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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    118

    Default Trip to NYC with Agoraphobia

    I planned a trip to NYC to visit the New York Comic Con, and visit a college I wanted to attend. I'm having my portfolio reviewed by teachers and artists I admire, and may even get a job if I'm lucky! I go in October from the 7th to the 11th. I did it because I wanted to and I am fed up with letting my anxieties and fears get the best of me. The ONLY reason I've thought of not going is because of my emetophobia and agoraphobia. So in that case Im going come hell or high water!

    I was wondering what advice some of you might have for preparing for the trip and the inevitable/possible anxieties and panic attacks I might face when there. I've been going out and eating out by myself at the mall nearby to help desensitize myself to the experiences that might trigger attacks.

    My panic attack triggers are:
    (On a scale from 1 to 10 how bad they are: 1=low 10=high)

    -Being in a place where I cant get help if I feel sick/panicky [ 5 ]
    -What my family thinks (theyre coming) [ 5 ]
    -Restaurants [ 8 ]
    -eating around family [ 3 ]
    -Not eating well/enough [ 9 ]
    -Not being able to get to a safe place [ 6 ]

    Usually it takes a combination of things to give me a real panick attack, not eating well being a crucial one. As long as I have a safe place to go to and can eat in private I usually stand a good chance making a weekend trip like this w/o panicking. I once went on a 4 day camping trip out in the woods with my cousins and survived that even with a couple mild panic attacks. This is the city though, and Im with my mom who freaks out easily, and my younger sister whom she assisted should come along. The only way we'll be able to eat is probably eating out and together. We'll be up and about in the city all day so my energy will be spent well and I might need to eat more often then normal.


    My plan is to take a huge sub [or two along with snacks] with me that'll hold be over as dinner if I cant go out and snack food to bring with me if I need it. At the con and school visit I'll just have to tough out the visits themselves and ask to go to the bathroom a lot if I need a minute to clear my head. Ive almost thought about taking some sort of anti-anxiety meds with me but I dont have any and I dont think it would be a good time to experiment with some. Im going to be staying at someones house so there is access to a kitchen.


    Is there anything else I should do before I go? Any suggestions would be appreciated :3

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    north carolina, usa
    Posts
    4,272

    Default Re: Trip to NYC with Agoraphobia

    i love nyc........i always get so worked up and nervous before i go........but i promise you, there is soooooo much going on around you wherever you are that emet has very little chance to work into your brain.......go....have a great time......there are millions of places to eat so i'm sure you will find something that won't make you nervous..........my first trip i took a big bowl of pasta salad i made at home.........ended up never even touching it.......

    i'm jealous......i wanna go
    how i feel about emet
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    France
    Posts
    63

    Default Re: Trip to NYC with Agoraphobia

    hey!!
    First thats a great step to against this fear!! Be proud of yourself!! I live in NYC sometimes it does get crazy but they are many health eating options around the city. I would pack a little bag with some granola bars and crackers and keep water with me. You can always munch on those till you find a good food option. I am sure you ll be fine through the school visits the colleges in NYC are really nice the excitement should overcome the anxiety. Enjoy your stay as much as you can there is a lot of great things to discover here!!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    118

    Default Re: Trip to NYC with Agoraphobia

    Thanks guys Im getting really excited to go! There's a bit of anxiety, but Im more or less glad I decided to book the trip. Im glad to hear other emets have gone/live there and dont have any issues with eating out and such. Packing granolas and what not is a guarantee since the con is huge and i run out of energy fast when Im around people and new places. Plus a lot of con goers recommend it anyway, its just a good idea.

    Anywho thanks for the support. I'll prolly write about it if i bring my laptop with me :3

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    3,455

    Default Re: Trip to NYC with Agoraphobia

    Great job on booking your trip anyways regardless of your fear!!! You'll have a blast! If it helps, I have been to many conventions and NYC many times. I have never ever ever gotten ill from either.

    It sounds like you have a pretty busy few days. Are you going to even have time to think about emet? I know that sounds like a silly question. I attended FurFright (a large convention) in CT when I was pretty bad with my emet. I honestly didn't think about it at all, I was too busy having fun!

    Good luck on your trip, and have fun! I'm so jealous, I wish I could do a Comic Con


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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    118

    Default Re: Trip to NYC with Agoraphobia

    Just arrived in NYC today after roughly 10 hours of train riding. Couple nervous attacks. No panic attacks. Felt a little sick on the ride but I think anyone would feel a little strange after 9 hours. Didnt eat much or sleep well before I got on the train so go figure. Still have my food anxieties, but not so bad. At dinner table now. Very laid back atmosphere. I can grab food I want or the dinner made for us. Hard to eat a lot though, still nervous.

    Get nervous easily but calming myself down easily too. Gonna figure out our route to the school then go wash up and go to bed. Period aint makin this experience any easier, but I think ultimately we got through the hard part today.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    6

    Default Re: Trip to NYC with Agoraphobia

    Glad you made the trip. NYC is an awesome city. I live here. It is filled with anxiety-producing things for me that I battle daily and so far seem to be winning the battle. My big triggers are being trapped somewhere without an exit. This makes riding the subway challenging. I've gotten better for the most part because for most of the trains there is only a minute or 2 between stops. The only time I really start to panic is on the train to my apartment in Jersey. When it goes under the Hudson, there is a 6 minute gap between stops. Let me tell ya, my panic can get to record levels in 6 minutes.

    Hope you have a great time while you're here!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    118

    Default Re: Trip to NYC with Agoraphobia

    Thanks Agg1975, I'm doing fairly well. We ride about an hour to get to and from the city, but the rides dont bother me too much. Little anxiety attacks, and I mean very little, bother me sometimes but not much at all. Sorry to hear that you have those issues with the train though. The train and bus are pretty much the main ways to get around the city, it seems, so that's gotta be a daily thing for you. What I noticed I did w/o thinking was I would look at the emergency exit signs every where on the train/bus and look at red letters and signs, and I think thats what triggered the anxiety (or continued it) along with the 'cant escape' feeling. When I made myself look away from these things I did feel a little better.

    Showed my portfolio to the college today and got a very nice review. They said I was pretty much accepted into the school and only needed to add more creative pieces to help with winning the scholarships.

    Didnt get to the convention [when i left the house i forgot my tickets], but I gotta tell ya I was so tired by the time I was done with the college visit I didnt want to do anymore. Being in this city is like swimming in the ocean. Your fight the waves over and over and over again but your having so much fun you dont care/notice. Then as soon as you get home you're so tired you fall asleep before your face hits the mattress, lol! Its awesome. I had some nervous moments, and didnt eat out. I wasnt hungry, and couldve eaten if I wanted to, it wasn't anxiety that stopped me. But I did decide not to and i feel underlying anxiety caused my lack of appatite. I ate granola bars and water I took with me into the city.

    All in all good day. :3 Had some pizza. Told myself to eat it even if the little anxiety crept up on me. GOOD Dominos Pizza

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    118

    Default Re: Trip to NYC with Agoraphobia

    Trip was a success. Got home the other night and ate to my hearts content w/ little anxiety. The trip was exhausting, but overall worth it. Im glad I did it! Let that be an example for myself to remember, so that if I ever question going on a trip, or just going out, because of the emet--that everything will probably be fine.

 

 

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