anxiety about traveling far from home.

[rondoo]

Does anyone have anxiety when traveling far from home? This is a new anxiety for me since my symptoms started after my last vacation.  I am dealing with hormone fluctuations from having my thyroid removed for thyroid cancer as well as perimenopause which I think really made me fall into depression and anxiety.  I was to leave for vacation this morning with a bunch of my family.  I did not go but am hoping to pull myself together enough to make the trip. I have a prescription for lorazepam which I have been taking daily.  My husband is very understanding and supportive and will do whatever is better for me.  I think it is mainly a fear of being in the car hours from home and the "what if" thinking.  Has anyone experienced this or have any suggestions?

[Spider309]

I have had this for 8 years, it got to the point about two years ago i spent 8 months at home cause i couldnt leave the house, ive suffered severe anxiety an mild depression, when im out i feel scared i could lose control or go mad and i dont want people to see that happen, it never has but the fear is there. Its to the point now where i avoid motorways and traffic, duel carriageways i get panicky on cause i cant just turn the car around when needed, i hate being in situations i cant escape from, ive had therapy ive tried tablets talking nothing has worked, i try to lead a normal life but its so hard living with anxiety, i was told the more you do something the easier itll become but for me it just makes me want to avoid it even more, not sure what to do it feels the more i talk about it or try to accept it ill have another breakdown, any tips would be greatly appreciated, i hope all sufferers find peace an happiness

[gingerlady]

I have been dealing with this thing of not going to far from home for three years I had a bit of a break down and found myself feeling like I couldnt go out. I did my best to get back in the car and go to the shops but I stopped there I have created a bubble of where I like to travel what isnt that far. I go to work and try to lead a normal life but this hidden thought can limit my living. I wish I didnt have this. When I got ill I related a feeling with an action so thats why it has stuck. My mam always on about going on a family holiday and instantly my body cringes and closes up and slightly get annoyed. I have a little girl now she is one and it worries me than she will miss out because of me. Has anyone found the wright help for this "illness". I thought it would go just like a cold but here it. I have anxiety when driving especially when going down the motorway feel clostrephbic. I believe its all linked plus I have irrational thoughts about silly things. I just want it to go away

[rondoo]

Thanks for the support and replies.  I am really trying to talk myself into going.  When I start thinking about going my mind goes into overdrive thinking" What if I am on the road for a couple hours and have a panic attack and cant get home??' When you are feeling ok it is easy to be rational and say "nothing will happen, if you have a panic attack it will pass and you will be fine" but when you are in that state all rationality seems to go out the window.  I wish I could read or do something diversional to keep busy.  Unfortunately reading in the car would make me sick in about 15 seconds...

[mauismom]

I also have had a problem with this... I am a HORRIBLE traveler... I can't relax on vacation, mostly because my husband CANNOT and WILL NOT sit still...he always has to be doing something....I also have a problem at home going too far from my home and then I worry about getting home...what if I can't get home??? I mean that sounds stupid and sometimes it really makes me anxious when I think that... This week I worked 40 miles one way from home  two days and I was FINE...and then sometimes when I have to go there...I am miserable...just can't WAIT to piull in my driveway...Today I even stopped to buy something because I felt so good...vacations also take me out of my routine and anything that does is LETHAL to my thinking..it takes me a long time to feel back in the groove...you are far from alone(also perimenopausal)... Xanax helps me... I hope you go and have fun!!!! I should say that my vacations are always working vacations to our other houses...so it is always work work for him... I read my trashy magazines!!! Have fun!!

[cj29]

I am very glad that you have a supportive spouse with this.  In my opinion, it makes it much easier to confront and deal with it.  In my experience, anxiety can manifest itself in so many different ways that it can be very confusing and scary and the 'what if?' thinking can really throw us for a loop, but you can and will get through it.  I agree that talk therapy is a great way to go in dealing with this.  In my opinion, it will give you the knowledge to understand it (and we tend to sometimes fear what we don't understand) and the tools to confront it.  Another important step that you have already taken, is you realize that you have anxiety....I would not even entertain that fact for months when I first went through this.  Keep us posted!

[Julie359]

This may be the beginning of a mild form of agoraphobia, this is a fear of leaving the home or being away from the home.  I have this in a severe form as I have difficulties just leaving the home to travel a minute up the road.  I can assure you it is extremely disabling. My agoraphobia started out fairly mild and progressively got worse after having numerous panic attacks while out, I found my world started to become smaller and smaller.

Maybe u should start to think and discuss with ur husband about looking for a therapist while the situation is still in the early stages, as it will be far easier to treat than deep embedded fears.  

Also I would ask your doctor about HRT, to try to reduce any menopause anxiety..

I do hope you tackle your fears quickly and successfully as trust me, you really don't want to end up avoiding places or people due to fear, it is a very distressing and soul distroying illness and I can imagine that not feeling able to go on holiday today with ur family made you feel very low and knocked ur confidence in yourself.

Good-luck and God bless