anyone suffer from anxiety ?

I leave in less than 2 weeks, and I am very excited, but I also suffer from anxiety, and am worried that I won't like it or that I will be sick the whole time. Although I love the idea, I'm afraid that I might panic at being out to sea...no land around for days. I mean when you say it, it sounds wonderful, which is the reason I choose the vacation, but now that the day is coming closer, the actuality of it might be a little confining. Anyone else have the same issues, and how did it turn out? Was it really not that bad? I know I am worrying too much, which is what I always do, and I have a full bottle of xanax to reassure me, but it doesn't help right now.

I, too, suffer from anxeity and have the same exact fears that you do. Unfortunately, I have not cruised before, so I cant tell you how it turned out, but just wanted to let you know you arent the only one

I am no longer worried about the confining part after I looked too a "virtual tour" of our ship on the Carnival site. The ship is huge and I dont ever see us running out of things to do or feeling trapped by any means. I am very much afraid that we will be too young for the particular cruise we chose and that I will spend the whole time in bed b/c of seasickness or that it just wont be what I imagined it to be. Then I also have the tacked on fears that something will go wrong at home and that I wont be able to get back soon enough if it happens to be an "at-sea" day. Ugh - I know how you feel - this condition is exhausting especially when planning something big like this!

Let me know when you get back how things went.

I hope you have a great time!!

Carnival Victory, here I come!

I too, know how you feel. The movie "Titanic" kept playing through my head before our first cruise. But the ships are very safe and millions of people cruise every year. I always felt better when I thought about all of the people that work on the ship year round. It must not be too bad or they wouldn't be there. The very first thing they do is have a fire drill so that everyone knows where their life jackets are and where their lifeboat is. Yes, everyone is assigned to a certain life boat.

As for feeling boxed in, I never felt that way. Especially when on the pool on the top deck looking up at the sun. I never felt too far away from civilization because we were always passing by islands and other ships. And if there is an emergency, the ship will pull into the nearest port and let you off if it's really important. One woman said her husband was very ill, so they stopped at the nearest port and let him off of the ship. You are never too far from an island or port.

As for seasickness, I never had it but talked to many people who have. They said there is a doctor's office right there on the ship and they can give you medicine to alleviate the symptoms. They cannot give you those patches that go behind your ear because they are prescription only. And many people swear by those patches. But, as for getting sick, you do have a doctor right there on board to help you.

As for cruises in general, I think you will love it. I have yet to talk to anyone who said they hated it. It took 12 years of marriage and lots of nagging before my husband finally conceded to going on a cruise. But now, he's hooked and counts the days until our next cruise. Before our first cruise, he complained that there wouldn't be much to do in between ports and he would probably get bored. He also didn't like the idea of being locked into a schedule and only going to certain ports and only for one day each.

Well, he changed his tune after that first cruise. No packing and unpacking. No long trips in the car for hours on end. No searching for good prices at a hotel. No searching for a good deal for a rental car. Everything is taken care of for you. You just walk off of the ship, play on the beach, eat, drink, and shop. Then you go back to your room to rest. No packing and driving to the next destination.

As for things to do on the ship. Well, there's bingo, a casino, lots of lounges with live music, drinking and dancing. There's lots of swimming pools and pool games going on. We like to go on scavenger hunts or participate in the trivia contests. Every day your cabin attendant will give you a schedule of events for the next day. There are all types of activities scheduled every hour. Anything from cooking classes, to wine tasting, to art auctions can be found on the schedule. If you can't find anything to do on the ship, then you're probably very hard to please. Because there are lots of activities to choose from. I find that I worry like crazy until I get on the ship. Then, once I'm on the ship, I'm so busy doing stuff that I forget about my worries. I hope this helps. And don't worry, you'll love your cruise. One cruise and we're all hooked. Just look at all of the people on these message boards. They can't wait till their next cruise. It must be safe and fun or everyone on these boards wouldn't be so excited about cruising!

keep taking your meds and you will be fine

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victory...august, 2004

glory...2003

disney...2000

sun line...1984

I,too,suffer from anxiety. I am only in my twenties,and will be going on my first ctuise in September. I take an as needed tranquilizer,but am not on something I need to take daily. What I am most concerned with is that I also have Irrritible Bowel Syndrome. I am afraid of being ill while on the cruise. I am a nervous wreck...Anyone else with IBS? If so,how do you deal? I know this is getting off topic,sorry.

