Those that cruise with panic/ anxiety problems.

[Cootchie49]

There is a new anti-anxiety med out- Niravam- that is a melt-in-your-mouth type, so you don't have to wait so long for it to work and you don't need to take it with water. It's the same drug as Xanax.

 

Don't let the Freds get you down!

[Fredr]

hello,

 

I certainly did not mean to imply in any way that persons who suffer from anxiety or panic attacks should not attempt to overcome these difficulties or should not live life to its fullest. I believe, however, that a cruise ship might well add to a person's difficulties because of such factors as cabin space, tendering, the sea itself looming out there, and some passengers who may inadvertently cause distress through inappropriate conversation. And then there are the ports of call. Traveling in a foreign country can be stressful for even the most seasoned travelers.

 

An idea is to try a 4 day cruise initially and see how it goes.

 

Hope that this helps,

 

Fred

[firewaterfarm]

Thanks so much for referring this thread to me Cindy!

It's great, and it's really helped!

It helps to hear that other people feel exactly like you do.

Have fun on your cruise, and I will do the same.

[cnr1stcruise]

Firewaterfarm~

Im glad you found it ok and read through it. Everyone here has been so honest and helpful. My cruise is not until August. When is yours and do you have to fly? I do not have to fly, and never will! lol

 

 

Hello everyone, I took a big step in my anxiety yesterday. I think I had the motivation from this board. I got a part time job. I have been a SAHM for the last 9 years. I start next week. Im not as scared or anxiety ridden as I thought I would be. I hope my first day of work I can be relaxed and remember I am not alone and there are caring people out there supporting me! Im even more excited for my cruise now, once I get used to working I may just feel like I can do anything! (with or without Zanex) I take it if I have to and I don't worry about it, or If I can do things without it then more power to me.:)

 

Cindy!

[Everydaymatters]

Flying is my great fear. A friend suggested I call the doc to get two tranquilizers to get me through the flights to and from the cruise.

Does anyone know if there is anything that does not cause drowsiness?

[cnr1stcruise]

I take Zanex, but I have never flown and that makes me very relaxed/drowsy. I would think you would want to be drowsy, then you could sleep your troubles away =}

[cnr1stcruise]

Well hello all!

 

My cruise in August seems to be getting closer for some reason! Im starting to feel anxious, now and then. I have decided to drive down to the port the night before with my family, I want to be close to the ship and get comfortable with my surroundings. This way I don't think I will stress as much as I would driving down the actual day the ship leaves. Anyone here familiar with Los Angelos port? I only live 1 1/2 hours away but don't go down there much. I would need a hotel room for 3 adults and 2 kids. Any areas I should NOT look at? I want to be maybe 10 minutes at most from the dock. What's the best way to get a good hotel rate? I am someone who camps a lot with a trailer so I hardly ever need a hotel.

 

Thankyou everyone.:)

 

Happy sailing!

 

P.S. anyone just go on a cruise that wrote on this board about their anxiety? I would like to know how it went for you.........

 

Thanks!

Cindy

[misfit cruiser]

I survived! We had an amazing time, possibly the best week of my life. It didn't come without a mental and physical cost, though! We've been back almost a week and I still haven't regained my equilibrium.

 

I had been really worried about having to meet so many new people and tried to think of what to do. The first day, we were in the hot tub, and another couple came in - hi, complete strangers a foot and a half from us! Small-talk sends me into sweaty-palms land. I decided that I would cope with the onslaught of new faces by essentially using vacation-laziness: it's easy to just ask someone where they're from, how they liked the ports, and then listen. I found that when other people are in Vacation Mode, they're happy to carry a conversation. You have things in common immediately - you're on a ship, you're on vacation, you went on an excursion, you want to know when the chocolate buffet is going to open.

 

The size of the ship was a boon - it was huge, and therefore there was ample space for the number of passengers. The only times I had trouble with crowds were at the Lido buffet at peak times, and the Photo Shop around dinnertime. One of the Formal night photo sessions was so crowded I began to panic, so we waited until later and were able to get a photo. And we just went earlier or later to the Lido buffet, or got Room Service. It was easier to work around than I'd feared at first. (The Lido buffet at lunch the first day was chaos, and I was really worried it'd be that way all the time.)

