Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
I needed four (I didn't start making urine until halfway through the fourth bag at least) and that's basically why I had an attack, which was odd because I had been drinking plenty of water that day, but I also was a bit dehydrated when I got to the festival so I didn't start off well. I've been notoriously heat sensitive my entire life also. It was my first Roo and I wasn't accustomed to the environment, just generally didn't know what to expect, and I pushed myself past my physical limits that Friday morning. This is why it is important for people to listen to the vets when we say KNOW YOUR LIMITS! This is goes for all sorts of personal physical limits, not just chemical limits! You can be completely sober and have a terrible time because you pushed yourself too hard!
Post by emmitt2222 on May 26, 2009 12:43:53 GMT -5
Xanax and Klonopin are helpful for when the panic attack has already started, but it is best to take steps to avoid them altogether. I have had them for a few years and they can be brutal.
1. Get plenty of sleep. At Roo this is hard, but take it really easy in the mornings and maybe don't rage until the sun comes up. Sometimes you have to sacrifice things in order to stay healthy. 2. Try to avoid getting really crunk. During the typical hangover period, I often would freak out and have them. 3. If you are starting to feel uncomfortable, let those around you know. Find a spot where you can chill out for a bit and get relaxed. If you have some good friends, they will understand and try to help you out. 4. If things start to go really south, try to get back to camp and just chill with a couple people, listen to some music or something. I know the base instinct is to completely isolate, but try not to give into it. It just makes it last longer. 5. Try to really avoid the illegal stuff if you can. Most of it can lead to just increasing anxiety for one reason or another. Yes, even the corn. Consuming a certain fungus on peanut butter led to a really bad panic attack/episode in '08. I separated from friends and ended up in a portopotty for 20 minutes. I still talk about that 20 minutes of hell all the time. It was probably the scariest time of my life.
Healthy living, plenty of sleep and taking it easy with some good friends are the best way to do it. It may take some sacrifice and you may not get to see that super late-nite set or go party crazy, but I would rather take it easy than ever deal with another panic attack at Roo. They are just so brutal and take all your energy out of you.
Best of luck and let me know if you would like any more advice. I'm no expert, but I have spent so much time lately dealing with it that I have figured some stuff out.
I sometimes get panic attacks when in large crowds or when overheated. Get all clausterphobic - it's awful. So I definitely took this into account before going to my first Roo and I ended up being perfectly fine - and am now less likely to have an attack.
* Mentally prepare. Accept that there's a good chance that you'll have an attack. Let your group know that you may need to wander off by yourself for a bit with little to no warning. Basically make it okay to yourself to freak out - one problem I often have with a panic attack is that I get all self-conscious about freaking out, which just makes the problem worse.
* Drink lots of water. You should never let yourself get to the point of feeling thirsty. Staying hydrated will help your mind stay clear.
* Stay to the edge of crowds. My first Roo, I started feeling a bit overwhelmed Thursday night but reeeeally didn't want to go back to camp yet so I went just beyond the crowd, stretched out on the ground, closed my eyes and just focused on the music. After a bit, my sister joined me and it ended up being an awesome experience.
* If you're mid-attack, I often find that it's helpful to focus on someone else. Get into a conversation with a vendor, compliment someone on her colorful outfit, ask the guy next to you what he thinks about the show. Anything to get your focus off of yourself.
* Stay sober. Like everyone else has said, this is huge. Especially during the day - the combination of heat + alcohol (or whatever) can be a big trigger for an attack. Plus, you're not as in tune to your body and any other possible triggers.
I had a total uphill battle getting ready for my first Bonnaroo as not only do I have heat/crowd-induced panic attacks, but I also hate camping and being dirty. But just going to Bonnaroo has helped me develop great coping skills and now I almost never even feel like I'm going to have an attack.
I get them from time to time so I have a prescription to xanax which I will ge getting refilled soon for Bonnaroo. That is not for everyone though. I prefer not to take something daily like some people. Corn definitely makes it worse for me so I stopped eating it altogether a few years back. Sometimes it takes several misses to find what works for you.
I couldn't make them understand that I wasn't being wimpy or high maintenance and I should have just focused on making myself better regardless of their view of the situation. I was in trouble, I knew I was in trouble, and I was too worried about them to get help right away. I actually waited quite a while and it definitely wasn't good.
You're absolutely right, I know a lot of people like that. They will assume that someone is just being whiny when they are really hurting. And it's true: you are the only person who knows how you feel, so trust your instincts...also goes for heat, party favors, alcohol, etc. I am glad that you came out of things okay.