GucciGal - there was a whole thread dealing with IBS not too long ago - here is the link, I hope it works.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=29306&highlight=IBS

I have a very real (for me) but logically ludicrous fear of ships, fear of being boxed in, and claustrophobia (all three different things). I have cruised twice and love it. I would do it again tonmorrow if someone paid for it. All I can tell you is that we must all face our fears in our own way and time. For me it was a matter of getting as close to that ship's funnel as I could, knowing how to get out if there was a fire, and mentally tallying where I would go from various areas of the ship if we went down.

I don't have IBS but do have OABS, and can tell you there are a multitude of bathrooms on board - not just at your cabin. Be careful what you eat if that is what triggers it or your anxiety level or whatever it is that triggers it for you.

As for sea sickness, if you tell you physician you are going on a cruise, they will often write a prescription for the patch. I took Bonine each night to avoid anything that might happen. I was fine even on the one night we had where a lot got sick from the rough waters.

I hope you are able to overcome your fears and enjoy yourself. It is a lovely way to vacation and what a great way to see different places - not to mention the real color of the water out in the ocean - beautiful!

I am going to look at it is exciting, and not worthy of my anxiety. Although I have never been seasick before, even on a catamaran trip, I have never been on anything this long before, or this far out in the ocean. I did get the prescription for the patch, and although I have a fear of taking medication (anything that I have not taken before) I am going to start it the day before. I have Dramamine, which I have taken before, just in case I have side effects from the patch, and want to discontinue it. I purposefully picked this itinerary b/c I of the 2 stops in Florida - if I really need to, I can get a car and drive home! I know that sounds ridiculous, but in order to not panic, I always need to have an "out". If all goes well, I will definitely try again somewhere more exotic!

Just so that you are aware, there will be side effects with the patch, it all just depends on how much they bother you. You will most likely have a dry mouth feeling and I have heard people say they have trouble focusing when they are using the patch. I would try the Dramamine (or Bonine) first and maybe even take some ginger capsules and then have the patch as a back up or last resort. You also are not supposed to drink at all while using the patch.

Have fun!

My mom has severe anxiety. She is 57 years old and had not been on a plane since 1969. We somehow convinced her (and made sure she had her Valium with her!) to go with us on Adventure last year.

She never felt boxed in (even in an inside cabin), she wore the patch so she never got seasick, and she tried everything!! It was the first time she left the NY area in so long. Now she is addicted. She went on her second cruise a few months ago and we are now getting ready for her third! The patch did not have any side effects on her. She normally goes to bed at home around 8:00 pm, and on the ship she outlasted some of the younger people!

I guess her excitement about traveling cancelled out her fear and anxiety. She still gets very nervous on the plane, but we all do. :o

Here are some fun things to really worry about:

1. What type of suntan lotion to use

2. What foo-foo drinks you can drink

3. What shoes to wear to dinner

4. How many island t-shirts to buy

5. How many trips can you make to the breakfast buffet

6. Should you play Bingo tonight? Or see a show? or both!

GucciGal, I have IBS too. I have been lucky. But I do not go on excursions that will put me in the middle of nowhere. For instance I would not go snorkeling off a catamaran, because there is nowhere to run when I have to go!

I too have anxiety and know how you feel. I don't cruise until February 2005. But I keep reading and reading these boards. There is so much information here that it does help put me at ease. I will be 61 and my DH will be 65 when we cruise and I wonder just how we will get around, if the tours will be too much for us (he has a lot of back trouble and cannot walk any distance at this time). And I am sure the anxiety list will expand lots before we depart.

I do want to thank everyone for all of their wonderful information. I feel like a sponge and just keep absorbing and absorbing.

Hi, lbandbuggy,

I'd like to hear how it goes when you get back.

In my case (and hope it is the same with you), the cruise was a treatment rather than a cause!

