Does anyone feel weird in open spaces?
Posted , 73 users are following.
So ive been complaining about this for so long but with little support or answers to what it is i just get told its all anxiety. Anyway when im in any open spaces mainly in supermarkets or shopping centres and even in my house, i feel panicked in open spaces like i feel detached from my body and numb and loss of control so i feel on edge because i feel like i need to hold on to something. The strange thing is if im pushin a trolley, or the pram or holding on to someone i feel fine. I just feel like i cant feel my body when im walking unaided in open spaces. Does anyone get this? I cant remember the last time ive went to town on my own because of this feeling, its almost a feeling of unbalance like i feel like i could fall x
11 likes, 173 replies
madonn95250 Moo88
Posted
My acupuncturist thinks the dizziness is due to taking a high blood pressure medicine that is commonly prescribed, Atenolol.Is anyone else on this medication?
I am trying to find links,as to the cause of these symptoms that so many people like myself suffer from, since all the specialist from Neurology to Audiology don't have the solutions.
Or has anyone tried hypnosis?
Debbie1982 Moo88
Posted
Hello there,
hope you're well. Oh my god..., This is actually me as well! I haven't been to the doctors about this yet. Have you had any help since writing this?
Debbie x
madonn95250 Moo88
Posted
Try the BAUD.
118SIMON118 Moo88
Posted
get disorientated and feel feel at dis ease within myself and like I'm out of control of how I'm going to react and that gets me into a panic and cant focus and feel vulnerable and that IMPENDING CALAMITY starts and I need to get away
eastcoastn87579 Moo88
Edited
ok. so its obvious we all have almost the same feelings when I comes to open spaces. I have done so much research and what I found is it could be related to inner ear. Vestibular neuritis is something we have or had at one time. Signals travel from the labyrinth to the brain via the vestibulo-cochlear nerve (the eighth cranial nerve), which has two branches. One branch (the cochlear nerve) transmits messages from the hearing organ, while the other (the vestibular nerve) transmits messages from the balance organs.
The brain integrates balance signals sent through the vestibular nerve from the right ear and the left ear. When one side is infected, it sends faulty signals. The brain thus receives mismatched information. also the reason why walking near a wall or object could be the result of fight or flight response. prey animals ALWAYS prefer the open field because they would be seen...so staying near the tree line or in this case a wall or staying close to the entrance of a a door or being close to your car is indeed a safe escape or a place to take cover when we feel we are in danger. the inner ear could be sending mixed signals to the amygdala which is a part of our brain which triggers fear and anxiety and panic..
eastcoastn87579
Posted
prefer staying AWAY from open fields. ***correction from above ***
nbw70 eastcoastn87579
Posted
iv had balance tests done and they said it was all ok and my balance is ok but im going to ask for another one to be done as i want a second opinion
madonn95250 nbw70
Edited
Dear nbw70,
I too have had balance testing at Mayo Clinic. They also determined it wasn't caused by vestibular issue as suggested by above eastcoastn87579. (So it wasn't the brain, ear, foot connection). They are not linking anxiety with the triggering messages sent to the amygdala b/c of vestibular neuritis, but instead with a past "subconscious trauma" that sets a pattern of flight or flight. When other issues are sensed it defaults to "the flight or flight" and is forever in a loop. Agreed, the fear response will cause one to find refuge near walls as learned/DNA by primal responses.I think both camps are right, but we need to find a solution irregardless of "how" others who do not suffer from this hypothesize. This disorder is disruptive to anyone who suffers, lifestyles are altered to field potential everyday triggers. If you have a solution to "cure" please let us in on your secret irregardless of the underling cause.
nbw70 madonn95250
Posted
i dont mean to sound thick! but i dont understand what you wrote/meant! could you reitterate it in lame mans terms please. i actualy walked accross a larfe open space yesterday evening and not near a wall! i was so pleased, i think its because i was thinking of other things
madonn95250 nbw70
Posted
Dear nbw70,
My point was, there are two different camps. One being, our issues with balance are seen by professionals as an "ear" issue or the other is a "brain" issue, whether that is psychological or physiological remains the huge dilemma .
If they test your (ears) hearing via audiology they can perform advanced testing in a special laboratories that test the origin of imbalance. (It is essentially placing someone in a darkened testing room, on a moving platform as they monitor your movements via electrodes that send information to a computer). Whalla.
