Anxiety Attacks

A vacation.... a trip to see friends,
a wedding, a social gathering in a
hall. All wonderful events. But not
for all.

The idea is great. Yes, you want
to go, and looking forward to it.
Until..... the day before or the day
of the event.

That is when, the best description
but not the only one, a feeling comes
over you. The best description is dread.
It is like a heavy cloth that covers you.
Starting at your shoulders. The weight
feels like about 25 pounds. Some times
it is accompanied by chest pressure.
You know it isn't a heart attack. But it
is an anxiety attack.

Then comes the excuses. You have other
things that came up. You like to, but you
just can't. Which is closer to the truth than
most excuses.

You can't describe why. You aren't afraid
that you will die. You aren't afraid of the
people you will see. The place or people
you want to go to, you like that place or
people. But..................
you have the feeling of dread, the feeling
of cutting and running the opposite way.

You know if you break thru these feelings,
you will have a good time. You will enjoy the
event or people. But....................
the barrier, the heaviness of the feeling. The
invisible shroud that weighs heavy on you.

You hide it from others. From your family, although
some will guess. You are even in denial yourself.
Others if they guess, will make light of it, which
makes it worse yet. Is it social anxiety? Some
even get therapy help. If you can recognized
the symptoms and just making yourself go. No
excuses... but the heavy shroud is there, until
you leave and head down the road.

It seems like more and more people are getting
these attacks. Is it the isolation of computers?
Not that I am aware of... as the feelings have
been there for years for many. Either more people
are admitting it, or there is more people suffering
from it.