I did some things on the cruise that scared me at first (like the Discover SCUBA--was worried about panicking 25 feet under water, but it was so calm and relaxing down there, it was just the opposite once I remembered to breathe :) ). In my experience (easier said than done sometimes) being bold and jumping into scary situations actually helps in the long run!

The only big thing I haven't overcome yet is the fear of flight. I am still nervous flying down and back. I can only hope after lots more flights, that will go away, as I avoid cruising from ports of departure farther than Miami for that reason, so far.

Lots of luck!

Todd

I am going to look at it is exciting, and not worthy of my anxiety. Although I have never been seasick before, even on a catamaran trip, I have never been on anything this long before, or this far out in the ocean. I did get the prescription for the patch, and although I have a fear of taking medication (anything that I have not taken before) I am going to start it the day before. I have Dramamine, which I have taken before, just in case I have side effects from the patch, and want to discontinue it. I purposefully picked this itinerary b/c I of the 2 stops in Florida - if I really need to, I can get a car and drive home! I know that sounds ridiculous, but in order to not panic, I always need to have an "out". If all goes well, I will definitely try again somewhere more exotic!

uummm, I don't fly very well either! I'm a mess! LOL I do fly if I have to, but would rather not. I drive to Florida for vacations, and this cruise is out of Baltimore, where I live. My first flight was really horrible for me (I wanted off, and I meant it) I guarantee everyone on the plane still has not forgotten me! I am not that bad anymore, but if I do not take enough xanax or valium, I do cry almost the whole time, while waiting for the plane to begin crashing at any moment. I can't help it. But I don't let it stop me anymore, I do it, I'm just scared. Which is where I am at with this cruise - but I have decided that I will not be scared or worried, I have meds for anxiety and motion sickness, enough for at least double the length of the cruise, and now I just CAN'T WAIT! Thanks everyone...

Just a question, but do you take the Zanax and the motion sickness medicine together? I would have to take both to fly.:confused:

I feel your pain....I am one of the many others who has that anxiety issue. However, it has never been a problem when cruising! My anxiety usually arises in the months prior to the cruise, worrying about silly things that could go wrong. Fortunately my doctor prescribed Zoloft for me and it keeps me from looking for things to worry about. It really does help tremendously. We have 27 days to go until our 4th cruise and can hardly wait!!!

Good Luck!

Kay

Nordic Empress 97

Majesty of the Seas 99

Celebration 02

Elation 7/25/04

I leave in less than 2 weeks, and I am very excited, but I also suffer from anxiety, and am worried that I won't like it or that I will be sick the whole time. Although I love the idea, I'm afraid that I might panic at being out to sea...no land around for days. I mean when you say it, it sounds wonderful, which is the reason I choose the vacation, but now that the day is coming closer, the actuality of it might be a little confining. Anyone else have the same issues, and how did it turn out? Was it really not that bad? I know I am worrying too much, which is what I always do, and I have a full bottle of xanax to reassure me, but it doesn't help right now.

I don't have anxiety so perhaps I'm approaching it the wrong way but this is how I would do it. First of all, make a list of all the things you feel anxious about. Wrong clothing? Sunburn? Seasickness? Not knowing anyone else? Ship goes down? Fire? Falling overboard? Whatever it is. Then, make a plan for every possible outcome, taking into consideration the resources on board the ship. If you can't make a plan for something, find a place to ask your question here on Cruise Critic. I think I'm safe in saying that if you can imagine it, someone here has undergone it, and survived!

So - wrong/no clothing/suitcases lost? The ship has a store on board. Charge it and sort it out with the airline/cruiseline/etc. at home.

Sunburn - take spf 60 lotion with you and use it every hour or stay indoors. Take aloe vera/similar gel with you in case you do get burned. If it is that bad, see the ship's doctor.

Seasickness - talk to your doctor now about what you can do, particularly since you are on medication. Will you do something in advance or just deal with it if it happens. If it happens despite your precautions, see ship's doctor.

Not knowing anyone else - go to the Singles get-together, sign up for a dance class, make friends with the bartender who will introduce you to others, ask for an 8-person table so you can meet people, or just enjoy your own company!

