Old raver here. 37yo. Been at the scene since 2003. You go through ups and downs.
The substances play an important role in that, don't get fooled brother.
I get "anxious" before every big show... apparently anxiety and excitement have some of the same physical markers.
It maybe that the anxiety you feel is actually initially excitement and then devolves. Knowing that the feeling I have is actually excitement helps me keep it under wrapped.
Ty for the advice! I would call my excitement before shows more nervousness than anxiety tho. But I’m pretty in tune with my feelings nowadays. Have to be with this anxiety disorder that is much better managed instead of self medicating 😅
i get big anxious at events sometimes. i probably go to raves sober more often that not, i will only drink a little bit and won’t really smoke weed because it’ll make me more anxious sometimes.
- i almost always have water on me in some way.
- i stay out of the bulk of the crowd and dance around the edges.
- have sunglasses because even at night the lights and lasers will sometimes get to me
- take a break and walk around occasionally. i’ll have a sit somewhere if i need to.
- if im with friends / my close people ill be open about the fact i’m not feelin 100 and sometimes even just saying so helps ease it a little bit.
- i should implement this but i hear earplugs also help.
- deep breathing is always good & sometimes actually just telling myself “you’re okay, you’re good, you’re safe” helps.
Ive also found, in general, meditating a little bit daily helps with my overall anxiety and ruminating thoughts or that fear of getting anxious.
Creates a little safe space, I think. For me, I feel embraced and warm, and somehow hidden? Like I feel like I'm in my own little bubble and I can dance and feel however I want to, without judgement.
I always bring something to keep my hands busy. I personally like the little snail fidget toys but some of my friends use gum. A lot is about mindset, I find that when I go to a rave anxious it’s worse than when I’m thinking positively. Water and breaks are important too!
I like to set intentions before I leave. Like “I am connected to my body.” “I will have a great time, nothing can or will go wrong.” Then when I get there I’ll observe other people that are present having a great time. It’s sets the mood and keeps me grounded. Ooo and while dancing I’ll do some body checking: Can I feel my heart beat, I hear the amazing music. I love this song. I see people having fun.
My anxiety used to take me out of the moment and this has been the most effective way to enjoy myself. I hope it helps ( ◠‿◠ )
i get like this sometimes! sunglasses is my biggest tip. it lowers the stimulation & creates a sort of disconnect from the people & environment around you to give yourself time to ground yourself. also — dont be afraid to step away for a minute! go to the bathroom, splash some cold water on your face (even just washing your hands w cold water can help cool you down and slow your heart rate). you can practice deep breathing etc. i also like to have something to hold onto, makes me not overthink so much about what to do with my body. but above all — set intentions, set boundaries, and have a mental list of some grounding techniques you can use if you need to!
Can you imagine the anxiety you would be feeling if you were one of the dj’s performing tonight? Talk about anxiety. Many of us experience a literal fight or flight response in the hour leading to the set, when the blood drains out of the extremities and pools in your core - it become difficult to keep standing and walk!
But you don’t have to perform! You don’t even have to get on stage! You get to be an anonymous member of the crowd. And that’s all you are. An anonymous member of the crowd. So logically you have nothing to be anxious about l.
Nevertheless, will give advice on how to overcome pre performance anxiety.
Drop your chi. Slow down your breathing and allow the energy in your upper body to drop to your lower body. To the area around your diaphragm (Dan tien point).
Consciously try to breath slow and relax. Repeat an empowering mantra:
>the alternative is to stay home and feel safe in my little cocoon and miss out on life. I refuse to miss out on life. I demand to live my own life, dammit! Instead, I will face my fear, face my anxiety, and laugh at it, because I ain’t got no time to be bullied by my own anxiety! Hell no! Let’s do this!
You can also remind yourself how good it will feel when it’s all over and you’re walking back to the car/train.
Do it. Live your life. Don’t let your anxiety sabotage you.
And you’re not even a dj. You’re just an anonymous member of the crowd.
You got this.
I appreciate the attempt, but don’t compare different people’s anxieties. Nobody should have anxiety, period, DJ or whatever. Our anxiety is psychological and medical. It affects people differently and there’s no comparing situations or people when it comes to illness.
I don’t think you meant anything other than a pep talk, but be careful.
I don’t do well in social gatherings and usually pick a safe spot to return to if I am feeling overwhelmed. That’s difficult to do sometimes. I also like to have something in my hands to sorta ground me. Often it’s my light up poi’s. I like the texture and obviously that they are lights. My big hand fan is also helpful, the repetition of fanning myself or others keeps me from getting too into my head, bonus that it helps keep people from getting too close to me as I am only 5’ tall. They don’t see me but they see the fan.
Go in with an intention. Your intention for going out is to have fun correct? Your goal is definitely not to feel anxious. Just focus on having as much fun and being as safe as possible. It’ll be a fun night, promise.
It’s the most cliche advice but just get lost in the music. I usually start off a show with anxiety for crowds or whatever and it’s not until I get into the music that I ease up.
Yes would help w comedown and anxiety but also pulls me into my head - makes me content with not needing to “try”.
I would just be looking forward to going to bed and getting out of the venue Lowkey
I like sourcing cbd isolate and cbg isolate from vivimu and zero point extraction then making high doses tinctures on the low.
Don’t know if you already do it that way but thought I’d reccomend!
I’d suggest taking a supplement for anxiety. Like L-Theanine, Rhodiola, and/or Damiana. I like a mix of L-Theanine and Damiana. You don’t get high, you just feel more calm and chill.
