Anxiety while on public transport can be a big problem especially if it something you need to do. This could be cause by the pandemic or maybe you suffered with it beforehand. Public transport includes bus, train or planes.
Identifying your anxiety
There is a difference between disliking and experiencing anxiety symptoms on public transport. The symptoms you have could be physical, emotional or psychological or maybe all three of them. Everyone’s symptoms may differ from each person, one may get the physical symptoms Shaky legs and feeling hot and sweaty. Where as one may feel emotional symptoms feeling fear as though something it going to happen for example- the bus crashing or missing your stop.
Do you find yourself thinking of every other way possible to get to places other than using public transport? Maybe your thinking of taking that hour long walk just so you don’t have to catch the bus/train. This indicates that you have some sort of anxiety about public transport whether it is due to past experience or just the fear you have in your head.
You may experience sweaty hands, feeling sick or worried. Did you get on the bus and now you find yourself struggling to breath as your fear is getting the best of you? These are some symptoms as well as these,
- Rapid breathing and heartbeat
- Feeling on edge
- Fearing the worst
- Muscle tension
- Feeling spaced out
- Headache
- Nausea
- Feeling numb and tingly
What are your fears?
Maybe you find yourself recounting your change over and over making sure you haven’t miss counted. This could be as the fear of getting on the bus/train and realising you haven’t got enough would make you feel humiliated. Are your fears due to the pandemic, are you worried you’ll catch covid or maybe even just the thought of all the germs that may be on public transport?
Figuring out your if you have underlying fears may help you in overcoming them fears. There are a few different reasons you could fear getting on public transport. Missing your bus, train or plane can be a stressful situation to be in no one wants it to happen but this shouldn’t make you fear public transport. Fear of germs and covid is a reasonable worry but there are ways you can keep yourself safe from germs while on public transport.
Some people don’t like the feeling of being in crowded places and public transport can get pretty busy at times. It can also we worrying for some to think about how others act whilst of public transport maybe your fear is coming from not wanting to be caught up in any public confrontation.
Other fears you may have include,
- Over crowding
- Missing your stop
- Falling asleep
- Needing the toilet but not having one near by
- Fearing the worse is going to happen
- Getting on the wrong bus/train
- Getting in an accident
The impact it has on your life
Having anxiety about public transport can have a major impact of your life especially if you don’t drive or don’t have people that can take you where you need to go. People use public transport to get to and from work so by not using public transport it can affect your work life. Having to walk to work and maybe you it is making your late. What if you got offered a job you would love to do but would mean getting public transport so you don’t take it. This means it is impacting negatively on your work life.
It can also have an impact on your social life. What if your friends are all meeting up and going to places and they invite you but you won’t go because of your anxiety on public transport? This can stand in the way of your social life. Not being able to use public transport can mean finding yourself staying at home a lot of the time leaving you to feel isolated and lonely. As well as that it can make you feel a loss of self-worth.
Being unable to get public transport can also have a negative effect on your health. Maybe you can’t attend your doctor’s appointments or therapy sessions because they require you to get on public transport. It may lead you to feel like you’re missing out on opportunities, things that you would love to do but your anxiety is holding you back.
Steps to control your anxiety
Its important to take control of your fear and don’t let it control you. There are some things you can do that can help you ease and overcome these fears.
Planning your travel
Planning your travel ahead of time can help. For example- checking bus/train times so you can make sure you’re on time and not late for the bus. Also making sure you know when and where you need to get off. Also, if over crowing is a problem for you try and fit the travel time around when its less busy on public transport.
Take it slow
You don’t have to complete it all in a day. Maybe one day try getting to the bus stop and letting the bus go past. Then the next time try getting on the bus for a few stops and then getting off. Keep trying these steps until you feel comfortable getting on the bus and staying on it until you reach your stop. Give yourself extra time so that if the bus comes and is busy you have time to wait for the next one as it may not be as busy.
Practising your breathing techniques can help those who struggle to keep there breathing under control and have panic attacks. Focus on taking big deep breaths and breathing out. This can help keep your breathing steady and also distract you from your surroundings.
If its covid and germs your worried about wear a mask and take some hand sanitiser with you and try to distance yourself from others. These are steps you could take to keep your health safe.
If you start to feel anxious or unwell, getting of the bus/train for some fresh air can help. Then get back on when the next one comes. Maybe take a note book and pen with you on your journey. This way you can write down your thoughts and distract your brain. Then when you get home, you can have read through and see what you wrote.
Other things you can try,
- Seek help from a doctor or therapist
- Take someone with you so you’re not alone
- Check in advance in case of any delays
- Have a backup plan in case of delays
- Find a route with loads of stop in case you need to get off