 

Our table in the Miracle dining room was in a corner, and the space is set up to give the illusion of intimacy, so there was a nice feeling of safety. Thank god we had great tablemates who were happy to fill the gaps in conversation - I'd been very worried about that and did experience some discomfort anyway, but it went well. I was actually really glad to have ended up at a 6-top, because it's easier to let so many other people carry on the conversation and talk about their lives, and you can dip in when you feel comfortable. The decor in the dining room is definitely overstimulating, but so dark that it all just sort of blends together (even the pink lights aren't that disctracting). It is noisy, but again we were in a corner so it wasn't bad.

 

I'd made it a goal to smile and greet each crew member I passed during the week, and this was great practice. This continued on into the ports, especially in Cozumel where I tried out my rusty Spanish. A warning about Cozumel - you have to steel yourself for haggling. I normally hate being approached in a store; I either know what I want, or I need breathing space to browse. You can do some haggling, and then when you're exhausted from it, retire to Los Cincos Soles, where the prices are fixed. They'll offer assistance, but back off when you say "no thanks." The street vendors are very aggressive, following you around and handing things to you.

 

After our day in Cozumel, I hit complete greeting burnout and spent the next 24 hours in shell mode, just relaxing and reading in the stateroom, and avoiding as much sensory input as possible. Then I hit a sort of second wind after Belize, which sent me into a bit of a manic overdrive for the duration of the week. I don't mean manic in the literal sense, but it began to become compulsive to greet people; I was afraid if I stopped at all I'd just collapse. So I went with it, and had a brilliant time, but as soon as we got home I realized I was just completely exhausted. I got more social interaction in one week than I've had all year, and am still reeling from it. I only wish that I could manage it all the time, without going bonkers. It felt good to practice extending myself socially while also having the safety of our cabin and the choice to refrain from shipboard activities.

 

One thing I would advise is that if you really want to be relaxed on shore excursions, do book with the ship. I really thought I could handle independent excursions, because you do have a better experience and spend a lot less. But two of the three excursions we scheduled off-ship ended up running a little long, and in Belize we almost missed the ship. Thus I got the lovely honor of being The Person Freaking Out On The Boat for the last hour of each tour. Everything I did to try to relax and ride it out failed. It really marred my memories of parts of those days, because it was just so much anxiety and fear, and at the time I just kept kicking myself for not just booking through the ship if I was going to be so freaked out.

 

I hope that this is helpful to someone. Be prepared to pace yourself and/or be completely out of commission for a while after your trip. It went so much better than I'd hoped, but it was definitely overstimulating and exhausting. And it was good practice for behavioral-therapy type stuff. I do take meds, and they absolutely helped too. I will probably forever obsess over all my "duh, idiot" moments anyway, but I just keep telling myself that nobody cared, nobody else would remember if they even noticed.

[cnr1stcruise]

Thankyou for your post! It sounds like you had a good time. Im glad you greeted each crew memeber. That was a good step in socializing! Your post was absolutely informative and gives me hope! I will not be booking any excursions through the ship though. I probably won't do any at all. I am fearful of being on other peoples time limits. I like to come and go as I please. So we may or may not get off the ship, besides we are only doing San diego, Catalina and Ensenada. Im a little afraid to be driven by someone in a run down car in ensenada, or to take a bus! What if I freak out! LOL. We won't have to worry about table mates, since we are going in a group of relatives, we will all sit together, but actually that is one thing I like. I like talking to people, but of course I have to hit my comfort zone first or I am very shy. Im so proud of you for being social! There is not any reason to say you can't learn to be social any time you want, you did it on the ship, what's the difference if you do it at home? :)

 

What meds do you take? I just take Zanex as needed.

 

I booked a hotel about 5 minutes from the port, so I feel really good about that. We will go down the day before and get the feel of everything. Im really feeling less stressed and looking forward to it.:D

 

Thanks again for your post Misfit!

 

Cindy

[cnr1stcruise]

Ok guys, my cruise is getting closer. Im starting to feel the anxiety! Only, Im feeling excitement too.:eek:

 

Anyone cruise lately???

