Friday, May 25, 2007

Riding the Roller Coaster

So this isn’t a weight loss post. This is an urgent SOS.
I’m deathly afraid of roller coasters. OK, maybe that’s not true. I just don’t enjoy them at all. That feeling of my stomach dropping out from under me is just torturous. I close my eyes and just try to breathe, not enjoying any part of it and counting down the seconds to it being over. I LOVE weeny coasters like Space Mountain and Big Thunder, but California Screamin’ really makes me want to cry…..I’m not lying when I say cry. You all get an adrenaline rush after your ride that makes you super happy and excited? I get an adrenaline rush that drops me like a lead weight and makes me want to cry hysterically as soon as the ride ends. I’ve ridden it once, and I did not enjoy anything until after the last drop, when it was nothing but helixes to the end. (I can handle upside-down, I can handle spinning…..but I HATE drops and I HATE acceleration) Anyway, I need tips on how to enjoy the ride. Do you guys do anything to minimize the feelings? I can get on the stupid thing…..I’m mentally tough. But I don’t want to feel the dropping feeling in my stomach or the panic when we go from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds.
So, do you squeeze your muscles during the rapid acceleration to keep blood flowing? Does it help to exhale while going down a drop? Do you keep your eyes open? Do you sit in the front or the back? Any special breathing techniques? Do you imagine yourself as totally happy? Or do you enjoy feeling like you are going to die?
This, ladies and gentleman, is the ULTIMATE appetite suppressant. But I love my husband and feel too bad to leave him alone in line, so I think I am going to ride it tonight. Help!
POST SCRIPT: I’m alive!!! I even ended my day with only digging in to 2 flex points, too….. Impressive, I know. I did California Screamin’ not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES in a row! I hated it all three times, but I was determined to overcome my fear and try to find ways to cope with all the horrible things I feel when I’m on a roller coaster. I think I’ve partially cracked the code. So, just for my own self edification, here’s the list for getting over the roller coaster phobia:
1. Go to You Tube and search for your scary coaster. Then watch videos of the ride until you know every drop, twist, and turn in your head.
2. Don’t eat beforehand. Be hungry. Drink a lot.
3. Just get through the line and into the seat. Don’t think about the coaster in line. Think about being in line for free goodybags or something happy.
4. Request to sit near the front. The back is a rougher ride and you do pull more G’s. In the front, the cars are decelerated more than the back going down the big hills.
5. On launches, tense your leg muscles and look at your seatmate.
6. Going down hills, scream! Exhaling seems to be the biggest trick to not experiencing that dropping stomach.
7. Keep your eyes open. It’s tempting to close your eyes when you are scared, but it actually makes the ride much, much worse. Keeping them open allows you to anticipate where you are going, which somehow minimizes trauma.
8. Do it over and over again. It’s true, it’s gets easier the more times you do it.
While I will never love roller coasters and will probably not try a trip to Magic Mountain any time soon, I think I’ve cracked my personal code for overcoming fear. What an inspiration yesterday was!

1 comment:

beth said...

hello.
well, reading this post has certainly helped me.
I love rollercoasters...all except the acceleration, that is! And it's only been since I got with my partner and we've been going on them together...him being an enthusiast.
But his biggest dream is to go to America (we live in England!) and so this year, for his birthday, that's what we're doing. I'm taking him to Six Flags Great Adventure, as he's always wanted to ride Kingda KA. EEEEEK for me!!
I've been on Rita, (it's something like 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds) and the very first time I did, I was overwhelmed by the feeling of acceleration. I HATED it!
But I still went on, for him! Just dreaded the sickening feeling before the launch. However, the more I did it, the more I hated it.
The inability to control what's happening. I don't like it.
We then went to go on Stealth and I couldn't do it (0-82mph in 1.9secs). I knew how much I hated Rita and so I knew I'd hate this. Worst thing is, it's not the actual launch I particularly fear...that's over in seconds...it's the anticipation, the anxiety and the dropping feeling of your stomach when u're in the seat and don't know when it's going to launch.
I went on it eventually though...and then cried when I got off!! LOL. it was just so overwhelming...the feeling of anxiety before the ride! lol.
But I'm determined to overcome this and actually smile on a launch!
We're going to thorpe park again just before we go to america...and, like you said, I'm hoping to ride it as much as possible to overcome my fear. I intend to close eyes, open eyes, hands on face, fingers in ears; do whatever it takes to get the best experience out of this....or the least bad anyway! lol.
I want to go on kingda ka for my partner, and damnit I'm gonna practise on the one I fear most at the moment! And that's stealth!
Then it'll be kingda ka when I get there! lol.
IF there's anything anyone can say to help me...tips, or any advice, I'd be pleased to hear it.
I'm still only 50/50 as to whether I'll go on KK but I wanna try...but it may be a better experience for him if I don't - I don't wanna spoil the trip if I go on it, but will I regret it if I don't??
HELP!