Nutcase anxiety before camping

[Joyous56]

In recent years, I have had anxiety attacks before camping, and I'm not sure why. I plan well for food and equipment, and the day before, when I'm packing, I think I'm afraid I will forget to bring something essential, leave something behind at home....but also that my house will burn down when I'm gone, my car will break down when I'm traveling, or there will be a nuclear disaster! Well, my stuff, I guess. Obviously.

This time, I will be missing my doggie companion, Boo. because I had to have her euthanized. I will miss her on the drive, I will miss her when we're camping. I will miss her inquisitiveness around where we are.

This isn't actually appropriate for this site. I love camping. I'll probably just delete this in a bit.

[bluestar99]

Re: Nutcase anxiety before camping

Sorry to hear of your anxiety issues. They are more common then you think. I believe the process you go through planning your trip and packing are very normal. You just seem to have a more serious case. We have a friend who has similar issues to you, worries about everything and when all is said and done things work out just fine. But we can't get her to understand that the pressure she puts on herself is what cause's her such stress. A friend once told me, "worrying is like Rocking in a chair, it's something to do, but gets you no where". Maybe it's time to find another furry friend to go with you. I camp alone sometimes and my dog is a great companion. Don't give up on doing something you enjoy, just find the middle ground that you can live with. The outdoors offer so much, go enjoy it.

[toedtoes]

Re: Nutcase anxiety before camping

Have you tried writing down everything that might go wrong, anything you might forget, and what you will do about it?

For example: I forgot the tent - I will sleep in the car. I forgot my pillow - I will use my jacket. A tire blew - I'll call AAA or change it myself. And so on.

I tend to worry myself before trips. But it bothers me less because I've got solutions for most things. Even if it's simply "call for help". I do have a garmin inreach for when I don't have cell service.

[caheaton]

Re: Nutcase anxiety before camping

So sorry about your dog. As for anxiety, I create a checklist of everything I wish to pack and check it during and after packing. I also take the attitude that if I do forget something, I'm never so far from civilization that I could drive and purchase something should I absolutely have to. As for the home, accidents can happen whether you're at home or not so I simply don't worry about it (never had one happen...though I use to tease my parents, they'd ask me to check on their house while they were gone and when they'd call and ask I'd tell them "The house hasn't collapsed." :-)

[MacGyver]

Re: Nutcase anxiety before camping

If you could see me going over and over AND over my lists before a camping trip, you'd know you're definitely not alone in having pre-trip jitters. I'm not a doctor - and I don't play one on television - but my guess is that your anxiety might just be heightened right now because of having to say goodbye to a beloved companion. Unfortunately, that's something all us per owners have to go through from time to time and it does leave us out of sorts for a while. As for the thought of a major calamity happening, I think bluestar nailed it - accidents can happen anywhere, at any time, so worrying about it doesn't do you any good. The only solution to that would be to stay home and never leave the house. And that, as caheaton mentioned, would mean having to give up on something you love.

I'll go back to my list checking. Despite my pouring over the lists I make, I almost always manage to leave something out that I wish I'd had. Sometimes it's been something major, like my cot or a stove. But somehow I still make it through the trip. I hate it when it happens, I cuss myself out at the time but now look back and laugh at myself for being so absent minded. In the end, it's all just a part of that thing we call Camping. We survive - and you will, too!

P.S. There's nothing inappropriate about your post!

[Malamute]

Re: Nutcase anxiety before camping

I think getting another dog is a good idea, its how I deal with the loss of one. I dont feel it takes anything away from the old one, but fills that dog shaped hole in your life. Theres a LOT of good dogs that need a good person, pounds and rescues are full of them. I say I can only save the world one (or two) dogs at a time. My only true superpower.

It may also be somewhat natural to have some anxiety when doing things slightly out of our normal routine as we age. Just diving in and doing it usually takes care of it.

[terasec]

Re: Nutcase anxiety before camping

more you get out, less worried you become,
planning becomes routine and you learn to do without things
i have forgotten lots of things , never has it ruined a trip
i even forgot to bring my kayak on a kayaking trip
had all the gear, seat, PFD, Paddles, etc, but about 40 minutes into my 6 hr drive started thinking, shouldnt i have something strapped to my roof? i dont see it!
instead of stressing about it, i got a good laugh out of it and still have a story to tell 20 years later .

[James.]

Re: Nutcase anxiety before camping

more you get out, less worried you become,
planning becomes routine and you learn to do without things
i have forgotten lots of things , never has it ruined a trip
i even forgot to bring my kayak on a kayaking trip
had all the gear, seat, PFD, Paddles, etc, but about 40 minutes into my 6 hr drive started thinking, shouldnt i have something strapped to my roof? i dont see it!
instead of stressing about it, i got a good laugh out of it and still have a story to tell 20 years later .

This is the truth. Before I get in the car to drive away I always check to see if I packed food, water and shelter (sleeping bag). Everything else is a luxury. I one time forgot to take my grill. Didn't realize it until I stopped and it was dark. No going back for that. Fortunately I did bring a tri-pod with a cooking grate that my wife and daughter had bought me to try out.

Bad trips make good stories.

[Karla "with a k"]

Re: Nutcase anxiety before camping

Bad trips make good stories.

THIS IS SO TRUE! I once attended a hammock campers weekend with 60 other hammock campers. I accidentally left my backpack with my hammock back at home. Yup, I went to a hammock hang without a hammock!

However, if you are ever gonna forget something do it while camping with 60 other people. I was able to try a military style bivy for a night and cowboy camp! And got to check that off my bucket list. And I was able to try out one of those 90 degree Amok hammocks (those are $400!) for a night too.

The experience almost makes me want to "forget" my hammock in future large hammock hangs just to try out other people's stuff!

[bluestar99]

Re: Nutcase anxiety before camping

What happened to the OP? She never came back to her thread.

[toedtoes]

Re: Nutcase anxiety before camping

I do think there is a difference between a bit of anxiety and full-blown anxiety attacks. From Joyous' comments, it sounds like she is having full-blown attacks rather than basic jitters.

I would recommend that she talk to her doctor. Several years back, I started getting anxiety attacks when I got in the car. No logical reason for it. Talked to my doctor and he had me go through a series of tests. We finally diagnosed it as sleep deprivation. Due to a longterm heat wave, I was not getting proper sleep at night. A unseasonably warm winter and a second hot summer and I was in really bad deprivation. He prescribed me sleeping pills and I cooled down the bedroom significantly. After a few months, the attacks started easing off. It took a lot of sleep to fully recover, but no more attacks for over four years now.

That's the problem with anxiety attacks, they rarely have anything to do with the trigger.