Fortunately, I've never gone to roo with any of the "high maintenance" types you're talking about. So if someone was complaining, we could assume that there was a real problem that was actually solvable, and try to help in whatever way we could. There are so many things that people can react negatively to...the heat, crowds, dust, substances, etc...that we don't need anybody crying wolf about the small discomforts.
Yeah, I'd try to avoid medication for it.. just disguising it, not curing it. Don't be like so many Americans and just go get hooked to legal drugs. I've had anxiety for 12 years and you can learn to cope. Go learn Meditation and self help. I have family and friends who started getting anxiety around the same time, and they are still on medication to this day and are helpless without it. I found my "inner peace" with it, and can now totally function without constantly having to have meds in my pocket.
Post by insidejoke on May 26, 2009 16:07:17 GMT -5
This may not help you, but I had a string of anxiety attacks about 8 years ago. I talked to my doctor about them (I thought I was having a heart attack or something) and she prescribed Xanax. After a few days, I decided there was no way I could function as a halfway normal person while taking them as prescribed so I read up on meditation. I got through the rough patch without meds and didn't have any episodes until about 9 months ago. I reaquainted myself with my meditation techniques and have felt my way through the drama once more (I never had a severe attack this time around). Mine are not triggered by crowds, but by severe stress, so again, this may not help you. Good luck and have fun at the farm!
I have had anxiety problems for a few years now, and used to have regular panic attacks-now they are pretty rare but still happen. I didn't want to go the prescription drug route because I've seen the frustrating side effects my sister dealt with while trying to find the right one - she has Panic Disorder. There are lots of herbal supplements that will help with general anxiety. I take Chinese Mood Elevator www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000L6MSXU/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A3BUEJ9TQL3WIW&v=glance, and it has worked really well for me. I also recently started taking magnesium supplements everyday. Helps with anxiety, allergies, sleep problems, heart issues, and lot of other things. And if I do feel an anxiety attack coming on, I pop a couple benadryll - also used for controlling anxiety, and practice meditation techniques. The only problem is that benadryll also knocks me out in about 20 mins.
That's most likely anxiety of some sort. i have a general anxiety disorder and know how scary it can be. This year is my first roo and I'm a little nervous about it as well. Although i def understand not wanting to go the prescription medicine route, I do have a bottle of kolonopine for attacks. I always try to handle without the prescription first but thats not always possible. If nothing else, it's comforting to know that if I can't handle it, I've got a back up.
About the corn thing, sometimes this does help. When i ate a lot of corn i had less attacks but this mainly depends on the person. take a good look at how it affects you normally before you try that
Post by pooperoopus on May 27, 2009 0:25:41 GMT -5
It appears there are a lot of us with this problem. I have been having these attacks for the past few years and I have found it helpful to talk to other people who are going through it (knowing others go through it reduces some of the anxiety feedback for me). Meds can help, but I found the side effects of the meds were often worse than the attacks themselves. I have had success with diaphragm breathing (naturally relaxing) and doing math in my head or reciting something (something that requires you to focus). When you have the attack, remember that the rush of chemicals (adrenaline etc.) will make you feel weird and will take a while to clear your body (even after you start to calm down). This is normal, but it can feel very threatening, so you have to remind yourself that it is part of the process. I feel your pain on this, but a lot of us are going through it and you'll learn how to deal. Don't worry about the Roo, I've had a few there and no one has ever been sober enough to notice. Take care.
I can't believe how many people take klonopin (sp?) I know it's used for anxiety, but I believe its also an anti-psychotic....there are definitely weaker prescriptions you could take (I think).
Panic attacks suck. I honestly never thought they were real until I had one. I really thought people who had them were full of it. Actually I still think that, knowing how awful they really are. my first one (probably not the first one, but the first bad one, where I called my mom after) came out of nowhere. I thought I was going to die. My heart started pounding, I was sweating bad all the through my North Face jacket, my vision went completely blurry, and I'm sure if I hadn't had a chair to sit in, I would have passed out. I was way too embarrassed (not to mention basically paralyzed from fear/anxiety) to say anything to my friends. So I just sat there while they talked around me. I told my best friend about it when we left, and she totally brushed it off, like "I didn't notice, so it couldn't be too bad"....yeah well it was terrible. Sorry for the rant, I just know how much they suck...I will probably have one at roo, and I don't have any meds for it, so I'm pretty much screwed!
