Rollercoaster anxiety

[AdamS99]

Hi all I hope this is in the correct section.

I’ve been to Alton towers many times and always been quite anxious about things. For example only just got on a plane last year and I’m 37.

Today we were at Alton towers and I got really anxious over nemesis, galactica, Rita, smiler, oblivion so I didn’t go on them. The crazy part is, ive been on them before plenty of times before Covid and loved them… Galactica and nemesis are my favourites.

What the hell is going on? Why am I feeling like this? Does anybody else have these issues and if so can you fix me as I’m in the park again tomorrow

My issue is me worrying about being sick on the ride (I’ve been sick about 6 times in my life) so it’s quite scary for me and the added embarrassment of doing it on a ride terrifies me. that then makes me feel sick and I panic and won’t get on the ride. Surely it’s not just me and somebody has some technique to help. Today I tried not having much breakfast to keep my stomach from feeling full and coming back up, but that only made my stomach feel empty and queezy

 

[Alix]

Getting older does things to you, both mentally and physically.

I can no longer tolerate spinning flat rides as much as I could, my dad had to stop riding coasters altogether about 20 years ago due to vertigo.

I am sometimes nervous of a new coaster, but tend to just think statistically they’re very safe, and lots of engineering goes into them to make this the case.

If you haven’t already you might like to look up some mindfulness/ CBT type guides to discover some coping mechanisms for when you feel too worried to ride something. Being sick on a coaster is not going to be fun, but it’s not the worst thing that could happen - CBT should help you gain a sense of perspective.

 

[Jb85]

As daft as it sounds. Not eating will make you feel worse.

For me, start again in a calmer coaster, RMT for instance- then build yourself back up

 

[Matt.GC]

I suppose the question is, do the coasters make you sick? Or is it at unexplainable phobia of being sick? As that's 2 different situations entirely.

Although the last few years I've been knocked side ways by overdoing coasters as I age, I've only experienced fear before getting on a ride. Ridiculously at Towers that ride for me is the Sky Ride. It terrifies the absolute hell out of me. I lept on the floor of the gondala face down once in pure fear once when it stopped above the valley.

 

[pluk]

I have a similar issue, although it has not actually stopped me riding... yet. Mine is based around anxiety of being stuck in the ride, a sort of claustrophobia, where despite knowing everything is fine my brain decides to go into panic mode when the restraints are down but the ride is not moving.

Where our situations are similar is that they are entirely irrational; it's a near certainty that no harm will come to me strapped in to a ride and that you won't be sick. I know it sounds like dumb advice, along the lines of 'don't be sad then' to a depressed person, but really you have to get you brain to logic out of it. Your sensible conscious needs to override your irrational sub conscious. Probably best to start with the ride that gives you least anxiety, ride it and prove to yourself the fear was unfounded and move up to the next one. Or rip the plaster off, force yourself on to the most anxiety inducing and once that is done you'll know that all the lesser rides are not an issue.

Good luck!

 

[AdamS99]

I have a similar issue, although it has not actually stopped me riding... yet. Mine is based around anxiety of being stuck in the ride, a sort of claustrophobia, where despite knowing everything is fine my brain decides to go into panic mode when the restraints are down but the ride is not moving.

Where our situations are similar is that they are entirely irrational; it's a near certainty that no harm will come to me strapped in to a ride and that you won't be sick. I know it sounds like dumb advice, along the lines of 'don't be sad then' to a depressed person, but really you have to get you brain to logic out of it. Your sensible conscious needs to override your irrational sub conscious. Probably best to start with the ride that gives you least anxiety, ride it and prove to yourself the fear was unfounded and move up to the next one. Or rip the plaster off, force yourself on to the most anxiety inducing and once that is done you'll know that all the lesser rides are not an issue.

Good luck!

Yea very similar to this, I love the rides just once that anxiety hits is ruins all rides. I’m not scared of rides crashing just the fear of being sick is what makes me feel sick

I’m going to bite the bullet and first thing I’ll go in is nemesis and that should help. Some great points from you all, appreciate the replies

 

[Itgoeshowhigh]

Try breathing exercises. Sounds naff but it really can help.

Practice in bed tonight.
Start by concentrating on the physical sensation of how breathing feels, first as the air goes in your nostrils, then as it goes down the the back of you throat, then how the top of your chest lifts, then further down as your chest expands and so on… Slow your breathing right down and concentrate on the feelings.
Then the magic bit, count how long it takes to inhale and aim to make your exhale much much longer. With a bit of practice you should be able make the exhale last 2 or 3 x longer than your inhale. Really control it, big fast inhale then slowly slowly let your breath seep out slowly.

Do that for a minute or two, whatever you’re comfortable with then let go and breathe normally. It does something to your mind/body, takes you out of fight/flight mode.
Practice in bed when youre relaxed, then once you’ve got it you can switch into it when you’re feeling anxious.

Try it.
And eat, an empty stomach will just make you feel worse!

Maybe avoid Smiler though until you’ve built up tolerance again.

 

[James]

Eat as you usually would. Eating less can worsen the sickness feeling.

I would recommend trying a tame coaster first. Maybe Galactica out of the ones you mentioned.

I usually get anxiety going on coasters I haven't been on for a while, but nothing specifically worries me. I know they are safe and I've ridden them countless times. It's weird. I usually find that ‘building up’ from the least intense to the most intense usually helps. If you have someone with you who can support you, it can also be reassuring.

 

[RustyRider]

I get it. I’ve had an umbilical hernia for a few years now and I’ve never had an issue with UK coasters as most of them have over the shoulder restraints which really don’t bother it. But I’ve just got back from a Germany trip where 90% of the big rides are lap bars and I had serious doubts before riding due to how painful wicker man can be.

I’m a very chatty person but I queued up for hours in silence with my partner due to the anxiety over riding!

 

[Bert2theSpark]

I used to struggle with the anxiety of it all and I could never put my finger on why. But life events changed and I thought "It's now or never", and then I never looked back.

It's better to change your mindset to "What am I going to gain from this?" as opposed to "I want to avoid any discomfort". When queuing, getting on and waiting for anticipation (pre-launch/lift), think about something really funny and absurd that isn't at all related. When I went on Oblivion for the first time, I was climbing the lift hill and enjoying the views, especially looking at the sheep going about their day. The next thing I know "Oh I'm actually at the top of the drop" and 15 seconds later the ride is over and I'm loving the rush of dopamine and adrenaline!!!

 

[George W]

As someone else mentioned you should build your way up, I know you already mentioned you've been on the rides before but treat it like it's your first time I would recommend this order runaway mine train > spinball > thirteen > wickerman > Galatica > nemesis > smiler > oblivion and then maybe go and get a ride on Rita after although I'd say that has the biggest stomach drop feeling in my opinion, that and oblivion.

And you definitely want to eat food just not in massive amounts and give it time to go down as riding straight after a meal I know can make some people a bit queezy, you just need to build your way back up and try not to feel pressured, if it's not for you anymore then there's no shame in that at all but might as well give it a go.