 

HAve a good day!

 

Cindy

[xhoosa]

Peggy, I have to admit that was funny :D

 

This thread is so long I forgot who asked the question, but anyways. I suffer from anxiety attacks due to claustrophobia. I realize that my anxiety is from thinking about things that could happen. I get diarrhea :( and the heart racing and sweating. I decided not to pay attention to this anymore. This year I plan to get on a plane before the year is over and deal with it. I refuse to go through life without enjoying the things I like just because of "what could happen". :cool: My suggestion is that you get a balcony, it helps me a lot. If I feel the ship rocking in the middle of the night, I go outside to see what's going on and that helps me relax.

[cnr1stcruise]

xhoosa~ I am the one who started this thread:D Thankyou for your post. I too get diarrhea:eek: My fears go right to my stomach. So todays news report did not help, about that ship "listing!" Geez, I asked my hubby, "what if there is a Tsunami? What if this, what if that and do you know what the smart a$$ said to me? What if you have fun!!!! End of that conversation. He's right, what if I do have fun? Heaven forbid! On that sarcastic note, we have 19, (YIKES )days left and then we are off sailing into the sunset! Breathe, Cindy, breathe.............

 

Ok, Im alright now. Thankyou to all the wonderful posters! May we all sail happily into the sunset with no fears!:D

[UpstateCruizer]

I will be awaiting your update after the cruise :) I too have anxiety/panic disorder. If you had asked me 5 years ago if I'd have flown in a plane again I'd have laughed. For the past 3 years I've gone on vacation and flown. I love flying it gets me there quicker and less stress than driving for hours or days. I take Xanax before boarding the plane and have no trouble with anxiety. I also book very early morning flights (6am-7am). This minimizes airport crowds and everything is generally very laid back at that hour. I find myself sleeping through the flights. I don't think I need the Xanax as I'm lulled to sleep by the vibrations. I refuse to allow anxiety/panic disorder to take anything else from me. Having to deal with it on a daily basis I'm determined to enjoy life. I did book our very first cruise and plan on enjoying it to the fullest. My biggest cruise fear is the Muster Drill. Not because I don't want to stand out in the heat or because I don't value it's importance but because this is one of my biggest anxiety triggers. Standing in large crowds and being confined to that area sends my heart racing and my head spinning. Anyone have any tips on how to best minimize this during this drill?? Is there a place to position myself so that I feel minimally trapped during the drill? Staying home is not an option :)

[NewYorker@Heart]

After I booked my first cruise two years ago, I started to panic. I couldn't believe what I had done! I talked to my doctor about my fear of having anxiety problems on board. He gave me a scrip for Xanax, which I took with me and never needed! Maybe knowing it was available helped. Now I am totally addicted to cruising, and the second time was so much easier.

 

I am just the opposite. I went on my first cruise and never gave it a second thought. My second cruise is in 10 days and I am freaking out mostly because of what happened on the Crown Princess.

[NewYorker@Heart]

Hi everyone,

 

I am going on my 2nd cruise and am freaking out this time. I was fine and didn't worry about a thing the first time. I think because of what happened with Crown Princess I am a little freaked out and am thinking about all the things that could go wrong. I also try to remember how many ships sail each week but I'm still freaking out.

 

Thanks.

[SCEPFAM]

I'll be sailing on the Crown 8/25. This is my third cruise. First one I was totally freaked, even though I grew up on boats, the thought of the endless ocean, fear of my son falling over etc. My husband was real patient with me, I did drink more than usual the first day or so (storm too). The second cruise was last summer, I loved it. This cruise I have been a litlle nervous 'cause my whole family, plus another 25 are cruising for my daughter's wedding. I have been having nightmares of stupid things going wrong. Usually everyone laughs at me becuase they know I'm a worrier and have some phobias. THEN the news comes on about the Crown listing. Well, right now I am beyond stressed. I feel that our cruise will probably take place as planned, but I want answers to this listing. Plus, I don't think I'll be sleeping to well on the ship. My one daughter,, and my younger son are also quite worried. I decided to take xanax or something similar at night rather than make everyone nuts. That said. I do have to state that my favorite vacations, and we've had alot, have been our cruises. I'll try to be otpimistic for my daughters sake.

