The Top 5 Ways to Overcome your Fear of Crowds

Many people all over the globe suffer from severe anxiety when in the middle of a large crowd. If you feel that way, you are definitely not alone! You may have been through a traumatic experience or you may have been afraid of crowds for as long as you can remember. If you live in a city or are going somewhere like a theme park soon, then it would be helpful to remember the following five tips – they can be very effective in helping you overcome your fears.

1. Small Events
Going to a party or a get together is a great start to overcome your fear of crowds, because you are taking it one step at a time, instead of placing yourself in a huge gathering without preparation. Start hanging out with a few people at a time in a quiet place, and then the next time, join a few more, so you are easing your way into a large crowd. A crowded restaurant where you can find a spot of solitude would also be a great further step.

2. Companions
A lot of people cannot stay away from theme parks, clubs, or other large gathering places. It could help to go with these people, so you can talk to them about the fun parts and keep your focus on the positive. That way you are not paying attention to anything that is going on around you.

3. Deep Breaths
One symptom of fear is anxiety. If you feel your heart start pounding or a big headache coming on, then take a deep breath and close your eyes. If you have to escape to a quieter area where you are not in the middle of a crowd, then you should definitely do so. You may want to try some breathing exercises or simply close your eyes and count to ten. This is often exactly what people need – to just take a step back and get some perspective. Remind yourself that in a short amount of time, you’ll be heading home to your cozy home, and that this is not the end of the world.

4. Relaxing Music
Bring your iPod with you anywhere that you’ll encounter huge crowds. This will help you calm yourself. Listening to something familiar and happy can do wonders, and this trick is especially effective if you are listening to relaxing tunes, such as classical music. It is very soothing and you will feel much better, since you will not be able to hear any chaos around you.

5. Reassurance
When in a crowded area, you may feel unsafe, for a multitude of reasons. If you feel that way, reassure yourself that you are safe, and do whatever you have to to reassure yourself of this, such as being aware of your surroundings. Friends can also help with these feelings, because they can help you take care of any problems, such as familiarity with a specific area or more.

These five common methods will help anyone who wants to overcome a fear of crowds. It is important to not rush the process though, and take your time going through each method. If you feel that nothing is working for you, then you may want to see a counselor and see if they can come up with a better solution.

Rebecca Ford likes to write about health, saving money and visiting www.lifeinsurancequotes.org.

Guest Post U

The University of Great Content

Under the Yuck: Something Likeable

What the hell was I thinking?  At late middle age, why did I choose to rappel off of cliffs in the Costa Rican rain forest then boulder climb my way out after splashing around in pools of water, frolicking under waterfalls and finding the perfect foothold as I climbed back up the canyon, one step at a time.  I’m thinking:  damn this is fun!

Let’s forget about the fact that halfway up the canyon I shattered my foot and am now facing 2 surgeries and 6 months of rehab with the hope of having an appendage that looks and acts like a foot when all is said and done.  Let’s forget that I have never experienced more than a bruise on this middle aged body.  Let’s forget that I spent the first half of my life living in fear of well, life and making a mistake.

I finally found me underneath a mountain of yuck just a few years ago.  Deeply buried under fear, loss, hurt, and abandonment I existed as a shell.  Forget trusting anyone, I didn’t even trust myself at that point in time.    My super power was pretending that my spirit and soul held strength and confidence.  What a faker!  This existence, not really a life if you think about it, took a tremendous amount of energy to maintain but I did it for decades.  Some days, I even believed the lie I lived myself.

As part of the internal housecleaning a few years back , I tossed away the fear of new experiences and left behind the need to stay within the confines of my tightly controlled life of teaching, reading and writing.  When I moved the yuck away, I found the ability to laugh and the ability to take risks.  Perhaps I went a bit to the extreme for some of my adventures:  running with the bulls in Pamplona and now rappelling hundreds of feet into the rain forest. But I have so many adventures ahead of me and time is of the essence  as the clock to becoming a member of AARP loudly ticks now.   I finally believe the lie I created and now the lie has evolved into reality.  My soul does hold strength and courage after all.

I am going to have months of recovery waiting me after surgery 1 then surgery 2.  During this time, I will crawl back into my safe life of teaching, reading and writing.  But when I can walk again, I’ll be heading to Machu Picchu.  There are more adventures on my bucket list and what I like about me now, is that  fear has loosened its grip on my soul.

Cheryl Stahle 

Facebook

Getting Past the Fear of Sobriety

Today, we will begin a new journey through my book Openiing the Gates of the Heart: A Journey of Healing. We will be going through the process I went through to reach peace in sobriety.

It takes some guts... getting past the fear of sobriety. If you're like I was, I knew at a deep level that I had a drinking problem, that what others were saying to me about needing to quit was true. But I was terrified of life without my best friend.

Fear... False Evidence Appearing Real. F-word Everything And Run. Both were me, and especially the latter. My drinking was an escape, a numbing out of all the pain I had experienced in my life... the rejections, the belittlement, being told I was worthless, and on and on...

Of course, I didn't know at the time that I was numbing out. I had to be sober for quite some time before I realized that. The thing about getting sober and living without alcohol and drugs in my life is that it is a beautiful and peaceful way to live, once the healing occurs. Yes, I still experience fear, but it is something I can recognize and deal with.

The advantage to being sober is, I can feel the fear, and move forward anyway. I can choose to see that the fear is false evidence appearing real, gain the courage and take action. Fear is a natural reaction to many situations, and once we establish that the fear is not telling us we are in danger, we can move forward.

So, what are your fears of getting sober? Living the rest of your life without alcohol and drugs? Remember, it's just one day at a time. You only have to live without alcohol one day at a time. After some time, the days just accumulate, you have completed healing work, and life looks pretty grand.

To get past the fear, think of it as a life style change of great beauty. Going from many situations in your life that are unmanageable to a life of peace, without all the headaches, without the hang overs, without the arguments, is something to experience.


Be willing to move past the fear, for it surely is nice on the other side. Join me, if you care to. You will be pleased. You will enjoy getting past the fear of sobriety.


Carolyn CJ Jones

- Inspirational Speaker: "Awaken Your Heart and Find Peace"
- Author and Photographer: "Opening the Gates of the Heart: A Journey of Healing"