If you do decide to go the medication route, make sure you spend a good chunk of time talking with your doc about potential side effects before you decide which one to take. I have anxiety and my doc put me on Paxil for it. Not good. Constant uncontrollable yawning, occasional attacks of shivering for hours even though I wasn't cold, and some nasty sexual side effects. I switched to Effexor and we played with the doses until we figured out that two low doses a day would provide the same results without any side effects. I would definitely recommend the natural remedies others are using first. Meds suck donkey balls. But for me it was just too big to tackle on my own.
Yeah I don't have health insurance right now, so meds and doctors are out of the question. I think as long as I take it easy at the farm I'll be fine. The thing that worries me, is I can't identify what triggers mine sometimes. Of course there are times when I am extremely nervous/anxious, but other times I think I'm fine, and then I'm hit with one. Luckily my BF is understanding, and also (I've never actually been diagnosed, I just go by what my nurse mom tells me ), my attacks seem progressive. They start out light, then get worse, then I slowly come back out of it. I have been able to feel the start of one and immediately sit down and drink tons of water, which seems to provide some relief. It's my only plan of action for roo, so it better work!
I also thought of something else - make sure you eat on a regular basis. When it's hot, I know I often forget to eat and low blood sugar definitely wouldn't make the situation any better and might even be a trigger for some.
Good basics to help reduce/prevent panic attacks that helped me:
Sleep enough eat better foods stay sober excerise plenty of water cut out caffeine St. Johns wart
What stopped my panic attacks (for now):
What has basically cured my panic attacks has been my acceptance of them. Allowing myself the freedom to have them without fear, embarrasment, or guilt has brought them to a screeching hault. It does nothing to relieve the underlying anxiety but the panic attacks themselves no longer occur (panic attack free for 5 months) and the dependency on medication is gone ( a dosage of xanax at the time of panic attack in progress). For me getting to a point so that I am 100% confident that I will not die, nor go mad, nor pass out, nor embarrass myself was the point where the attacks began to wain. Giving myself permission to let them happen and not fight them began to mean that the panic attack would essentially come to the surface then disappear in a instant. When I first started to have panic attacks I feared them and fought them which made the worse and it was as "simple" as doing the opposite which has caused them to go away.
I've been taking Ashwagandha and Hawthorn herbal supplements for my stress/anxiety/panic attacks and they seem to help me feel a lot more in control and decrease the generalized anxious feeling too. Even when something happens that would generally send my heart racing, it tends to only go about half the increased speed and half as hard as it used to since I've been on these. The heart rate was always my biggest annoyance/worry that sent my anxiety out of control and when you're outside at a festival and you're kind of heat sensitive and have to walk a lot, it naturally increases a bit anyway at times. I've been to Roo two times now and only had a panic attack once and it was severely overheated and dehydrated. I'd definitely recommend to drink plenty of water and even make sure you're eating enough of the right kinds of foods too that you know won't affect you negatively. I agree that cutting out caffeine has done wonders for me. The last time I had a panic attack was soon after I had a big Mountain Dew slushie plus an assortment of sugary things. Bad news! Another thing on herbs, I know the Valerian/passion flower combo can be really good too and some people like Motherwort. Do some research for anyone who wants to try the herbal route. Distractions are really the best thing that help me out of a panic attack. I've had some difficulty with certain relaxation techniques and sometimes just trying to be too inward and listening to myself makes it worse. It's great to read what all of you are saying here and know that we're not alone at Roo! We're all brave for not letting it take over our lives and just staying at home.
Remember that alcohol (and the rest of that, etc) can be a trigger for an attack! Also, heat exhaustion has symptoms that feel similar to symptoms of mood disorder!
So have a sober fun time and stay hydrated to help avoid any bad episodes!
I have battled panic attacks off and on for half of my life. I know that some people are anti-meds and I used to be as well. I finally decided to give meds a try. The side effects were hell at first but I fought through them and I am glad I did. My life has changed for the better. I feel like life is too short not to give whatever it takes to help with this battle. I am not saying that there are not other methods to help people cope with panic attacks. I just want people to understand that there is nothing to be ashamed of if you do have to take meds. Also remember that panic attacks CAN'T KILL YOU !!! ONE LOVE
Here is a little trick to prevent anxiety attacks.
They only freak you out cuz they sneak up on you, if you feel one coming on "dare" yourself to have a full on anxiety attack. You won't cuz you will be aware of your anxiety. It will run its natural course once you are aware of it, but when its out of control is when you get into trouble.
), my attacks seem progressive. They start out light, then get worse, then I slowly come back out of it. I have been able to feel the start of one and immediately sit down and drink tons of water, which seems to provide some relief. It's my only plan of action for roo, so it better work!