[seamama1]

I just have to come in here a minute. I suffered anxiety/panic attacks for years in my 30's and early 40's. Terrible ones that would wake me up in the middle of the night, heart beating, fingers numb, unable to breathe. I truly though I was going to die. I cannot tell you the number of times I asked Mr. D to take me to the hospital convinced I was drawing my last breath. One could hit me anywhere; in the supermarket, excercise class, walking down the street. I can certainly relate.

 

I was always a "take charge of my own life" woman. In all aspects of my life, I was a leader, good mother, good wife, active in the community, owned my own business and ran it successfully....everything one would hope for. These attacks just threw me terribly and made me so worried about when the next one was going to happen. As the OP knows, you have no control over where and when this will happen.

 

My dear doctor (who was also a family friend) said that, barring some sort of chemical imbalance which I didn't have, these attacks were stress related. I kept saying I wasn't under stress and I really believed I wasn't. He explained the "subconscience" stress thing which I'm sure OP has heard. He said the only way to get rid of this terrible thing is to get rid of the stress! Not having any, I didn't know where to start; so I suffered for years. Even a good shrink didn't help!

 

Then, in 1981, sad to say, my marriage broke up. As awful as that was, with all the attending heartbreak, from the time Mr. D left the house, I never had another attack! The subconscience is a powerful thing. What a blessing I have had the last 20-some-odd-years to be free of those awful events. I hope you find what your flash point is. I hope you can find the things to get rid of that will ease your stress and put an end to these terrible episodes. Anyone who has never had one cannot imagine how dreadful they can be! My sympathies are with you!

[UpstateCruizer]

Hi everyone,

 

I am going on my 2nd cruise and am freaking out this time. I was fine and didn't worry about a thing the first time. I think because of what happened with Crown Princess I am a little freaked out and am thinking about all the things that could go wrong. I also try to remember how many ships sail each week but I'm still freaking out.

 

Thanks.

 

When I saw this on tv I wondered how I'd feel if I had to sail on that ship right after this happened. It didn't make me flinch a bit about sailing though. Accidents/incidents happen every day around us and we can't let that fear stop us from enjoying life :)

[cnr1stcruise]

Holy cow! I only have 11 days left! Im glad that this particular cruise will be docked each day. We don't have any "fun" days at sea, not sure how fun that would be for me! So I just have to be tired enough to sleep all night. Does anyone know if I can take Xanex while I am wearing one of those sea sick patches? Never had to wear one before but I get motion sick so Im not taking any chances! I do think I will need my Xanex also. I would just drink some Margaritas but Im not a drinker, just a "sipper" :D

 

I will definitely be writing about my first experience when we get home.

 

I leave the 7-11 of Aug.

 

Cindy

[UpstateCruizer]

Holy cow! I only have 11 days left! Im glad that this particular cruise will be docked each day. We don't have any "fun" days at sea, not sure how fun that would be for me! So I just have to be tired enough to sleep all night. Does anyone know if I can take Xanex while I am wearing one of those sea sick patches? Never had to wear one before but I get motion sick so Im not taking any chances! I do think I will need my Xanex also. I would just drink some Margaritas but Im not a drinker, just a "sipper" :D

 

I will definitely be writing about my first experience when we get home.

 

I leave the 7-11 of Aug.

 

Cindy

 

I'd ask your local pharmacist about potential side effects of mixing both medications. He/she would be able to answer that better than anyone else. Alcohol never helped my anxiety it only made me feel less in control if that makes sense. I hope you have an awesome cruise and have lots of great times to report when you get back :)

[cnr1stcruise]

Thanks Crazed! I will talk to my Dr. about that. I must say, Im getting excited! I suppose I should make a list of all those little things I want to take with me. Oh, does anyone know if the Monarch has a fridge in the rooms?

 

Thankyou everyone for your support and personal stories of this really annoying issue of panic and anxiety!

