Panic Attacks on Rides?

[nanalisa]

I start to panic waiting in line for TOT so I decided I wouldn't ride it when we went in July. My 8 yo granddaughter didn't want to ride it either and was trying to avoid MGM altogether. But DH and DS wanted to ride so we stood in line with them and planned to exit just before boarding. We get to the boarding area and DGD decides she is riding. I sucked it up and rode too. Honestly, the worst part of that ride is the anticipation. It's now DGD favorite ride and took the place of MS (especially since I won't let her ride it anymore.) As I get older the rides are not the attraction of WDW for me. If it makes me nervous, I'm going to skip it.

 

[scrappystamper1]

Hello, my name is Janet, I suffer from panic attacks also.

hello janet...

I love Disney World but get a little freaked out on the rides. I usually do well with everything execpt TOT and have not done mission space (don't plan to)
I am going in april and my montra is "I will ride TOT this year"
I scrapbook and it kills me to be left out of a ride photo (even crazier than you thought huh?) I would like to ask for a perscription for Xanax (it works very well for anxiety) I feel silly asking for this to be brave enough to ride rides at a theme park. too silly?

Janet Paddock

 

[Grumpy'n'Goofy]

Hello, my name is Janet, I suffer from panic attacks also.

hello janet...

I love Disney World but get a little freaked out on the rides. I usually do well with everything execpt TOT and have not done mission space (don't plan to)
I am going in april and my montra is "I will ride TOT this year"
I scrapbook and it kills me to be left out of a ride photo (even crazier than you thought huh?) I would like to ask for a perscription for Xanax (it works very well for anxiety) I feel silly asking for this to be brave enough to ride rides at a theme park. too silly?

Janet Paddock

Hey Janet, as a fellow panic attack sufferer I can tell you it is absolutely not silly to take Xanax in order to enjoy the rides. We just got back from WDW about three weeks ago, and the Xanax definitely helped me. For me it's not so much rather the ride is scary or not, I just dreaded waiting in the lines. I knew once I was on the ride I would be fine. So most days when we were there I would take a Xanax (or half of one) before we left for the parks. By the time we got inside the parks, any thoughts of having an attack had vanished. I rode everything except MS (the spinning just didn't seem like a good idea to me). Talk to your doctor about your situation and ask him what he recommends, mine recommended the Xanax and it worked great for me.

Have a great time on your trip!

 

[spereira]

bump

 

[Travelbug12]

I've suffered for years and am completely (almost) attack free because of complete change of diet. Found out that anything stimulating especially caffiene was the root cause I can't have chocolate, or even decafinated beverages. Also, sugar and salt and color addative can trigger me too if I'm really stressed already. Just so you know, went to a doctor that swears that all they are is repressed anger and if you can identify the source you can eliminate the attacks. I mention this because even after five years, you could get good and mad in the parks.

Anyway some recommendations. Its a little hard because I never stopped going to parks but also never liked thrill rides. Over the years I have started with easy ones and built up to the harder ones. The most important thing is that you do it because with each subsequent visit (maybe not to disney but a ride type situation) you will have signifigant improvement. In fact this idea is part of one of the major cures for anxiety illness which involves progressive desensatizing. In this very expensive treatment (which is very successful) someone accompanies you while you go through progressively more difficult situations that may cause anxiety. well you can do this without the guide. Just steady as you go.

That all being said after five years you'll be more than fine. Remember however that if you have an attack don't give up but keep going. take a break and calm down and enjoy yourself. And remember even if you normally drink it I would nix the caffine maybe the alcohol too. You may want to wear shades anywhere the lights may overstimulate you and close your eyes on simulators if they make you dizzy.

please have fun

 

[Travelbug12]

Sorry to double post but thought of something that is very helpful if you get anxiety from bridges, rides excedera. THere are a million variations of this but I guess its closest to self hypnotism. You have to envision a lake or very tranquil place and put yourself there. But for really stressful situations what works better for me is counting backwards by threes from a hundred or a thousand depending how desperate you are. It keeps you mind focusd away from your anxiety and usually can reroute your mind and break the anxiety cycle.

