Help - I think I've caught Claustrophobia!
Discussion
I've never been that happy being cooped up anywhere, I remember leaving my Saturday Job at Currys when I graduated and my colleagues attempting to bubble wrap me as a leaving prank, I nearly kicked one to death and ran out the door in a total panic, but other than that I've no recollection of being claustrophobic.
Cue a break in London in April (Bank holiday, it was busy), I had to run out of the tube because I felt I was about to have a panic attack, I got a bit cross with myself and the next day went back on and was not to bad, I put it down to the hangover "fear" from the night before.
Coming back from holiday a few weeks ago I nearly went bats
t metal on the plane, sweating, heart beating out my chest, not good.
Then yesterday it started in a lift!
The heat hasn't helped I keep thinking there is no air, but I really don't want to stop flying, the same thing happened to my father and he didn't fly for 20 years after it.
Has anybody suffered/suffer from similar issues and how do you cope, my worry is I avoid the issue, jump on a plane next summer and need Lesley Neilson to stand in a line of passengers waiting to slap me as I go mental shouting "Stop the plane I need off"
Cue a break in London in April (Bank holiday, it was busy), I had to run out of the tube because I felt I was about to have a panic attack, I got a bit cross with myself and the next day went back on and was not to bad, I put it down to the hangover "fear" from the night before.
Coming back from holiday a few weeks ago I nearly went bats
t metal on the plane, sweating, heart beating out my chest, not good.Then yesterday it started in a lift!
The heat hasn't helped I keep thinking there is no air, but I really don't want to stop flying, the same thing happened to my father and he didn't fly for 20 years after it.
Has anybody suffered/suffer from similar issues and how do you cope, my worry is I avoid the issue, jump on a plane next summer and need Lesley Neilson to stand in a line of passengers waiting to slap me as I go mental shouting "Stop the plane I need off"
Edited by Carl_Spackler on Thursday 25th July 16:42
I have had similar episodes on a plane. The first was when we were delayed for nearly an hour on the tarmac coming back from the caribbean and the temp in the cabin just kept rising. I felt like I needed to get off the plane and the more I thought about it the more anxious I became. luckily one of the kids had one of those little battery fans that blew cooler air onto my face and it helped a bit.
I have had a couple of episodes since then and it always revolves around being enclosed and a warmer temperature in that environment.
Thankfully my wife is in the medical profession and now before we fly I pop 10mg of diazepam which chills me for the duration of the journey.
It is a horrible feeling and before I have previously envisioned myself having to be restrained mid flight if I have a proper panic attack.
I have had a couple of episodes since then and it always revolves around being enclosed and a warmer temperature in that environment.
Thankfully my wife is in the medical profession and now before we fly I pop 10mg of diazepam which chills me for the duration of the journey.
It is a horrible feeling and before I have previously envisioned myself having to be restrained mid flight if I have a proper panic attack.
Carl_Spackler said:
I've never been that happy being cooped up anywhere, I remember leaving my Saturday Job at Currys when I graduated and my colleagues attempting to bubble wrap me as a leaving prank, I nearly kicked one to death and ran out the door in a total panic, but other than that I've no recollection of being claustrophobic.
Cue a break in London in April (Bank holiday, it was busy), I had to run out of the tube because I felt I was about to have a panic attack, I got a bit cross with myself and the next day went back on and was not to bad, I put it down to the hangover "fear" from the night before.
Coming back from holiday a few weeks ago I nearly went batst metal on the plane, sweating, heart beating out my chest, not good.
Then yesterday it started in a lift!
The heat hasn't helped I keep thinking there is no air, but I really don't want to stop flying, the same thing happened to my father and he didn't fly for 20 years after it.
Has anybody suffered/suffer from similar issues and how do you cope, my worry is I avoid the issue, jump on a plane next summer and need Lesley Neilson to stand in a line of passengers waiting to slap me as I go mental shouting "Stop the plane I need off"
That's alcohol withdrawal! Read up on it. It happened after a night out when you were on the tube. You again felt ill after you were coming back off holiday. Let me guess, on holiday you had a drink most days, right?Cue a break in London in April (Bank holiday, it was busy), I had to run out of the tube because I felt I was about to have a panic attack, I got a bit cross with myself and the next day went back on and was not to bad, I put it down to the hangover "fear" from the night before.
Coming back from holiday a few weeks ago I nearly went bats
t metal on the plane, sweating, heart beating out my chest, not good.Then yesterday it started in a lift!
The heat hasn't helped I keep thinking there is no air, but I really don't want to stop flying, the same thing happened to my father and he didn't fly for 20 years after it.
