depressants?

Ive had anxiety since i was about 16, just didn't know what is was back then, no idea what caused it to start a very happy normal upbringing no trauma, just something that seams to run through our family. Absolutely exhausting.

But you haven't actually told us / stated exactly what you were anxious about. Verbalise it, learn to be specific about exactly is bothering you. Then counsellor, or mn can help you see how erratic and ott abd easily solvable your fears were.

I have nothing exactly, this is the problem as such. I can be absolutely fine then i will get a panic attack out of nowhere, i have the feeling i cant catch my breath, palpations or just have the feeling of dread or just wanting not to be out and want to be home. Sometimes it can be randon sometimes a reason like being on holiday obviously worrying but as stupid as it sounds i worry about having a panic attack which makes me panic even more. I have over the years got alot better at controlling it, but when you try not to think about something its all you ca think about

Have you got physical strategies which help, I have to do deep breathing or blowing out, that sometimes helps (I do it in the car a lot!) or exercises. Keep an eye on things like caffeine or alcohol, also high carb diet seemed to make me worse

Also coping skills or acceptance strategies I find are helpful, so that awful feeling of dread with nothing behind it, I find I say to myself 'I feel that, but it means nothing, Im going to do what I need to do with the feeling sat there', giving yourself permission to ignore the feeliggs but not making them 'go away'.

Yes absolutely do all the above, i also try to spot 5 things in doffrent colours or count to 50 and jumble up the numbers as apparently it confesses the brain which absolutely helps. Deep breaths in and out. I manage really well most of the the time. I don't drink caffeine at all as makes my palpations worse and very rarely drink alcohol as the next day it's awful. Bloody sick of it dictating my life.

I am exactly the same as you. Currently writing this crying as tomorrow I go to salou and my anxiety is awful 😖. I want to cancel but want to beat this. I have had anxiety since 16 now 37. I want to take my children on holiday and enjoy it with them. But I don't want to go. I will be away from my safety.

This is an interesting thread.
The question - what are you anxious about?

In my case absolutely nothing. But at various different times in my life including now I have crippling anxiety and panic. Not for any reason and comes out of the blue. It's like someone has got a gun to my head but there's no one there.
I have a lovely family and a good job - it makes absolutely no sense.

So I didn't go on holiday I cancelled day before. I couldn't cope. My doc has increased my citalopram and feel dreadful. Constant panic and anxiety. I can't think of a reason. If it was the holiday surely it would of gone by now.

@Letty86 I'm sorry you missed your holiday If the increased anxiety was down to holiday it can take a few days for the feelings to subside.

Ugh sorry to hear this OP. I'm the same, on holiday crippled with anxiety that the car hire company is going to scam me when I drop off the car 🙄

I hope you manage to find some time to relax x