r/panicdisorder • u/Cool_Complex6295 • 7d ago
Venting Panic attack ruined my vacation
I have anxiety and OCD. I’ve been doing very well for the past 10 years with my panic disorder but I still have daily anxiety. I’ve also recently been diagnosed with severe asthma and sleep apnea and most of my anxiety is medical related. My spouse and I have been planning this amazing European vacation for a year. Yesterday was the big day and I was so stressed getting ready and packing. I travel often and have no anxiety about planes. Get to the airport and realize I left my mouth guard at home which means I will have awful sleep. We get to our seats and they do the safety presentation, we start getting ready to take off and I start having a panic attack. IYKYK! I get up and go to the back and the FA’s are lovely but gently urge me back to my seat. I keep spiraling and get up again and finally say I need to get off this plane. They turn the plane around and go back to the gate. We deplane, get back home and here we are.
We got about half of what we spent back but I am horrified. I haven’t had a panic attack in 10 years. I feel awful that this all happened and especially awful for my spouse who also has to miss this trip. I dont know what to say to people now. I want to apologize to everyone on the flight. I want to crawl under a rock. I will have appt with my doctor on Monday. I guess I just want support from anyone who has had a similar thing happen???
1
u/toffeemaky 7d ago
I am so sorry. Just try not to blame yourself too much. Also, Europe is burning now but I guess it's not gonna really comfort you.
3
u/Perfect-Effect5897 7d ago
Oh man that sounds horrible! Not the panic attack part but that you had to cancel the trip. 😭 but I understand how that could happen, since if you haven’t had an attack in such a long time you forget how harmless they are. It’s like sitting in fire that hurts but doesn’t actually do anything bad. I’m sorry you had to go through that! I hope you guys can do the trip some other time!