Has anybody suffered/suffer from similar issues and how do you cope, my worry is I avoid the issue, jump on a plane next summer and need Lesley Neilson to stand in a line of passengers waiting to slap me as I go mental shouting "Stop the plane I need off"
Edited by Carl_Spackler on Thursday 25th July 16:42
It may keep getting worse with each withdrawal.
Stop drinking, sugar and caffeine and see how you get on, its anxiety youve got.
taaffy said:
I have had similar episodes on a plane. The first was when we were delayed for nearly an hour on the tarmac coming back from the caribbean and the temp in the cabin just kept rising. I felt like I needed to get off the plane and the more I thought about it the more anxious I became....
Same thing, four hours trapped inside a Cathay Pacific plane at Heathrow two months ago, temps rising, no air-con, I started to feel like I was being crushed all over. I wasn't sweating, considering how bloody hot it was, which is unusual for me, but the dry heat felt like I was wrapped tightly in something. I could feel the urge to flee, to demand to be let off, and had to concentrate hard to remain rational. I fly completely around the glove once every ten weeks, so flying itself is a tedious necessity to my job and normally bothers me not the slightest, not on the claustrophobia front anyway.
Real panic comes when I can't get an aisle seat, on a 16 hour flight, and some large sweaty person is sat next to me.....
So.
It's not gone away.
I'm booked to fly in June and am definitely building this up in my head too much.
I went to my GP a few months ago, but basically she suggested giving me some sort of chill out drug, I can't remember what it was called just now.
Reading the Ryan air flight topic in the lounge has got my heart pounding a bit faster and my palms a bit moist, this is not good.
Any tips?
It's not gone away.
I'm booked to fly in June and am definitely building this up in my head too much.
I went to my GP a few months ago, but basically she suggested giving me some sort of chill out drug, I can't remember what it was called just now.
Reading the Ryan air flight topic in the lounge has got my heart pounding a bit faster and my palms a bit moist, this is not good.
Any tips?
I don't mind tight spaces, I have vague memories of going down a mineshaft at some point during my youth (this could be a Yorkshire thing), but I have had a similar episode on a plane. Cold sweats, panicked breathing, eventually went to the toilet and threw up what looked like water.
Been on plenty of planes but this was a first and not something I attribute to claustrophobia. Maybe it was because I'd sold everything I own and was headed to Canada on a work Visa with no job lined up and a few grand in my pocket, but more likely due to being trapped into the bloody window seat, supreme lack of sleep and food, and being surrounded by crying babies and children. It's not the size of the space, it's the trapped feeling I don't get on with.
Been on plenty of planes but this was a first and not something I attribute to claustrophobia. Maybe it was because I'd sold everything I own and was headed to Canada on a work Visa with no job lined up and a few grand in my pocket, but more likely due to being trapped into the bloody window seat, supreme lack of sleep and food, and being surrounded by crying babies and children. It's not the size of the space, it's the trapped feeling I don't get on with.
OP, your problem is not 'claustrophobia', it's generalised anxiety. You need help with managing this.
Your GP can (and should) refer you to a Clinical Psychologist for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which will enable you to identify anxiety triggers, and formulate strategies for managing these.
Your GP can (and should) refer you to a Clinical Psychologist for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which will enable you to identify anxiety triggers, and formulate strategies for managing these.
Carl_Spackler said:
So.
It's not gone away.
I'm booked to fly in June and am definitely building this up in my head too much.
I went to my GP a few months ago, but basically she suggested giving me some sort of chill out drug, I can't remember what it was called just now.
Reading the Ryan air flight topic in the lounge has got my heart pounding a bit faster and my palms a bit moist, this is not good.
Any tips?
I can recommend a "flying without fear" course. My wife suffers major flying panic attacks, refusal to board, panic/sleepless nights/nausia for weeks before flying.It's not gone away.
I'm booked to fly in June and am definitely building this up in my head too much.
I went to my GP a few months ago, but basically she suggested giving me some sort of chill out drug, I can't remember what it was called just now.
Reading the Ryan air flight topic in the lounge has got my heart pounding a bit faster and my palms a bit moist, this is not good.
Any tips?
She went on a course, came home and booked some flights that evening. I wouldn't say she was absoultey fine but it gave her knowledge and coping techniques.
I think her fear comes from the feeling of not being in control (but may be wrong) She has also had a crowded tube and ferry induced panic attack.
Her course was with Virgin and at a local airport.
Thanks everyone for their input.
To clarify, the GP said if I still felt anxious when I was flying next, then I was to call and she'd prescribe me some diazepam to calm me on the flight.
I don't find myself in enclosed spaces very often, I'm out on site (construction) a lot or in an office, don't need to fly for work and can't remember the last time I was in a building with a lift....or at least needed to use one (how dull am I), so basically I'm not needing to deal with these feelings until I'm bombarded with airports, lifts, busy areas and then a feckin plane.
