Does anyone have panic attacks on board

I was thinking of taking my first cruise and I have problems with panic attacks. I was wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else and what you may have done about it. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

I suffer from panic attacks and was nervous about my first cruise (1999); I took along Gravol (anti-nausea) pills and just bit a little bit off one pill as I was boarding. Also I made sure I had a table near the door and that I sat on the sides not directly facing the water. Within 24 hours my anxiety had disappeared and I felt great. I had a slight panic attack while waiting in a long line near the gangway as I was waiting to board a ferry to Playa del Carmen. I was taking the excursion without my safety blanket (my DH) so I was already anxious and the long wait inside the ship didn't help. I sat down on the stairs and just fanned myself (pretending to have a hot flash); I took deep breaths and held them in for 10 - 15 secs, I relaxed my shoulders and throat -- the anxiety passed and I had a great time.

Last year we went on our second cruise and I was fine the whole time (although I admit I did immediately check to make sure we had a table close to a door). We are going on a cruise in 15 days and have booked one as well for next Dec.

So please go and have a great time -- if you do feel a panic attack remember all the techniques that help it pass - breath deep, relax chest, throat, neck and tongue muscles and in minutes you will realize that you feel OK. As you probably well know, panic attacks are caused when we feel anxious so the more we do to tell ourselves that we are fine -- the better we will be.

Cheers - Happy New Year and Happy Sailing.

I've never had to deal with panic attacks (except when getting my credit card bill after a cruise. ;) ) But your relaxation techniques are good for any stressful, tense situation. I hope all goes well for you on your upcoming cruise.

In my 7 cruises I've had the opportunity to assist, as a licensed clinical psychologist, two people suffering from panic attacks. It sounds like you understand your condition well and how to deal with it so I'd think you'll be just fine. The ship's doctor typically has medications to deal with the more severe cases though those are rarely required. Cruise and have fun! :)

Thanks so much for your help. I was nervous but now feel okay with it and I am looking forward to it. You people are so nice for replying and answering my question.. Thank you so much.

I don't believe I have shared this with the board, but I have not made a secret of the fact that I used to suffer from an acute form of Aquaphobia. It began when I was a child and we were on a Transatlantic crossing aboard the ss. United States. About 2 days into the crossing a severe tropical storm brewed up and we were caught in it in the middle of the Atlantic. It was horrible. Everything was battened down, exterior doors were dogged shut, and Mom had to tie us into our bunks to keep us from rolling out and hurting ourselves. It was 2 solid days of abject terror for a 4 year old kid. When we got off the United States I swore I would never get back aboard a ship.

And I didn't until 1994 when I boarded the Nieuw Amsterdam for my first adult cruise with my parents. I had just finished my PhD and my parents invited me to join them for a cruise as a celebration. I was afraid -- terrified -- but I also knew, intellectually, the root of my fear and that I truly needed to confront that fear. My doctor had given me a prescription for the patch and I put one on before I boarded. Then, as we put to sea, I went out on the bow of the ship and stared at the water ... literally facing it down. I confronted my fear of the water, and beat it.

To this day I have to confront that fear every cruise ... yes, an echo of the terror is still there, seated in the back of my mind. I have to go out and face the water and, literally, face it down every cruise. It doesn't take much anymore, but I DO still have to do it.

And it's no secret how much I love cruising.

There is someting really strange about how this thread is displaying. Does anyone see it displaying weirdly?

Yep, Rev, it's definitely weird.

The only panic attack I have is when the cruise is just about over and I have to go home and back to work:(

I see that BIG blue area. I think the problem may be that the person is typing TOO much in the "Title" area.

Yes, the display is way out of the ordinary. Hard to decipher who's saying what.

Rev--

Thanks for sharing your experience -- what a perfectly awful memory of the United States!

I too have always had fears of "Big Water"...

--There are photos of me as a 2y/o child on Virginia Beach running away from the Atlantic Ocean in terror...

--I've always become panic-y watching 'watery' films (Poseidon Adventure, Jaws, U-571, The Last Voyage, Grey Lady Down, etc...)

--I nearly drowned in a hotel swimming pool when I was 11 (Dad had to jump in to save me)

--I would cling to the edge of the pool during pool parties as a kid and during swimming in gym class.

--As recently as a few years ago, I was absolutely terrified when I accompanied my partner (now ex) on a dive boat off Monterey and we encountered rough seas returning from Carmel Bay.

Even now, it takes me a second to build myself up to jump into the deep end of the pool - and i simply can't do a diving board...

I've been able to conquer one aspect of my fear by learning to snorkel during my first cruise. I almost stayed on the catamaran that day, but when I saw all the other guys who'd never done it before and the trepidations that they had - plus all the guides in the water with us - I decided that I had to jump in and ended up having a great time! :D

...of course, the following morning back on Oosterdam I awoke to the sound of water hitting my verandah doors! I thought that my worst fear had come true: we had been hit by a rogue wave and were going to roll over just like the movies!!! :eek:

I jumped out of bed - to the amazement of my cabin steward who had come through the verandahs and was hosing off the decks...

:o

I've got it...the big blue space is the big open blue water! is someone trying to be funny?:D

I get panic attacks every so often so my Doctor gave me a small prescription of Lorazapam. I hardly ever use it but just knowing that I've got it helps a great deal.

Last year we went on our second cruise and I was fine the whole time (although I admit I did immediately check to make sure we had a table close to a door). We are going on a cruise in 15 days and have booked one as well for next Dec.