 

I would like to make a side note. I have been feeling better daily, I have been eating better and trying to remember my vitamins, especially calcium which has a calming effect. I have also tried a new way of eating, according to my blood type and it has all been positive. So I hope with a positive attitude and life changes maybe I can be on my way to recovery from these panic attacks. I think going on this cruise will either show me that I can do anything I set my mind to, and I won't die from a panic attack or it will make me a shut~in in my house forever. Im voting for the first one. Besides, I went out and got a job a few months ago after being home with my kids for 9 years. I struggled getting to work for a month and freaked out a few times while I was there but now I really like it and am glad I made that step. ~Im a hairdresser so I have to meet and please new people all day long. I am getting my confidence back though and life is becomming easier.

 

Sorry I kind of went off the cruising subject. Guess I needed to share my thoughts!:o

 

Thanks for listening and for all the support, my fellow cruisers!

Cindy

[Rather_Go_North]

I'm really surprised that there was a specific forum for anxiety for going on a cruise -- first one for me. I enjoyed reading all of your messages and I feel better that I'm not crazy in feeling anxious about this trip.

 

At first, I tried bringing this subject up anonymously on a Yahoo group specifically for this singles' cruise. That was a mistake. Some people offered general advice to "Don't Worry, Be Happy" and "Just have a good time and you don't have to be accountable for anything" -- but others took it as a joke, "LOL-ing", and telling me to just "chill". That's the worst thing to tell me when I'm agitated -- it just makes me more angry.

 

Anyway, I usually prefer to travel north, from here in the U.S. to Canada. But this year I made a pledge not to travel alone -- as I have often done, and have gotten very tired of doing so. So I decided to try this singles' cruise. I'm always a little nervous before trips -- and also suffer depression and anxiety in general to a bit of an extent. The Neurontin I've been taking has been helping, and less so the Wellbutrin.

 

However as I'm getting closer to the trip, I'm realizing that I'm going to be in a sort of party atmosphere almost all of the time. Everything is overwhelming -- the amount of activities on board -- what I'm supposed to be wearing at any given time -- what I'm supposed to bring on an excursion. Mostly though, I'm anxious about all of the other people who seem ready to "have a good time at every moment", as someone said on the Yahoo group.

 

I want to have a good time -- I really do. I'm capable of letting myself go, but not on command. But I'm really worried about not fitting in with the loud, partying crowd -- especially those who'll be drinking, since alcoholism in my family has made my life a challenge. If that happens, I'll look for the most remote corner of the ship to sit in for the remaining six days. I'm okay with one-on-one socializing, but not with crowds -- especially people who sound like they're ready to go crazy. I feel like essentially, I'm going to be in a crowded bar for a week -- and can't escape it.

 

I'm not sure if I can go. This was a mistake -- I'm not ready for this. I have trouble enough at work trying to talk and act normally through my anxiety with co-workers. I'm supposed to leave this Sunday, 8/6 -- provided there isn't a Hurricane Chris to contend with.

 

I want to have fun, I really do. There has been so much that I have denied myself over the years (I'm now 36) and only recently have I realized what I've missed and have been trying to allow myself to want things or think positively about myself. But I'm not there yet, and that lack of confidence may be my downfall if I go on this cruise.

 

I don't know if anyone will receive or read this before Sunday, but if you do, I'd love to hear what you have to think. I know some of what I said sounds trivial and I should just get over myself. I am trying. But in any case, I'm glad to see that at least I'm not a nut case for having anxiety over something that's supposed to be non-stop fun.

 

Thank you for letting me speak my piece. Bless you all and good luck with all of your excursions -- and determination to overcome anxiety.

 

Sincerely,

RGN

[cnr1stcruise]

Dear RGN~

 

I am so happy that you stopped in! I am the one who started the thread and am so glad I did! I too am leaving the 6th on the Monarch though from San Pedro, Ca.

 

I think that one thing people have in common that have anxiety is that we all think our problems are "trivial". Im sure that to you your problem is not trivial, it is a big issue that you are trying to deal with. Those of us with anxiety each have different problems but I think we can all understand where each of us are coming from. I have general fears. Of like what if the ship sinks, what if I fall over, what if I get sick, what if.........(see where Im headed?) All negative thoughts. I try to be positive but sometimes it does not work.

