Want to go to a concert

darkrebelchild

You will be fine. Don't think about your anxiety issues; try to meditate before you go and while you are there, practice some breathing exercises, it will help you through the show.

We have to face our fears sooner than later...Let us know how it goes.

TigerBalm

I suffer from panic attacks and anxiety and have been diagnosed with a few different types of anxiety disorder. Last year I was invited to a very big concert at Wembley. I was so nervous but I really wanted to go and not let my anxiety hold me back. I went and right at the beginning of the concert I thought that I was going to have to leave, but I stayed and I'm so glad I did! I very quickly got swept away with the emotions and the music and forgot all about my anxiety- it was amazing! Plus if your anxiety is partly triggered by worrying what other people think of you (like mine is), remember that at a concert nobody is taking any notice of you- they're completely focused on what's happening on stage. I think I could've stripped naked at that concert and nobody would have noticed!! I say go, and I'm sure you will have a great time and feel so confident afterwards. Good luck!

zozzie

I think , once there, you'll have a blast. You might have the jitters going in the gate and waiting for the acts to start, but stay, really, it's maybe 25 minutes of discomfort to experience an evening you will enjoy in the long run. Well worth it.

anorexorcist20

I think that you should try it. Most of the times, when we're scared of something for a really long time or thinking about it constantly, at the end of the day, they're not a big deal. Who knows, maybe you'll have a lot of fun! And if you start feeling really bad I think that you can always tell your husband that you need to get out of there.
Have fun!

dominica

this has been me on occasion. even a big festival or something i can feel anxious about, but sometimes i do it for my partner's sake....and once i'm there, i usually have a great time....anxiety never really killed anyone..i suppose that's right. 

DeanD

I have the same feelings. Sometimes I do better when my wife and I do things on the spur of the moment instead of planning in advance. For example, a couple of weeks ago we went to see Bruce Springsteen. If I had bought tickets in advance, I would've stressed out about going for months. Instead, on the day of the concert we went online and bought a pair of tickets off of StubHub for an insanely cheap price. A couple hours later, we were at the show. I never felt anxious or stressed out, even though I hate crowds. It was a wonderful night.

yeppeo

The anxiety for me is always in anticipation and I can have a bad time before going but once I'm there I try to blend with the emotions and have a good time. Try to avoid those areas of the crowd where they get crazy with the music- for me it's better to stay a little behind and have a somewhat calmer experience than being in the from rows where everything seems more overwhelming.

aimeep80

Thank you all so very much for the replies. I'm really excited and think I'm going to surprise my husband with the tickets. I have to do this. I need to face this fear so that I can face more fears soon. I'm so ready to get well. Thanks again!

Destiny

I know this us a forum for recovery... but, in your post you didnt mention anything about a drinking problem, so I'll assume you or your significant other aren't burdened with that unfortunate problem.

 So, might I suggest having a few drinking to lower inhibitions before you go? There's nothing wrong with drinking responsibly and a lot of people like to enjoy a few drinks while they're attending social events. 

aimeep80

@Destiny My husband is a recovering addict and an alcoholic. I understand that it can help those who do not have drinking problems though. I am not much of a drinker so I probably will not do that but thank you for your reply. 

DeanD

@aimeep80... I'm proud of you for being so courageous. You can do this, my friend.

aimeep80

@DeanD thank you so much.

I'm still searching for the perfect concert..seems like we will have to travel a couple of hours to get to one but that's okay. I'll definitely update once we do go. 

kassie1234

I get a bit of social anxiety too - some days are worse than others, some things will set me off - but I like what others said about maybe not planning it in advance. I honestly get anxious about a lot of social events if I have all that time to think about them in advance (I'm a chronic over thinker and tend to envision every possible bad scenario!) so if I don't have time to overthink it tends to be a lot more calm of a process

sillylucy

You should go to the concert and enjoy yourself. Remember that you are in control of your feelings and that the noise and crowds will not bother you. They are all in your head. Just relax, breath and go to the bathroom if you need a quiet place to relax.

SeenThisBefore

Just think about how the more people they are, the less likely people are to notice or approach you.  They're all coming to see the show, and will be focused on the band (or the merchandise, etc) for the majority of the time.  This means it's not traditionally social (not like a party or something), allowing you to blend comfortably into your own concert experience.  Also, if they have a balcony, the view is usually worse, but you'll find less people up there.  Also, seating as opposed to floor tickets will mean less bumping into others and thus less interaction.  Hopefully this helps you.  I've had really bad anxiety/anxiety attacks since I was a young child.  This method of thinking allows me to go to concerts and movies and such.

DeanD

Those are great tips, @SeenThisBefore!