The open space is a primal response to "flight or fight". If you are thinking of other things (distraction) you may not have the same syndrome that many of us feel we have and attempt to alleviate the level of anxiety sensed when crossing into an open space by placing a visual in our path.I say we in a general way, from this blog it appears I am not alone.
bpark2481 Moo88
Edited
I had this for many years. Eventually I learned how to manage my symptoms and develop strategies when I'm out, however I refused to assume it was just "anxiety." I did a lot of research and I saw ENTs, neurologists, and my opthamologists. After a lot of bad doctors, I finally found some that took it seriously. The ENT checked my ear and ruled out inner-ear issues as my ears looked great. He also said my condition is called "Visual Vertigo" and it has to do with my vestibular system. My opthamologist also said it's likely an issue with my vestibular system. It's a matter of retraining the eye and how it tracks things in our view. Our vestibular system basically becomes weak (for whatever reason), so the tracking of our eye, the feeling beneath our feet (motion) as no longer speaking together, so there's a dizziness or a sense of panic when those areas in our system are not communicating correctly.
My next step is to see my opthamologist who is also a visual therapist, and start strengthening my vestibular system with eye and head exercises. You might want to look into this as well. My best of luck to you all!
eastcoastn87579 bpark2481
Posted
hi bpark. interesting how the connection of vestibular system effects so much. I read up Visual vertigo and it sounds pretty on par with a lot of my symptoms. where is this doctor from who gave you this diagnosis?
eileen55092 bpark2481
Posted
This sounds a really promising explanation given the random nature of when and where problems occur.
I can go for weeks without problems but the anxiety/dread builds again in the aftermath of an "episode". Feet and eyes out of synch - not a good scenario. Good luck and please post your progress .
bpark2481 eastcoastn87579
Posted
I live in Seattle and thankfully found her in the area. Search for a "visual therapist" in your city - I'm sure you'll be able to find one. I'll update this thread once I start treatment. It could be a long process to reestablishing my visual steadiness (+ controlling my anxiety) but I'm hopeful!
bpark2481 eileen55092
Posted
Totally in the same boat as you. I have underlying anxiety, but after an episode of light-headedness, dizziness or unsteadiness, the anxiety would build up even more after that.
I could never figure out if it was my anxiety that caused the unsteadiness/dizziness or if it was the situation I was in or what I was looking at that caused the dizziness. I thought I was either crazy or making it up, but I'm glad to have an actual diagnosis for it and can work towards correcting it. People often think we (the anxious folks) make things up b/c of our anxiety, but sometimes it's something that's actually causing our anxiety to go overboard. And feeling off-balance will definitely provoke anxiety. But I do know getting my general anxiety under control is really important in visual therapy progress. I'll post my progress in time - I know it'll take awhile for the vestibular system to strengthen.
nbw70 bpark2481
Edited
thankyou, i will phone my doctor to see if i can get a referal to ENT as im a prisoner in my own home. I see little kids out my window walking in the wind and think how come the wind isnt knocking them down, if im out walking and iv no one with me i feel like im going to topple over, yet im absolutely fine walking on grass, it just seems to be on concrete surfaces that i feel unsteady
madonn95250 nbw70
Posted
Dear nbw70,
My nephew is has a Biomedical Engineering degree and also a Physical Therapy, P.H.D. He says there is a ton of cutting edge research being done in his field on this very subject. Why? Because the ENT people don't have it figured out, if it is not your "ear" then they say it is in your "brain" and have no referral base to fix that. Yes, my nephew says it is probably vestibular and "eye" retraining is one way to reduce the flood of information (retrain) the brain is not digesting properly (signals) and the miss match produces the imbalance feelings. The other is the BAUD device that the FDA approved and has worked with 100s of people. I am hopeful one or both will help many of us who suffer from this syndrom.
The walking on grass is similar for me, it is theorized our eye /brain connection is more focused/localized whereas the cement is one big slab/infinity.
Lulubeck nbw70
Posted
i'm the same, when i see people running or walking under the rain, i think "how come they're not falling?" 😃 i'm also fine on grass and sand. for me, its shiny surfaces like tile, including certain concrete and wet surfaces. i used to be a dancer!! I don't know what happened. It's also getting worse. so glad i found this group.
nbw70 Lulubeck
Posted
yes! im very wary on hard shiny surfaces too, yet im fine on the grass and the sand, its like if i fall i know i wont hurt myself! its almost like a comfort blanket. hard shiny surfaces in shopping centres are not good for me, i have to hold onto people if and when im walking on these type of surfaces, please keep intouch and let me know how your doing x