Ship goes down - go to the lifeboat drill and pay attention, read all the safety information before you board, research statistics and current events so you can see how realistic (not!) this is, learn your way around the ship early and understand the procedures

Fire - go to the lifeboat drill and pay attention, get a smoke hood and keep it with you as you travel, do some research on what to do in case of fire, figure out how to find the nearest stairs (in two directions on both sides of the ship) from your cabin by counting doors or otherwise without good lighting, be conscious and be reassured by how many smoke detectors/alarms/sprinklers there are

Falling overboard - barring the previous two circumstances, this is actually really, really hard to do unless you insist on recreating that scene from Titanic where Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet go "flying." Stay away from the edge of the decks though, especially if you've been drinking heavily. Even then, you really have to work at falling overboard.

Etc., etc., etc.

Anyway, this is just how I'd approach it, as I say, you have to do what works for you. If nothing else, it will give you something to do in the meantime. Good luck and enjoy your travels!

This thread is exactly what I have been looking for! I do have some issues with anxiety and would be extremely interested in hearing how your cruise is. I hope you have a very happy and PEACEFUL trip.

I don't know if you feel this way too, but when I feel like I'm going to have an anxiety/panic attack, I don't really know what it is that I'm scared of. I just know that I'm terrified- mostly a doomed feeling that makes me feel like I'm going to die for some unknown reason. I either feel like I'm going to pass out or I'm very nauseated. I love to talk to people and and I'm not afraid of crowds but for some crazy reason, every now and then- when I least expect it, Bam! I'm terrified and I have to get up and move around, pace, go to the bathroom several times... but it's usually a time that it seems there's no reason for it. Now with terrorism on top of it, I've dreamed up 10,000 ways to die at sea! Usually I can laugh at it, but this exact subject has crossed my mind several times. All I can say is that I don't know what I'm scared of because I'm a very laid back person, but I'm praying that it is not going to follow me on this relaxing vacation in October. I've even thought of ordering "Attacking Anxiety" which is an infomercial that I've seen. It's a few hundred dollars, but it may be worth it. Just hearing that other people had the same thoughts and feelings helped me. It took me a while after I had my first anxiety attack to realize that I most likely wasn't actually physically sick and was really in good health. Now if I feel uneasy I try to keep my mind busy so it stops racing with negative thoughts. I guess the realization that I was actually making myself sick and it was in my head helped me become less panicky because at first, I thought I was always either having a stroke or heart attack!

Anyway, enough of this talk! Keep your mind busy with happy thoughts and please let me know how your trip goes! You can e-mail me directly at cruisinaround2004@yahoo.com.

Cruisin Around--what you said sounds really familiar to me.

To all with (or suspect they have) panic disorder or a closely-related anxiety disorder:

It's common and is caused by serotonin imbalance. The fear attaches itself to certain situations--if it happens a few times in a specific place, for example, your subconscious learns to become afraid of that place. If you then avoid the place, the fear then attaches itself to something else instead. On the flip side, if you put yourself in the situations you fear, it drives the fear away.

Medicines of various types help--Zoloft-Xanax combo is a good one, but the exact medicine depends on the exact situation, and a professional must decide that.

The cost of a psychiatrist is worth the result. Forget the stigma--people who would judge you for that are worthless, and most won't.

Pressure and tension often bring it on, and relaxation can be the cure. Or just letting go and really partying. Hence the usefulness of a cruise!!!

Note that much of what I said applies to depression as well--they are related.

Good luck!

Todd

I will take the patch and xanax together, my doc said they wouldn't do anything together, other then making me sleepy. My anxiety takes hold when I am placed in situation where I could be killed and have no control of it. I worry that the plane will go down, the ship will sink, etc. I can't ride with anyone, I always drive, ALWAYS. I need to be in control, and I need the ability to leave, get out, whatever. Big concerts or crowds, where I might get trampled, forget it. If I go to a club or crowded restaurant, I find myself constantly checking where I am in relation to an exit. If I ever have to ride a bus, I must be in opne of the front seats. That night club fire and those soccer events...won't happen to me b/c I will never be in that situation.