The GP did suggest cognitive therapy, but being the good old NHS, they had to refer me to a Psychiatric nurse, who would then refer me to get cogitative therapy, after 2 months I got a letter saying they were all really busy, and I was to make another appointment if I really wanted to see them
by this point it's going to be too late.
Just need to man up and get some perspective I suppose, I was watching Billy Connely last night, and his programme on death, it made me think I'm not letting my irrational fears stop me from leading a full life.
To clarify, the GP said if I still felt anxious when I was flying next, then I was to call and she'd prescribe me some diazepam to calm me on the flight.
I don't find myself in enclosed spaces very often, I'm out on site (construction) a lot or in an office, don't need to fly for work and can't remember the last time I was in a building with a lift....or at least needed to use one (how dull am I), so basically I'm not needing to deal with these feelings until I'm bombarded with airports, lifts, busy areas and then a feckin plane.
The GP did suggest cognitive therapy, but being the good old NHS, they had to refer me to a Psychiatric nurse, who would then refer me to get cogitative therapy, after 2 months I got a letter saying they were all really busy, and I was to make another appointment if I really wanted to see them
by this point it's going to be too late.Just need to man up and get some perspective I suppose, I was watching Billy Connely last night, and his programme on death, it made me think I'm not letting my irrational fears stop me from leading a full life.
mu0n said:
BTW the calming pills will probably be prozac. They will definitely help. You'll probably feel like gods gift on them haha. I do.
probably not as an SSRI would be ineffective in this scenario especially for a one off / infrequent more likely to be a small dose of a benzodiazepeine ( 10 mg of Diazepam as suggested by another poster could be excessive for someone who is benzo naive )|
the alcohol withdrawl angle is an intertesting if slightly left field suggestion - esp[ecially if you aren't a regular (several times a week) significant ( lots of units ever y time) drinker
mph1977 said:
mu0n said:
BTW the calming pills will probably be prozac. They will definitely help. You'll probably feel like gods gift on them haha. I do.
probably not as an SSRI would be ineffective in this scenario especially for a one off / infrequent more likely to be a small dose of a benzodiazepeine ( 10 mg of Diazepam as suggested by another poster could be excessive for someone who is benzo naive )|
the alcohol withdrawl angle is an intertesting if slightly left field suggestion - esp[ecially if you aren't a regular (several times a week) significant ( lots of units ever y time) drinker
Not a heavy drinker, once/twice a week 2-3 glasses of something at home drinker, and yes when I was on (all inclusive) holiday I had a drink or 7 everyday, so there is certainly a good probability that I was effected, I do tend to get a feeling of dread when I've overdone it the night before.
Carl_Spackler said:
Yes Diazepam.
Not a heavy drinker, once/twice a week 2-3 glasses of something at home drinker, and yes when I was on (all inclusive) holiday I had a drink or 7 everyday, so there is certainly a good probability that I was effected, I do tend to get a feeling of dread when I've overdone it the night before.
Post-drunk anxiety attacks. I get it every time I drink more than three or four glasses nowadays. What I would once shrug off as nothing, not even qualifying as a hangover, now gives me self doubt, anxiety and worries for a day or more. I will withdraw into a miserable little world where everything is horrible and the future is doom. Not a heavy drinker, once/twice a week 2-3 glasses of something at home drinker, and yes when I was on (all inclusive) holiday I had a drink or 7 everyday, so there is certainly a good probability that I was effected, I do tend to get a feeling of dread when I've overdone it the night before.
If it is like my local NHS (check your local NHS web site) there should be a therapy service to which you can self-refer, and don't need to go via your GP, nurse, and all the rest of it. I know from personal experience that every stage you go through is just another reason for your brain to say it can't be bothered with all the hassle. So, if you can, find the service and get onto the waiting list.
If you get an option between a short course and a longer one, go for the longer one. The short one is a bit of a waste of time (or was for me), whereas the longer one lets you get to grips with the situation much better, and gives you more tools to deal with things. There is no leather couch type situation, where they analyse you. It is you who does the analysis and it can be really hard work. You may never get to the bottom of the problem but, all things being equal, it will turn something which is terrifying and seemingly insurmountable, into something that you can cope with. It turns 'demons' and illogical thoughts into something more logical that you can handle and work on.
If you get an option between a short course and a longer one, go for the longer one. The short one is a bit of a waste of time (or was for me), whereas the longer one lets you get to grips with the situation much better, and gives you more tools to deal with things. There is no leather couch type situation, where they analyse you. It is you who does the analysis and it can be really hard work. You may never get to the bottom of the problem but, all things being equal, it will turn something which is terrifying and seemingly insurmountable, into something that you can cope with. It turns 'demons' and illogical thoughts into something more logical that you can handle and work on.
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