 

[MrsTink04]

I hope Tom Cruise is not a member of these boards...I have been on Anti-depressant/anti-anxiety meds for several years. After getting married, I tried to come off of them. I no longer needed them for depression and was hoping the anxiety would go away, too. WRONG!!! I got to the point where I was too scared to drive, go to the grocery store...well, do anything. Within the time that I was not on the meds, we went to WDW and I even had an anxiety attack on TTA!!! Yep, I am back on the meds and hoping for a more enjoyable trip to WDW this February!!! By the way, before getting back on the meds, I tried coming off of caffiene, seeing a therapist, Visualizing myself in a tranquil place, etc...none of it worked. I guess all of our brains work differently.

 

[jzmom]

Thank you so much for starting this thread. I thought I was the only nutty person who would schedule a trip to WDW while suffering from anxiety.

I have suffered from panic attacks for over ten years. I have had some remissions in that time. It had gotten so bad that I could not go the grocery store, walk to the mailbox by myself or drive very far! I had always been against using drugs but therapy alone wasn;t cutting it so I started on a low dosage of an anti-depressant. I also have Xanax to help when I start to feel jittery. When I first started the meds they made me dizzy and I had the worst panic attack of my life and called 911. I became so frightened that I was afraid to take a xanax. I think part of it was I was always afaid of calling 911 and I finally got over that fear. I was able to go the grocery store last week without DH and I did pretty good. I think the best thing to remember is that it is o.k. to have a bad day. YOu just pick yourself up and try again. I really reccomend getting help from a therapist.

I used to love the feeling of dropping but I am not sure about TOT. I guess I 'll have to see when I get there. I acutally have trouble walking because sometimes I feel like I am going to fall over. This stems from when I had extreme anemia ( half my blood was missing) and I didn't know it. I thought it was in my head. ARe there lots of places to sit down and rest around the parks?
Again, thanks for starting this thread it makes me feel better to know that iI am not the only one suffering.
I am going to concentrate on just having a good time. I am so excited because I can say I leave this month. WE are leaving on the 31 and going to visit mil than going to be at WDW FEB. 5-11. It's our first to WDW.

 

[Grumpy'n'Goofy]

ARe there lots of places to sit down and rest around the parks?

Yes, there are plenty of places to sit down and take a breather. I was a little apprehensive about our last trip (this past August) w/ my "condition", but after breezing through that trip I'm ready to go back (in fact we've already scheduled our next trip for July '06).

My advice: don't worry about what rides you'll do, just go and know you'll have fun no matter which rides you go on (or don't go on). I thought my "condition" would limit the rides I went on, but I was prepared for this. It turns our it had no effect on which rides I went on, I even rode Rock'n'n Roller Coaster by myself (DW doesn't like fast roller coasters). I guess my point is, just go and if you feel up for riding a particular ride when you get to it, then go for it...if you feel uncomfortable, skip it, you'll have a time either way!

 

[Principessa1284]

i have NEVER been prone to panic attacks, but I had one on mission space about 2 years ago. I FLIPPED OUT and was hyperventalating. MY friend and I chose to do the single riders line, so I was alone with 3 strangers who didn't speak english. I couldn't breathe, felt nauseated.. it was bad. When the ride stopped I was shaking and could barely stand up. The only other time I had a panic attack like that, I was at the dentist this past summer to have a cavity filled. I don't do well at the dentsit. I was in the chair for over an hour before they could calm me down enough to give me the novicane.

So my advice? Stay away from mission space and the dentist.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Only ride that has triggered it after going on everything at Universal, Busch Gardens and the Disney parks would be Mission Space. As soon as that door closed and the screen popped right in front of my face in that confined area, it was torture until I got out.

I completely agree. AVOID Misson Space if you are even slightly claustrophobic.

 

[colleen costello]

How funny we are all so different... I love my dentists! I go to two sisters and we have so much fun catching up and talking about the kids, I actually look forward to going... Until I get the bill

Everyone's triggers are different. I would NEVER go on "Mission:Spew" and I think that is SMART, not phobic! Being strapped down and spun around does not sound like fun to me! Now I WOULD love to put idiot Tom Cruise on that ride, leave him on a few times, and see if he came out begging for Xanax My big challenge is "Soarin." I am very afraid of heights, but hate to miss it. My hubby and kids think I will be fine, but even stepladders scare me. I keep hearing how short the ride is so I figure the worst I can do is holler and it will get over quick.