So I guess my biggest fear about the cruise would be that the ship would sink, and I would be left fighting for my life in the open sea. Rationally, I know that, even if it did sink, (which it won't) the coast guard or someone would be make it there to help right away. It still doesn't detract from the fear of having to live through it if it did sink, and the thought that something might happen to my husband and I couldn't save him. Just think of what kind of mess I will be when I have kids!

Thanks for everyone who responded to me, it does feel better to know that I am not the only one who is worried. Like I said before, I do not let it stop me from doing things, I just have a harder time with it then most. I will update everyone when I get back, as I am leaving in 5 DAYS!!!

Cruising Around - I saw that same infomercial just last night and it brought me to tears listening to those people share their stories and see how much I really related to them. I, too, was thinking of ordering it, but then I have the added fear of having my anxiety "cured" and then being too "happy go lucky" and then not being prepared enough for things when they do go wrong. I almost take a little comfort in my anxiety b/c for some reason the on-edge feeling makes me feel like I am doing more to ensure I am prepared for bad things. I am one of those people who gets really nervous when things are going well b/c thats a sure sign that something is going to go very wrong soon. I have a hard time calming down after bad events and stopping the worrying about something b/c of the uneasiness that I feel when there is nothing wrong. (wow, that sure makes me sound nuts).

Anyway, lbandbuggy, have a wonderful time on your cruise. I can't wait to hear how much fun you had when you come back!

Carey

Don't worry it will all be fine. The boat doesn't move up and down a lot or sway....... but if you are weary of movements then try something besides a cruise or umm take sea sick medicine.......:D

I feel your pain. I've suffered from panic disorder for about 20 years. Had my first panic attack on a cruise -- I was off the boat, getting ready for a snorkeling trip. I was alone (in a crowd of strangers), and 19 years old. But I didn't back out -- I hung tight and enjoyed the trip after all.

Since then, I've had therapy and been on medications. About 8 years ago, I finally reached the point where I need nothing on any regular basis. When confronted with severe situations (like public speaking), I will take a Xanax in advance, and I sail right through. But it's rare that I need to take anything.

You will be fine -- a key to this disorder is not letting it run your life. Once you give in and start avoiding things because of it, it will affect everything you do. Just breathe, realize nothing bad is happening. Modern cruise ships don't sink -- when have you heard of that happening? You are safe.If you feel an attack coming on, talk to your traveling companions to help distract you.

And, lucky me, I have terrible motion sickness. I wore the patch on the cruise 20 years ago, and it fixed the sickness. But I had dry mouth, and my vision blurred to the point of not being able to read my handwriting. I'm planning on just doing with Dramamine this next time (non-drowsy kind). Hope that will do it!

So, relax and enjoy. It's a big floating hotel -- nothing bad will happen. They have doctors to look out for you. Your family/friends will help you. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, so do what you feel comfortable doing. :)

I leave in less than 2 weeks, and I am very excited, but I also suffer from anxiety.

Trust me. As soon as you get settled onboard and see how your every need is anticipated before you can even give voice to it, you will relax and start enjoying it almost immediately! If you're gonna have anxiety, it will be over the thought of getting off the boat at the end of the cruise! :)

I never thought I would like cruising and only booked my first cruise because I wanted to attend the writer's workshop that was being held on that sailing. Once I was onboard, I instantly fell in love with it ... and we had some extremely rough seas on a couple of nights.

In my opinion, there is no environment more relaxing than a cruise. You pack/unpack once. You have everything taken care of for you, so you have nothing to do except what you want to do. You stop at some interesting ports and can do some fun things ... IF you want to. Otherwise, you can just opt to stay on the boat.

Yep, one cruise was all it took. Now I'm an addict ... and I'll bet you'll become one too!

Go and enjoy! :)

Blue skies ...

--rita

Hi Everyone,

Apparently my e-mail notification of additional posts to this topic wasn't working! I finally did a search and found you guys again! It is very comforting to know that I'm not alone! And...to know we're not crazy! That was something that I worried about too! "Gee, now I'm worried I worry too much!"

Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you all again! I hope everyone enjoys a worry free cruise!

1bandbuggy...

be sure to report back to let us know how much you enjoyed the cruise. i said a prayer for you while you were sailing.

Kay