Panic disorder and sudden onset agoraphobia

[NikkiMouse78]

First post here though I have been a long-time lurker! Background on me: I have been living with panic attacks on and off for about 10 years. They were never debilitating, so I basically dealt with them when they would come. During all this we traveled often. Typically to WDW at least once a year among other places. I don’t love flying but I managed in the past and got by medication free.

Fast forward to about a month ago, I had a few really bad panic attacks (think ambulance visits and ER trips) and it really sent me down a spiral. Since then I have been getting treatment and seeing a therapist but I have not been back to work in 2 weeks. It’s a struggle for me to go out to places I did before and while things are improving (been panic attack free for a few days), I still feel very anxious and scared to go to places like restaurants and such

Now we are supposed to go to WDW next weekend. It would be just me and my teenager and I don’t know what to do. We have a trip insurance for the flights and I can cancel the room only reservation. I am also booked for December and February for other trips.

I know only I can make the final decision, but looking for guidance here. Would you push and go and hope for the best or postpone until December in the hopes you are in a less anxious mindset? Thank you for any insight. I appreciate it!

 

[jlb727]

Personally, I would postpone and go when you are in a better headspace. After I started having regular panic attacks, it took me a couple of months of therapy and medication to feel really good again. You are talking about a couple of weeks, and you would have to deal with a number of things that sound like triggers. I would wait.

 

[gap2368]

I would really postpone your trip going could really set you back a lot work on smaller trips and build up the fact you have been to Disney so you know what exspect should help you come up with idea to help you ( along with your tharipest )

 

[DisneyOma]

As a fellow panic attack sufferer, I'd cancel this trip and wait until things got under control again.

 

[LilyWDW]

As someone with anxiety and who has dealt with panic attacks in the past, I would postpone. Especially since you have been seeing some progress already with your treatments and a setback would really hurt that. Your health and well being has to come first.

 

[BlueSeashell]

Have you discussed this with your therapist? They know you, know where you are in your journey, and can offer an informed observer's opinion. I don't have panic attacks, but I do have sometimes severe anxiety. Sometimes pushing has actually helped me reach a better equilibrium, and sometimes it has made things much worse. I think your therapist could help you judge the potential risks of the trip.

Would a different trip be a possibility? Something that's still a chance to get away but less likely to trigger attacks?

Sorry for the cliched advice, but it is heartfelt.

 

[cobright]

Well, I'll throw a (maybe) opposing viewpoint at you then...

First, only you know you and I would never push another person outside of their safe zone. And there are times when I do and times when i don't push myself. This isn't really about that.

The fact that you are considering it at all tells me that maybe, just maybe, WDW doesn't really feel like the real world to you. I don't know what it is, but I never breath as easy as I do at Disney. My wife pointed this out after our last trip. I chat with people. Help strangers. Just hang out out in the open and everything. Things I really struggle with the other 350 days of the year.

As for the people saying it's too soon. Maybe. But this is a condition you have had and have been self-treating for 10 years or so, with just this one major setback. Probably best to get a professional involved considering the setback. Probably should have got an earlier start on it, but I'm the last one to judge. You're where you need to be now.

So what is the bigger stressor? A vacation somewhere you know and love that's already planned and purchased? Or dealing with all the people and hassles cancelling the trip will require? A trip insurance claim is a pain.

If you decide to go on the trip, talk to your therepist and whoever is prescribing your brain meds. Even if you normally like to run a minimal level of therapeutic chemistry, vacations are not normal days. they have added activity and the stress that comes with it. For years I carried a Disney Dose of Klonopin on all of our vacations, just in case. I actually only rarely needed it but having it handy made the days out among the fresh air and strangers possible.

Whatever you decide, good luck, and I hope you'll be feeling better soon.

 

[NikkiMouse78]

Thank you everyone! We have decided to postpone until December in order to give me a little more time, but we are going away for the weekend somewhere a little more local for a change of pace. I am working on getting out more and hope to be back at work soon. I will keep you all updated as to my progress.