 

[JaneH]

a quote from my 12 year old son "just breathe mom" on Misson Space - who knew that we would be able to just walk on! (early december) yes, I survived ............... what we do for our children........

 

[Tiffany]

Hello DIsers!

I started having severe panic attacks approx. 5 years ago - within the last few years thay have really subsided - now, I only have a few "severe" attacks a year. I have not been to a theme park since this problem started and I am a little hesitant. I was always a thrill rider - you name it, I'd do it! But now I am a little afraid that some of the rides might trigger an attack. I really want to have a great time (it's my husbands first trip!) so any suggestions that you have are truly appreciated.

I don't know if there are any other disers that suffer or have suffered from this but if there are - I'd love to hear your opinions!

Thanks in advance.... <- me being nervous and confused about the rides

Hi,

I used to suffer from panic attackets but when they got to the point of impacting my life I started taking Zoloft and it has really changed my life. Talk to your PCP and see what might be right for you.

 

[MrsTink04]

Now I WOULD love to put idiot Tom Cruise on that ride, leave him on a few times, and see if he came out begging for Xanax

I would buy tickets for THAT!!!! Totally worth the price of admission to EPCOT, then some!!!

 

[jetprincess]

I am bumping this interesting thread. There seem to be a lot of concerns lately so I thought this might provide some useful information!

 

[ssjerauld]

I only have panic attacks about "real world" issues--specifically my business. Did I buy the right stuff, did I overspend ??? DW is for fun.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I know mine lasted longer. I literally thought I was having a heart attack (at 25!) and couldn't breathe. I had chest pains, headache and I started to black out. This occured as I was driving down the interstate, so that didn't help matters. My heart was racing, I had cold sweats, and my fingers were tingling as I stuggled to catch my breath. The feeling of panic and danger was so strong, that even after I pulled over, I had to have my FI come and get be because I really thought I was dying. This runs in my family and I have seen my mom go through this many times. The sense of uneasyness and panic can linger for quite a while, and whatever caused it can be something the sufferer avoids. For a while I couldn't drive the hiway, but had to take back roads everywhere, but I just made myself get over it little by little. I too find comfort in having the 'crutch' of my medication with me just incase. Some doctors medicate (actually, it seems a lot do for this, there are all sorts of medications for this) and some don't. I have a psychologist who helps we work things out and that keeps me much calmer. Like I said, in my case this is heriditary, but it can happen to a lot of people with out warning, even without a prior history.

I am exactly like you. I feel the same way during my panic attacks.Although I don't drive and I don't take any medication for it. I just learned how to deal with it and control breathing during the years. I still get them, but not as bad.

I've noticed that a lot of my attacks come on while I am waiting for something, when I'm stressed or while in a crowd. It starts as anxiety and then goes to a full blown attack. I've never had any problems in WDW though but I've always gone in off season where crowds are small and I don't have to wait in long lines. I try to avoid thrill rides. Now that my attacks are very rare, I'm going to try big thunder, test track and soarin for the 1st time ever next weekend when we go. I just hope I don't get to nervous waiting to board. When I get a panic attack, it usually lasts around an hour. Good luck disers. Try to stay stress free and if you feel like you need to get out of an attraction, get out!

 

[mickeysgirl17]

If I would have a panic attack in the grocery store then I wouldn't want to go back. The hardest thing to do is to make yourself go back to where you had your attack. It is very healing though.
Thanks for your info about antivan. That helped a lot!

I also agree with you. I actually did have a panic attack in the grocery store, at walmart, church, pretty much anywhere at any time whether I was anxious or just laying down watching a movie....and I have to say it was really hard to leave my house and go back to these places, but I am so proud of myself for going back and I'm doing so much better now.

As far as disney though, like I mentioned above in a previous post, I haven't had any attacks but I did get a bit nervous waiting to board the doombuggies in HM since people kept pushing their way forward after the stretch room, also in the jungle cruise queue and the new nemo ride queue in the living seas.

 

[MNWDWMANIAC]

My wifes sister had a panic attack on mission space even before they closed the ride. From what I understand thats a major problem for people wrapped up in the excitment hoping it won't be to bad for them. Only to find out how bad it will affect them.

Fortunatly for my wife the only thing she panics about is the plane ride there and back