Other I'm Gonna Be Going To Heavy Mtl Next Month And Could Use Some Advice.

[Astrid_Shadow]

Hey again everyone.

In a little more than a month, I'm gonna be going with my step dad to heavy montreal. A lot of heavy metal bands gather in Montreal for a weekend and they have an outdoor concert. I will be there with my step dad and I'm pretty scared because crowds trigger me. I already told him I'm going and I don't plan on backing away from this. Any advice on what I can do so I don't panic? That's what I'm really worried about when I go to Heavy Montreal.

I've always had panic attacks in crowds and it only gets worse if I get even more crowded.

 

[The Albatross]

Well you are wise to consider that you need a strategy, but if you're gonna challenge the crowds thing I'd definitely have an exit strategy because a weekend, depending might be too much.

 

[Astrid_Shadow]

Any ideas what I should do if it gets too much for me?

Aside from run away.

 

[The Albatross]

Why did you commit to this.

 

[The Albatross]

There's a big difference between an "exit strategy" and run away, for instance.

 

[Astrid_Shadow]

What do you mean by that?

I usually panic before thinking about a strategy thats why I said run away.

 

[The Albatross]

There was no indication in anything you wrote that suggested you are in a panic. Up to now at any rate.
What is it about this event that compels you to have committed to go... when you are not clear or don't have management or coping skills?

 

[The Albatross]

Personally I can say the last concert I went to with PTSD friends out of state... I was in an open arena venue and I wouldn't get off the blanket or drink anything so I wouldn't go to the bathroom. I can't imagine being or submitting to two days of metal and crowds without some solid coping skills.

 

[EveHarrington]

Are you sure you're not jumping in the deep end without knowing how to swim?

I'm all for facing our anxiety but if you're in a place where you truly panic, I don't think it's necessarily a good idea to test out new/unproven coping skills in a very stressful, anxiety provoking environment. I don't think this is the best way to learn skills and increase our tolerance.

The thing is that it can take quite some time to learn what coping skills work the best and learn how to use them in the best way for us.

 

[hodge]

I have to agree with others here, Astrid, in that this might not be a wise idea. If there's one thing I've learned in my 52 years it is to avoid events that will trigger or overwhelm me. I didn't get PTSD symptoms until I was in my 40s, but even so I always had a tendency to get easily overwhelmed. I went with friends to a Ted Nugent concert in my late teens and after about 20 minutes I had to go outside of the arena because I got so overwhelmed and stifled being in the middle of a crowd. Not to mention all the pot smoke (I had stopped smoking by then and that just added to my anxiety). This is outdoors, which might make it a bit easier, but still, the fact that you are worried about it and feeling unprepared leads me to advise you to not go. Hopefully, there are other meaningful things you can do together with your stepdad?

 

[Truthful_Whispers]

Best advice: don't go. If you are crowd and noise phobic, you are only asking for a meltdown. Your stepdad should understand, if he is any type of decent human being. Considering your afflictions, he shouldn't be trying to expose you to that type of environment anyway. Tell your stepdad to step off, and leave you be. I despise stepfathers...can you tell? :cautious: