Cannot travel due to panic disorder?
I used to suffer from panic disorder, but in recent months have gotten it under control to the point where I do not need anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds at all (yay!) I can even drive again, which was a huge phobia of mine.
A friend of mine has just surprised me by booking me a ticket to Cuba leaving in 2 weeks and I'm having panic attacks already just thinking about it. I have no anxiety over flying whatsoever, but do not like the idea of a non-english speaking island that I cannot leave should I choose to!
Any tips for relieving anxiety for this trip? (No meds, please... as I will obviously bring them JUST in case) It's bothering me to the point where I think I will have to cancel on my friend... despite the fact the trip has already been booked and paid for.
Thanks in advance!
Comments
I just want to congratulate you on quitting your meds! WELL DONE AND STAY AWAY FROM THEM!! They are no good [as i'm sure you know yourself]
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As for your panic attacks and anxiety, just try to do deep breathing techiniques once you start to feel that anxiousness coming on, count to 10 and take deep breathes , inhale and exhale deeply. You will feel better.
Don't worry about Cuba being non-english speaking, you will find many english speakers out there, and why dont you get a lonely planet spanish phrasebook to help you communciate with the locals? it will be fun for you to learn new phrases in a new language.
hope you have a great time , go, enjoy life! dance some salsa and drink some mojitos 
I would suggest to try and replicate what you may see in Cuba before you leave, if it's possible. Try and visit any place nearby where everyone speaks Spanish. If you live close to any major city you could look up a Latin section within the city and go and visit there. If things get out of hand with anxiety you can be out of there very quickly. So, its a safe environment.
Chances are if you can get through that your fear will be much reduced in Cuba since it will be very similar. Once you face the fear in a safe way it may eliminate it. Even if you can't find an all Latino town somewhere, try and find a Mexican (or Cuban) restaurant and go and visit there.
Congrats on getting over your phobia! I myself know how hard that can be and its good to hear you dont need those pills, all they do it slow you down anyway. Now as far as the trip, like you said your friend went out of their way to suprise you and its paid for already so try to re consider canceling. and as for tips instead of taking the meds as a back up, try this book called panic away. Maybe you've heard of it already. It helps with anxiety and how to face your fears and you get one on one with joe barry the author. Well good luck and hopefully that help you go on the trip sounds like you deserve it.
*Heres the website if you want to take a look at the book
http://17c5bdjlfu3zi80bb8t3mqlp1r.hop.clickbank.ne...
Use an ANTI PANIC ATTACK breathing technique. Advice from a published psychiatrist on controlled breathing: (1.) Get a clock, or watch with a second timer. (2.) Practise for 5 minutes, 4 times daily, until proficient. (3.) Take a small breath in, and hold it, for 6 seconds. (4.) Think to yourself: "RELAX", just before breathing out. (5.) Try to feel a sense of releasing tension, as you breathe out. (6.) Breathe in for 3 seconds, then out, for 3 seconds. Try to make your breathing very smooth, and light, as you breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth, or nose. (7.) For the next minute, continue to breathe in, and out, every 3 seconds. (8.) Go back to step 3, at the end of the minute, and proceed through to step 7, doing this for 5 minutes. Use this at the very first sign of a panic attack starting, or any time you feel anxious, or tense. Similar, but simpler advice, from a clinical psychologist is to breathe in to the count of 3: (one thousand one; one thousand two; one thousand three) each takes around a second to say to yourself, in your mind, and out to the count of 3. Also see http://deeplyrelax.com/ & www.deepsloweasy.com/html/intro.htm Note: the controlled breathing only helps with the symptoms, as do medications/herbal remedies. Address the underlying cause, which requires some form of therapy; see http://your-mental-health.weebly.com/ re anxiety, & pages H, & I. Imagine that the cause of your panic; your anxieties, fears, your self doubts, self recriminations, all the agonizing "I'm-so-Stupids"; every painful "I-can't-do-it" are huge raging, hurtful bulls snorting and charging at you. You see them coming at you and you hold out your red matador's cape at arms length and simply let them charge right by. Every time they come at you, hold out your arm with the red cape and let them rage and snort and go right on past. Some people recommend nettle tea, with a little honey. Others use Lavender tea, Lemon Balm, Chamomile, but use no milk or cream with herbal teas, or Valerian (caution: use for 3 weeks; maximum!).
Know how these affect you before driving, or doing anything dangerous, and it is far better to use the treatments, rather than relying on herbal remedies. Free online PANIC COURSE - www.panic-attacks.co.uk also available by email. See the section on panic attacks at www.mind.org.uk also Ebooklet form. They recommend letting a panic attack run its course, without doing anything to treat it, so you KNOW you will survive it. The usual maximum is 30 minutes, until symptoms begin to subside. Also see www.anxietypanic.com/signs.html and http://www.onestepatatime.com/ (chatroom, and one free email is allowed to their resident expert on joining - free) and www.medicinenet.com/panic_disorder/artic… and www.squidoo.com/controlpanicattack/modul… and and www.healthyplace.com/communities and http://www.anxietynetwork.com/ Most people are suggestible, to some degree, so you could either seek professional hypnotherapy, or, quicker, cheaper, and more conveniently: http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com/ Perfect Partners: Stop Panic Attacks + Breathing Exercise, or http://www.instant-hypnosis.com/ Stop Panic Attacks. Use a relaxation method daily, like http://www.drcoxconsulting.com/managing-stress.htm... or http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/mindbody/a/Meditat... or http://www.wikihow.com/Meditate Tai Chi, Qi Gong, or yoga. Because many people can't access/afford professional therapy, I include the EFT, and EMDR variant for them to try, free of charge. The following is a variant of EMDR therapy, which has been used successfully for those people suffering from anxiety; it is easily learned, quick to use, yet can be very effective. Prior to using either of these methods, first sit comfortably, and take a deep breath. Then, without moving your head, move your eyes from the left, to the right, and back again, taking around a second to do so (say: "a thousand and one": this takes approximately a second).