Feeling trapped?

[Meggerz88]

I was wondering if anyone else is like this....

I tend to get a lot more anxious in situations where I feel like I am trapped there. For example, going out to a restaurant or a movie, or having an interview... anything that feels like I can't leave until it is done or else people will notice and ask questions. I far prefer and have a lot more success at social functions where I have an "escape route", i.e. I can leave at any time and not look out of place.

I even get this about other, non-social anxieties, such as taking a shower when I don't feel well. Since I am phobic about throwing up, I tend to panic if I have to shower and my stomach is even mildly upset. I feel like I can't just get out of the shower once the soap goes on if I start to feel sicker... especially when I am not in total control of how fast I get out.

That happened to me last night, which is sort of what spurred this post. I felt really full and bloated going into the shower with my boyfriend and started to get anxious... it got so bad that I started hyperventilating and had to close my eyes and wait for him to get out so I could finish as fast as I could on my terms.

When I get like that, I also get really sensitive to any unpredictable motion/sensations... so I would feel more sick watching him or if he were to touch me at all. After the shower, I was fine... I felt really bad about it because he is trying his best to understand my issues and help me, but sometimes I don't really know what I need. He said that all he wanted to do was give me a big hug when I got like that, but he knew it would make me worse.

Anyway, having noticed some of these patterns in myself, I wanted to know if anyone else was the same and if so, whether you have any effective strategies to combat the feeling of being trapped?

 

[dooby-duck]

Definitely, I hate being trapped or feeling trapped and try hard to avoid situations where I will feel trapped. I look for escape routes or think of excuses if I need to leave. I hate having to wait for people and queing for things, or if people take a long time getting / doing something and I have to wait.

Some situations you can't really avoid. Like at traffic lights if they are taking a long time or traffic jams. It depends how I feel at the time. Sometimes it doesn't bother me but if I do feel a bit nauseous it tends to bring on this anxiety. I'm not sure which comes first though, the nauseous feelings or the panic / anxiety.

My worst nightmare is probably a restaurant or places where you have to pay before you get whatever it is you want because you can't really leave without it causing problems. In fact I think I had this problem before I became anxious of people.

 

[butterfly25]

yeh i am always feeling trapped, at the cinema, at the markets, n its not nice. and also u should wait about 30minutes after uv eaten to get in tghe shower x

 

[Ren Koutaisou]

I feel trapped when I'm at work. I feel like I'm the public's bitch and I have to live with it. Now most of the time I am spaced out, but I found that it helps to go somewhere on my days off, like out eating, to a movie, to the mall, anywhere. Many sights to see (unless you're broke ).

 

[DillJenkins]

Sounds like agoraphobia. I have agoraphobia and have none of your symptoms. Yeah my doctors a dumbass. He is mistaking AvPD for agoraphobia.

Heres more info.... Agoraphobia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is link to DSM diagnostic criteria.

 

[pmas]

Yes yes yes!

Feeling trapped was how I got all messed up with anxiety. The feeling of nausea and, em, nausea in a southerly direction, were my biggest problems as my anxieties about that would self-perpetuate until I got well out of the situation and off somehwere alone.

Fortunately for me I didn't really have the feelings you are describing when alone. You have my sympathies, its must suck, but hang in there.

I'm over the worst of my issues now or at least I can cope with them better (a mere 11 years later), but I still have it. My biggest issues centered around public transport such as buses or planes. I'm getting worried now (which is why I'm here) because I am due to take the longest flight I have ever had soon (6 hours) followed by lots of rural bus journeys. I'm forcing myself to do this to try and stare down my demons, but man I am worried about turbulance, motion sickness, people crowding me, being unable to get out of the plane, projectile vomitting, explosive diahorrea, etc.

But I ramble. My point is you are not alone. I'd say a huge number of us feel the things you do to a greater or lesser extent. Keep doctor/therapy/pill/lifestyle? hoping until you start to get a handle on it.

GL.

 

[Hellhound]

I don't know if i ever felt like that because i tend to avoid these kind of places and situations. But when I'm forced into them i either dissociate a lot or get anxious... it depends.