About 3 weeks ago I suddenly developed panic and anxiety about cycling. I've been cycling for nearly a decade and have done a number of long distance cycles including a 400km+ in under 24hours. I had a crash back in February and recovered through the Spanish lockdown on a turbo trainer. Since then I've been out regularly and put in a couple of 100km rides. It's pretty hilly in our area. An average of 500m climbing for 50km. I literally got up one morning and had a panic attack just getting changed to go cycling. On Tuesday I had done most of the climbing but had a panic attack thinking about the next segment which isn't that tough so just went back home. I'm really confused as to why this would suddenly happen. Does anyone have a similar experience or any advice on how to overcome this.
Sudden anxiety about cycling after a decade on the bike
- Thread starter NickiW
- Start date
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- Location
- London
I'm no psychologist at all, but maybe linked to your competitive sounding (talk of "segments" - something which turns me right off) form of cycling and that this is the cycling you were doing when you crashed?
If you don't already have one, get a more relaxed bike, do some pootling, use the bike for transport, visiting folks and socialising (allowed?), sightseeing, shopping? Smell the roses, chill - you may recover your joy of cycling. Can always go back to the segments later if you want.
Alternatively, something else is going on. I don't know how much cycling you do, but your cycling maybe a bit addictive/covering up of something else in your life you have subconsciously spotted through a crack?
If you don't already have one, get a more relaxed bike, do some pootling, use the bike for transport, visiting folks and socialising (allowed?), sightseeing, shopping? Smell the roses, chill - you may recover your joy of cycling. Can always go back to the segments later if you want.
Alternatively, something else is going on. I don't know how much cycling you do, but your cycling maybe a bit addictive/covering up of something else in your life you have subconsciously spotted through a crack?
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Hi. Thanks for that. I don't try to be competitive at all. I think of myself as (jokingly) a fat old lady on a bike. I am not onto trying to compete on any "section of my rides.....I mostly stick my tracking in my back pocket. When I mentioned segment I meant the next section of the route between two turn off points. The cycling here is gorgeous and brilliant for finding new villages view points etc. which is why up until now I have loved it.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
I suffered injury in a serious RTA early in 2018 and was off the bike for many months while I recovered physically. Mentally, many people may think I was unaffected but actually the aftermath was pretty horrible and is still with me in many small ways even now. Feelings of fear, vulnerability, self doubt (was it my fault, could I make a serious mistake, what if, etc?), anger with others for their lack of attention and care both in trivial and important situations and many more unpleasant emotions besides.
Everyone is different and handles things uniquely. I consider myself to be quite robust of mind and character so if I felt this way I can understand others feeling much, much worse.
It would help if you can describe how you feel and what you are worrying about. It might not get you any answers or solutions but if you are anything like me then just talking through and acknowledging your feelings can be a massive part of moving on.
Everyone is different and handles things uniquely. I consider myself to be quite robust of mind and character so if I felt this way I can understand others feeling much, much worse.
It would help if you can describe how you feel and what you are worrying about. It might not get you any answers or solutions but if you are anything like me then just talking through and acknowledging your feelings can be a massive part of moving on.
Thank you so much for that. It is really helpful. Like you I consider myself fairly resilient to life's knocks. After the accident and we were allowed back onto the road I was initially really nervous about descending in particular (I've always previously only ridden uphill so I can descend as I loved it. (I used to off road motorbike so have a good feel for lines etc. ) I got past the fear and recently cornering and descents started to feel natural again. I literally woke up about 3 weeks ago and felt sick to my stomach about going out on the bike and it just won't go away. As soon as I start getting ready to ride I start feeling really negative and end up tearful. I want to ride but something is just "freezing " inside. I had a few falls over the last 2 years.....only one very minor cycling related one. It could just be that I'm being over protective of myself. I don't know whether to knock cycling on the head for good....try a couple of weeks break or just push on through.
- Location
- London
ah, i see - misunderstanding of words - segment is I think used a lot by the strava crowd - I see now that you use it in a different way, and maybe to refer to bits of terrys chocolate oranges.
Hope you sort things - would be a real pity to give up cycling - over to others.
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
I'm really sorry to read that this has suddenly happened to you.
As to why, a professional psychologist may have some theories, but very few here will be able to answer you.
Unfortunately, someone else's experience will not be a lot of help except to provide inspiration (if it's ultimately resolved) or perhaps not.
Our brain is a remarkably complicated and complex machine linked to everything else in our body. Something is triggering your reaction and you're reacting poorly to that reaction.
The trigger may be that you were running late and stressed before you departed, or that you spoke to someone before you were due to leave - and your brain is connecting that to the crash (or maybe 100,000 other things).
The fact is, that trigger has been activated and is now a "sore point". It may calm down, perhaps for months but it can flare up again.
The danger, is that it can spread into other areas of your life.
Giving up won't deactivate the trigger.
Pushing through will probably make it worse.
Taking a break may reduce the sensitivity of the trigger (whatever it may be) but it will most likely remain to be reactivated in the future.