 

[gap2368]

Thank you everyone! We have decided to postpone until December in order to give me a little more time, but we are going away for the weekend somewhere a little more local for a change of pace. I am working on getting out more and hope to be back at work soon. I will keep you all updated as to my progress.

I think you made a good chose and the little give away some where close by sounds perfect for a little change of sensory I hope you can return to work soon and you have a great time in December on your trip

 

[jlb727]

Great! Good luck to you, OP, and have a great time on your weekend trip! Keep us updated!

 

[eeyoreandtink]

As someone who has been at Disney with anxiety and panic attacks, I think you made a wise choice. I LOVE Disney and thought it would be good for me. It was just too overwhelming. I spent most of the trip holed up in the room. I couldn't handle the crowds. It was the breaking point where I finally admitted I needed to see a therapist. I am so glad that I did.

 

[DisneyOma]

I think waiting is a great choice! My fear is that I'll have a panic attack at WDW and then know that it will be a place where I have to watch out for them to happen over and over again. I've tried to be very careful about when I go and how I'm doing before a WDW trip. I know I need bracket days off at both ends of a trip, so a quick trip on a long weekend doesn't work nor does a trip right after a big event.

 

[RaySharpton]

Thank you, everyone! We have decided to postpone until December in order to give me a little more time, but we are going away for the weekend somewhere a little more local for a change of pace. I am working on getting out more and hope to be back at work soon. I will keep you all updated as to my progress.

I'm sorry that you had to cancel, but I made the same decision for myself for my annual trip to the Smoky Mountains today. I don't have panic attacks, but I am not doing well with my broken wrist. I can drive, but my left hand is my dominant hand and I am having a hard time doing everyday tasks. I didn't realize how much I use my left hand to balance myself until I couldn't use it.

I think you made a good chose and the little give away somewhere close by sounds perfect for a little change of sensory I hope you can return to work soon and you have a great time in December on your trip

Me, too.

As someone who has been at Disney with anxiety and panic attacks, I think you made a wise choice. I LOVE Disney and thought it would be good for me. It was just too overwhelming. I spent most of the trip holed up in the room. I couldn't handle the crowds. It was the breaking point where I finally admitted I needed to see a therapist. I am so glad that I did.

I try and plan an every other day at the parks, because I know my body just can't make it all day every day.

I think waiting is a great choice! My fear is that I'll have a panic attack at WDW and then know that it will be a place where I have to watch out for them to happen over and over again. I've tried to be very careful about when I go and how I'm doing before a WDW trip. I know I need bracket days off at both ends of a trip, so a quick trip on a long weekend doesn't work nor does a trip right after a big event.

I try and plan those things too, but not for panic attacks. My body just can't make it sometimes.

 

[NikkiMouse78]

As someone who has been at Disney with anxiety and panic attacks, I think you made a wise choice. I LOVE Disney and thought it would be good for me. It was just too overwhelming. I spent most of the trip holed up in the room. I couldn't handle the crowds. It was the breaking point where I finally admitted I needed to see a therapist. I am so glad that I did.

I think waiting is a great choice! My fear is that I'll have a panic attack at WDW and then know that it will be a place where I have to watch out for them to happen over and over again. I've tried to be very careful about when I go and how I'm doing before a WDW trip. I know I need bracket days off at both ends of a trip, so a quick trip on a long weekend doesn't work nor does a trip right after a big event.

Disney is my happy place and I don’t want anything to happen to make me feel uncomfortable there. It’s a place where I know I can relax and not worry. I definitely want to go when I doing a bit better. Though now we are 2 days away from when we were supposed to leave, so it’s kind of a bummer, but I still think I made the right choice.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Disney is my happy place and I don’t want anything to happen to make me feel uncomfortable there. It’s a place where I know I can relax and not worry. I definitely want to go when I doing a bit better. Though now we are 2 days away from when we were supposed to leave, so it’s kind of a bummer, but I still think I made the right choice.

It is mine too, and i was sacred of that as well. I have been able to go back and do fine, but not having to worry about it is definitely better. You made the right choice.