Has anyone else ever had an anxiety or panic attack in a movie theatre?
I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. I can have them in a crowded store or movie theatre. I understand why i have them in the store when its crowded. But i dont understand why I can have them in a movie theatre. Especially if its not crowded. Ive seen a counselor and a mental doctor about it, and they just attribute it to anxiety. If anyone else has this problem or any insight why it might happen in a movie theatre let me know
Oh my yes
They are awful and scary. I have had to push over people to make my way out before I thought I would go insane.
Anxiety may be affected more in the theatre because of all of the input-overload … the sounds, the dark, mega-movie colours, peripheral movement, air quality.
There are many self-help methods … deep breathing, etc., but unfortuately for me, I now take an anti-anxiety medication (adivan) and it helps. I WISH I hadn’t let it go so long and had used some self-help techniques myself before it got so bad I had to resort to meds.
Soooo please try and good for some relaxation techniques. Everyone is different, so 99 out of 100 may not work for you – but keep seeking. It is worth it and your life will be so much more enjoyable
Stay away from Wine and heavy caffines, sugar before events that box you in.
Comments
Comment from spn300mike
Time September 17, 2009 at 1:08 am
I have anxiety and panic although movie theaters aren’t a place that set me off in general. What I’ve learned that a lot of the time one of the greatest sources of fear and panic is ironically the fear of having another panic attack (actually it’s not really that ironic given that since you’ve had bad panic attacks you know it can feel like dying). Two of my all time worst panic attacks happened when I was driving and now I am just a little phobic of driving, often when I drive alone it feels like one is trying to come on, but I don’t think it’s anything specific about driving that scares me just the memory of the two really bad ones that has made me associate that situation with panic. It actually has helped to think about this and remind myself, "you are only being phobic because you have had panic attacks before when you were driving"– I also have found that taking some long drives by myself, always giving myself permission to pull over or stop if I feel I need to, has been therapeutic, if you can confront your fear (it might take a couple of tries) and overcome it, you can weaken that particular pobia’s hold over you. Good luck!
P.S.
I agree that the darkness of the theatre could be a factor.
Also, I’m taking lexapro 20mg/day, also since being diagnosed I’ve tried to do aerobic/cardiovascular exercise 3 times a week for at least a half hour and I swear that has helped at least as much as the meds.
References :
Comment from Emma
Time September 17, 2009 at 12:49 am
Oh my yes
They are awful and scary. I have had to push over people to make my way out before I thought I would go insane.
Anxiety may be affected more in the theatre because of all of the input-overload … the sounds, the dark, mega-movie colours, peripheral movement, air quality.
There are many self-help methods … deep breathing, etc., but unfortuately for me, I now take an anti-anxiety medication (adivan) and it helps. I WISH I hadn’t let it go so long and had used some self-help techniques myself before it got so bad I had to resort to meds.
Soooo please try and good for some relaxation techniques. Everyone is different, so 99 out of 100 may not work for you – but keep seeking. It is worth it and your life will be so much more enjoyable
Stay away from Wine and heavy caffines, sugar before events that box you in.
References :