My strong recommendation would be to contact a doctor for a psychologist recommendation, or to seek out a sports psychologist. If you're a member of a cycling club they may well have contacts to help.
It's not much different to a young child who has a bad experience with one dog. If ignored, that child will fear dogs all their lives. If treated, not so much.
Best of luck!
DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
Would it be possible to ride off road/segregated cycle paths for a while, rather than mixing with traffic on road?
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
Why not? the anxiety seems to stem from descending, and being on the road, a gentle pootle off the roads is one less thing to worry about.
footloose crow
Über Member
- Location
- Cornwall. UK
Some people are more predisposed to anxiety than others but it may not manifest itself until a particular event or life experience or an accumulation of small incidents triggers it. Think of it as a cup that in some people is half full and others is empty. The half full cup is a person with a predisposition to being more anxious - two people may go through the same stressful incident, think of it as adding extra liquid to the cup but only one of you will find the cup running over; panic.
You may just be reacting to an accumulation of stress over a period.
It will pass. Don't stop cycling or fear downhills because that just solidifies the neural pathways of 'Situation A always makes me feel bad so I will avoid it'.
Distraction works well when you feel the panic coming. Count how many shades of green you can see in the vegetation. Count the cadence of your cycling. Breathe deeply and try to relax the chest. Shallow breathing, because you are stressed by fear, actually feeds the feeling you are getting. Try and stay in the present moment. Try (its hard!) not to catastrophise - by this I mean that your mind will be giving you increasingly awful scenarios about what may happen next. Don't fight those thoughts but try to tune them out like a radio playing in the background. You know its playing but you are too focused on what you are doing to listen. That is where the distraction helps,
The feeling will pass. You will feel better. Talk to the person you are with about how you feel - sometimes just describing it makes you realise that it is just something bubbling up from the 'fight or flight' part of your brain. You need a sympathetic companion for this though - not someone who dismisses your fears or can't see what your problem is. It feels real to you.
There are a lot of self help books and websites with lots of advice. There is no instant cure. It takes time. CBT can work and it is worth trying if you can find someone to do it with you. Hypnotherapy works with some people.
There are many of us who feel as you do. I have experienced the same feelings cycling. I recognise the feeling when I get it now. It is an old enemy and I have learned to live with it, accept it and find ways to carry on.
You may just be reacting to an accumulation of stress over a period.
It will pass. Don't stop cycling or fear downhills because that just solidifies the neural pathways of 'Situation A always makes me feel bad so I will avoid it'.
Distraction works well when you feel the panic coming. Count how many shades of green you can see in the vegetation. Count the cadence of your cycling. Breathe deeply and try to relax the chest. Shallow breathing, because you are stressed by fear, actually feeds the feeling you are getting. Try and stay in the present moment. Try (its hard!) not to catastrophise - by this I mean that your mind will be giving you increasingly awful scenarios about what may happen next. Don't fight those thoughts but try to tune them out like a radio playing in the background. You know its playing but you are too focused on what you are doing to listen. That is where the distraction helps,
The feeling will pass. You will feel better. Talk to the person you are with about how you feel - sometimes just describing it makes you realise that it is just something bubbling up from the 'fight or flight' part of your brain. You need a sympathetic companion for this though - not someone who dismisses your fears or can't see what your problem is. It feels real to you.
There are a lot of self help books and websites with lots of advice. There is no instant cure. It takes time. CBT can work and it is worth trying if you can find someone to do it with you. Hypnotherapy works with some people.
There are many of us who feel as you do. I have experienced the same feelings cycling. I recognise the feeling when I get it now. It is an old enemy and I have learned to live with it, accept it and find ways to carry on.
I’ve been in a similar position, and cbt helped me. I’m a fairly matter of fact, solid person, getting on a bit. I started cycling seriously in 2010 and it became a big part of my life. In 2014 I was hit by a car, rolled over the bonnet, but didn’t sustain any serious injury, two broken fingers and some shoulder and knee damage.
I was surprised at how much impact it had on me. I was very reluctant to cycle, bought a camera for my very short commute, and did very little other cycling. I had insurance, they appointed a solicitor, who sent me for a medical. The physician said he thought I had some psychological problems and referred me to a psychiatrist, who recommended cbt.
The cbt helped me get back on the bike, it wasn’t a magic bullet, and it took some time, but I took up long distance cycling, specifically audax and very rarely have any anxiety on the bike now. In fact it may be the most relaxed times of my life.
I was surprised at how much impact it had on me. I was very reluctant to cycle, bought a camera for my very short commute, and did very little other cycling. I had insurance, they appointed a solicitor, who sent me for a medical. The physician said he thought I had some psychological problems and referred me to a psychiatrist, who recommended cbt.
The cbt helped me get back on the bike, it wasn’t a magic bullet, and it took some time, but I took up long distance cycling, specifically audax and very rarely have any anxiety on the bike now. In fact it may be the most relaxed times of my life.
Traffic is definitely not an issue. I usedto cycle in the UK with constant angry cyclist hating drivers and it never used to fase me. 99% of drivers here are really considerate. 😊