The only panic attacks I have are on disembarkation day. :) Just the thought have having to hustle it back through the airport ... lugging all of my heavy luggage ... sitting on a crowded airplane ... not having all that good food and service anymore ... is enough to spur one.

But ... getting onboard ... and during the cruise itself? Oh, man ... panic is the farthest thing from my mind.

I guess I should say that when I was much younger and didn't travel much, I would sometimes suffer panic attacks when I found myself in a new environment ... by myself. This would mainly be on trips that my job sent me on for various trainings and such. But then ... the panic attacks were just as a result of being in a new environment and not having met anyone there yet. Once I started going to the classes or the trainings, and met other folks, the panic attacks quickly subsided.

Maybe the cruise experience is still so new to you yet that you are having them? If so, don't fret. They'll subside in no time ... especially on a Holland America ship. :)

Blue skies!

--rita

Hmmmm. I've had anxiety over such things as flying but never anything to the point of a panic attack. But I do sympathize with anyone who does because I have had such things when it came to worries about work - usually late at night which keeps you up all night.

I wasn't sure if I would be a great cruiser myself the first time as I suffered my first case of claustrophobia visiting a naval submarine in San Francisco. In addtion, I can't swim (remember Nonnie on The Poseidon Adventure - I'm the male version, ha ha ha!)

Anyway, fog, the disappearance of land and a storm on the second night out were all encountered on my previous cruise. I still loved the trip and didn't get seasick at all which made me a happy camper. I thought I'd be the last person with sea legs but I guess I have them.

To those who suffer panic attacks do whatever you need to do to calm yourself (don't be embarrassed by what others might think) and it certainly helps to go with an understanding companion.Take the chance and go on the cruise. Sometimes facing your fears is the best way to conquer it.

Yes, this thread is definitely displaying weirdly.

Anyway, for whoever posted about the trip on the SS United States, you may be interested to know (if you don't already) that she is still afloat, although she hasn't gone anywhere under her own power since 1969.

http://hometown.aol.com/ssus2/

She is docked in Philadelphia and is owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines. They have said that they are studying the feasability of using her as an American flagged vessel in their Hawaiian trade. NCL tried to buy her in 1977, but the US Navy, which subsidized her construction and still had options to turn her into a troop ship, wouldn't allow her to be sold to a foreign company. NCL bought the SS France, instead, renaming her the Norway.

BTW, the SS United States still holds the record as the fastest ocean liner ever built. Her top speed was 45mph. Modern cruise ships have top speeds of around 22mph. Richard Branson, the owner of Virgin Airways, built a 70 foot power boat a few years ago and, officially, took the Blue Ribband away from her, but to me, that doesn't count. Moving a 70 foot yacht that probably didn't weigh more that 20 or 30 tons at that speed is nothing compared to moving a 50,000 ton liner.

Paul Noble

Brian...thanks for sharing all your 'fear of water' memories... How nice of you to offer these for svguy1, for support and comraderie(sp)! I'm so glad there was a 'happy ending' to your story... not much of a surprise since it looks like you are quite a fan of cruising. ;)

Svguy...I hope you find the courage to try cruising, and when and if you do, I hope you enjoy every moment.:)

I also did a Transatlantic on the S.S. United States from Bremerhaven back to New York in the early 50's, and got very seasick! (Think we took the S.S. Washington over (??) Got sick then, too) I remember absolutely hating my sick-less little brother who got to play with other kids and eat chocolate ice cream while I lay on my bunk, barfing. It wasn't fear of water - it was the fear of getting seasick, and I'm sure I threw a few tantrums before boarding! Interestingly, though, I've only been seasick once since then, and that was on an overnight sail to Saba from St. Maarten on a tall ship. I'm one of those fortunate ones who was born to love water (as a kid, I used to snorkel in the bathtub and cry endlessly if we didn't stop at a motel with a pool...brat that I was). I had panic attacks when the neighborhood pool was closed for the winter!

noblepa,

Thanks :)

Being a nautical junkie, as well as a history buff, I am well aware of the status of the SS United States. When I was on the Oosterdam last year I had a wonderful dinner with Mr. Deering, who was the Hotel Manager. Before coming back to HAL he had been with Norwegian and had been one of several staff officers who had toured her after Norwegian bought her. His input was that it should be done, but that it would be an expensive refit and she wouldn't look the same. :(

I have panic attacks when riding in a car my son is driving.

lkt

I can't imagine what it must be like to have this condition and worry about whether you might have a panic attack. I congratulate you for having developed coping strategies and for being adventurous enough to try new activities and new environments.

I did go through a period when I was having unrealistic fears and anxiety over trivial things. I finally traced it to a prescription decongestant. These feelings surfaced when I took the medication. When I told my doctor, she stopped ordering that medication for me and my problem disappeared.

 

BTW, the SS United States still holds the record as the fastest ocean liner ever built. Her top speed was 45mph. Modern cruise ships have top speeds of around 22mph. Richard Branson, the owner of Virgin Airways, built a 70 foot power boat a few years ago and, officially, took the Blue Ribband away from her, but to me, that doesn't count. Moving a 70 foot yacht that probably didn't weigh more that 20 or 30 tons at that speed is nothing compared to moving a 50,000 ton liner.

 

Paul Noble

In my book that 70 foot "whatever" doesn't count either. :)