Fears About Travelling During Christmas

[Marlene]

Evie,

I've found that the anticpation of the event (what's going to happen, what could go wrong, who's going to be there, etc.) is always so much worse than the actual event. I also know saying that doesn't help one damn bit when the anxiety is up.

So much good advice given here. I'm with hodge...I haven't flown in three and a half years and I have no idea how I would react to it. But remember-you've got your family with you and they'll be making sure that you're doing ok. And they'll help you if you have a tough time. And if you have an issue in the middle of the terminal...don't care about what others think. You'll never see these people again in your life-screw em and what they think. Taking care of yourself is #1 priority for you.

I know you've used a code word in the past when things are getting to you and you need some extra help. Maybe using this again for the trip. If you're in an airport, there's lots of little out of the way nooks and crannies to get out of the main flow of the crowd. For the plane, you could take your ipod and just block it all out for a bit.

I hope you and your family have a great trip, Evie.

Lisa

 

[2quilt]

I have an idea. Make a CD of you fav music. Music for dancing and music for calm moments too. That's what i use to get me through. I put on my music and close my eyes so I can't see the crowds and it's just me and the music.

 

[batgirl]

maybe you can get all the top drawings and some pictures from the people you're renting it from. i have sometimes done this when travelling with my family.

Hmm that's an interesting idea Vera... actually the people who own the house are family friends, maybe they would be able to email me some pictures. I like the detailed plans you make, that sounds so much like me! I get along all right with my family but I like your visualization of being someone else or parallel universe or whatever, I think I might try that too. Thanks!

I've found that the anticpation of the event (what's going to happen, what could go wrong, who's going to be there, etc.) is always so much worse than the actual event. I also know saying that doesn't help one damn bit when the anxiety is up.

Yup, that's what I'm having right now. I realize it too, and I'm trying to be "rational" about it, but like you said it is really hard to get out of that "mode". I'm glad my family aren't the kind of people who say trite stuff like, "Oh don't worry, you'll feel better soon" or I might have to rip their faces off right now!! :p And you hit the nail on the head about me worrying about other people in the airport and what they think of me. I am majorly worried. And not much for them staring at me but for my family, that they will be embarrassed by me and I will cause trouble for them. I'm especially worried about my little nephews seeing me in that state (they are also coming). I was crying about it a lot last night, I barely got any sleep, I really worked myself into a state over it. I couldn't even play my video games and that's BAD! I did talk to my family about it though this morning and they said I am worrying for nothing as they would not be embarrassed. I am feeling a little better today though the lack of sleep obviously hasn't helped.

It's funny but I honestly didn't realize just how upset I was about this trip until I started writing about it and reading people's responses. I think because of how busy we've been I haven't had much time to think about it at all. Which is good maybe but now it's really upsetting me.

I have an idea. Make a CD of you fav music. Music for dancing and music for calm moments too.

Thanks 2quilt, that's also a good idea. I use an iPod actually but I'll make sure my iPod has all my favourite songs loaded on it before I go. I really have appreciated everyone's ideas, I'm going to save all of them and maybe I'll even write an article for the information section (in the new year) based on travelling. I don't think there is one. Thanks again for all the ideas and for saying you understood as I really have been feeling like a loser for how scared I am.

 

[batgirl]

Must be nice to not be worried about going to an undisclosed location.

Oh and sorry about this, reading it this morning, it sounds really bitchy and I didn't intend for it to sound that way at all. I was really upset last night.

 

[hodge]

Actually, that post made me think of Cheney (snort) :)

 

[batgirl]

Huh? Haha, I'm not sure what you mean Hodge? You mean going to an undisclosed location?

 

[hodge]

Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you wouldn't get the joke. After 9/11 and the Bush gang was issuing terror alerts left and right, Cheney was always being moved to "an undisclosed location." It just struck me funny.

 

[batgirl]

Ohh okay haha. I'm not sure I realized that. I don't watch the news much. But that is funny now that you explain it. :)

 

[hodge]

But that is funny now that you explain it. :)

Oh, good!

Yeah, there haven't been any terror alerts like that here in a long time. I guess they finally realized we weren't buying it ;)

 

[batgirl]

Is that like the yellow alerts and orange alerts? I vaguely remember that and something about duct tape... I thought it was all pretty dumb personally. I wasn't paying a lot of attention to the news back then though, as 2001 was the year of my trauma. I did watch the twin towers going down on Sept. 11 and felt like the world was coming to an end... it was pretty surreal. But at the same time, I was still underage then and on the run from my family... I had just run off a couple of months previous to that. So Sept. 11 has less significance to me than my own personal trauma, which was on January 4th of that year.

Hmm, that makes me think also, maybe I am starting to feel bad because my trauma anniversary is coming up??? It is less than a month away now. I was really ill from it last year.

 

[hodge]

Is that like the yellow alerts and orange alerts? I vaguely remember that and something about duct tape... I thought it was all pretty dumb personally.

Yup, all that. The duct tape one was particularly stupid.

Hmm, that makes me think also, maybe I am starting to feel bad because my trauma anniversary is coming up??? It is less than a month away now. I was really ill from it last year.

That would make sense, Evie. Try to take extra good care of yourself. Maybe being away will help with that? I really hope so, anyway.

 

[logan]

i hate the the crowds but i just look at their not coming with me to my freinds house
and they all lost their lugage on the corsell
keep your head up the hardest part is over the booking and arangements