 

You say you are single, so going on a singles cruise is a great idea! You do not have to party, or drink to fit in. I feel really uncomfortable around those that are like that so I stay away from it. I bet out of all those people on the ships there are going to be people who are like you and not into the party scene and want to sit and meet a nice person. Don't go to the bars, go and play Bingo or some other thing that is fun. Im not sure what all there is to do since this will be my first cruise!

 

I know with myself, I too want to have a good time and when I can finally relax and be myself and be in a comfortable place then I have a blast. You have to find your comfort zone.

 

You had mentioned being 36 (Im 35) and missing out on things that you denied yourself to do. (hope I said that right) anyway, I know exactly how you feel. Im so afraid to go anywhere. I do not travel very far from home and I have kept my family back from doing things, because of my own fears. Going on this cruise was such a hard decision for me, I even cried about it because I was so scared. I mainly agreed to go because my MIL was asking us to join her for her 60th b-day on a cruise. I love my Mother-in-law to death and would do anything for her so I reluctantly agreed! Otherwise I doubt my hubby would of ever been able to drag me on the ship, oh wait, I have not made it on the ship yet! That brings me to why I got on the board tonight, I was going to say that I was starting to get freaked out today with packing and everything, Im feeling very over whelmed and almost wished we were not going! Im trying to have faith and be positive, I really do not need to freak out, get the shakey legs, upset stomach and basic paranoia. It would be so much nicer to enter the ship with a smile wouldn't it? So here is my thinking, Im going to get on the damn ship, no hurricanes here (LOL) so why should I torture myself and get all freaked out when I can be calm and normal? (sorry, was kind of talking to myself there).

 

Oh, I do take Xanex for occasional anxiety, or to drive any where farther than 1 hour. Have you thought or tried that? It would help you relax around people. It just makes me calm.

 

RGN, you can go, you can do this and if we all waited until we were ready to do things, we would never be ready. I have learned that along the way. I have been dealing with these issues for a long time also, more so after I had my girls. So more so in the past 9 years.

 

I hope that I have helped and not babbled on too much about myself! We are having our cruises the same week, too bad we are not on the same ship! I would invite you hang out with us.:) (unless of course, you thought I was nuts!) lol.

 

Hope to hear from you soon RGN.

If not then have a great cruise!

 

Cindy

[Rather_Go_North]

Dear Cindy,

 

Thank you very much for your compassionate and thoughtful response. I really appreciate it. If there are people who are as nice as you on board, then maybe I'll be able to be comfortable with them.

 

Which I guess means -- yeah, I'm going. I'm going to try to be as positive as I can. I'll be contained to the area of the ship for a week -- do I really have a choice? Yes, I'll be anxious, but that's something I've learned to live with. I just have to remind myself not to worry about little things -- this is a vacation. Otherwise, knowing me, I might offer to help the waiting staff clear the table because I left it such a mess! I'm not kidding, either... but I'll make sure to hold myself back this time.

 

In a way, the anxiety is kind of taking the place of any high expectations I might have -- especially with this being a singles' cruise. So I'm really going in focusing mainly on relaxing and enjoying the trip. Whatever else happens -- or that I can make happen -- is gravy.

 

I've heard a lot of people mention Xanex. I really don't know what that is, but I have my prescribed meds and they should help. I hope the Xanex helps you with your family get-together. By the way, though you haven't been able to allow yourself the freedom of travel much, I'm happy that you can take in love in the form of your husband and your children. That's not easy for everyone to do. I also agree it's not always easy to be positive -- even when trying. But I'll just have to focus on the good aspects of me -- and believe them! I hope you can do the same.

 

Hopefully you'll be enjoying your Pacific cruise as I sail away to the Caribbean Sea. Thanks again for your heartfelt reply. If I don't hear from you before Sunday, bon voyage! And let me know how your trip went.

 

Thanks so much,

Peter (RGN -- but I'll try South anyway...)

[Gingee]

Have fun on your cruise. Inside or outside room? I tend to wonder "what was that noise?" when it is bedtime. My husband sleeps through it all.

Once it starts to get daylight, I sleep better. Sounds weird, huh?