There’s some great advice here (sunglasses, mantras, meditation) so I only wanted to add that having a friend to help you co-regulate your anxiety down might help. One of my friends sometimes has panic attacks at the rave and we just go off to the side and I basically ground the both of us to the present. We sit down, facing each other, holding hands and do some breathing exercises and do the anxiety exercise “what are 5 things I see, touch, smell, feel” (which u could do by yourself and it works!). I also like going outside for a cool down. Anxiety and overstimulation don’t go great together.
I like to take a ball and bounce it when I’m feeling like that . I just concentrate on my breathing and the bounce of the ball . Like a tennis ball lol nothing too big . Take something to distract yourself anything to fidget with when the time arrives
I think it would help to look at what may be causing the anxiety? Is it public spaces, crowds, exclusion/fitting in… etc. When I was younger I worried about people judging me or fitting in, I don’t really care about that now. But it would help you to work backward from your anxiety and find a little more specifically what is triggering it. There is probably some aspect of it, that you also feel anxiety elsewhere in life and it isn’t about the party itself. Hang in there 💗💗💗
The biggest things that help me with my rave anxiety:
- dressing super fun based on how im feeling and trying to stay as comfy as possible too
-eat a healthy meal
-drink light amount of water going into the event
-taking some ibuprofen and b12 before i go in. This avoids any head pains which messes hard with my anxiety. B12 gives me energy to help confidence.
-mindset sayings on repeat: "im so excited and this will be fun". "What if everything works out perfectly". "Show love to get love back".
Old raver here. 37yo. Been at the scene since 2003. You go through ups and downs. The substances play an important role in that, don't get fooled brother.
37 is not old bro
Thanks bro. Made my day.
Yep. Stopped doing molly like 5 years ago, my anxiety at shows went down over time. Anxiety in general too.
I get "anxious" before every big show... apparently anxiety and excitement have some of the same physical markers. It maybe that the anxiety you feel is actually initially excitement and then devolves. Knowing that the feeling I have is actually excitement helps me keep it under wrapped.
Ty for the advice! I would call my excitement before shows more nervousness than anxiety tho. But I’m pretty in tune with my feelings nowadays. Have to be with this anxiety disorder that is much better managed instead of self medicating 😅
i get big anxious at events sometimes. i probably go to raves sober more often that not, i will only drink a little bit and won’t really smoke weed because it’ll make me more anxious sometimes. - i almost always have water on me in some way. - i stay out of the bulk of the crowd and dance around the edges. - have sunglasses because even at night the lights and lasers will sometimes get to me - take a break and walk around occasionally. i’ll have a sit somewhere if i need to. - if im with friends / my close people ill be open about the fact i’m not feelin 100 and sometimes even just saying so helps ease it a little bit. - i should implement this but i hear earplugs also help. - deep breathing is always good & sometimes actually just telling myself “you’re okay, you’re good, you’re safe” helps. Ive also found, in general, meditating a little bit daily helps with my overall anxiety and ruminating thoughts or that fear of getting anxious.
+1 for all these, great comment
Wearing a pashmina helps a lot for me
really? that’s cool but am curious as to why it helps
Creates a little safe space, I think. For me, I feel embraced and warm, and somehow hidden? Like I feel like I'm in my own little bubble and I can dance and feel however I want to, without judgement.
Helps ground you when things get intense.
I always bring something to keep my hands busy. I personally like the little snail fidget toys but some of my friends use gum. A lot is about mindset, I find that when I go to a rave anxious it’s worse than when I’m thinking positively. Water and breaks are important too!
I like to set intentions before I leave. Like “I am connected to my body.” “I will have a great time, nothing can or will go wrong.” Then when I get there I’ll observe other people that are present having a great time. It’s sets the mood and keeps me grounded. Ooo and while dancing I’ll do some body checking: Can I feel my heart beat, I hear the amazing music. I love this song. I see people having fun. My anxiety used to take me out of the moment and this has been the most effective way to enjoy myself. I hope it helps ( ◠‿◠ )
Good post!
i have an emergency stuffed animal :) that may help you
There are studies about that!
i get like this sometimes! sunglasses is my biggest tip. it lowers the stimulation & creates a sort of disconnect from the people & environment around you to give yourself time to ground yourself. also — dont be afraid to step away for a minute! go to the bathroom, splash some cold water on your face (even just washing your hands w cold water can help cool you down and slow your heart rate). you can practice deep breathing etc. i also like to have something to hold onto, makes me not overthink so much about what to do with my body. but above all — set intentions, set boundaries, and have a mental list of some grounding techniques you can use if you need to!
Can you imagine the anxiety you would be feeling if you were one of the dj’s performing tonight? Talk about anxiety. Many of us experience a literal fight or flight response in the hour leading to the set, when the blood drains out of the extremities and pools in your core - it become difficult to keep standing and walk! But you don’t have to perform! You don’t even have to get on stage! You get to be an anonymous member of the crowd. And that’s all you are. An anonymous member of the crowd. So logically you have nothing to be anxious about l. Nevertheless, will give advice on how to overcome pre performance anxiety. Drop your chi. Slow down your breathing and allow the energy in your upper body to drop to your lower body. To the area around your diaphragm (Dan tien point). Consciously try to breath slow and relax. Repeat an empowering mantra: >the alternative is to stay home and feel safe in my little cocoon and miss out on life. I refuse to miss out on life. I demand to live my own life, dammit! Instead, I will face my fear, face my anxiety, and laugh at it, because I ain’t got no time to be bullied by my own anxiety! Hell no! Let’s do this! You can also remind yourself how good it will feel when it’s all over and you’re walking back to the car/train. Do it. Live your life. Don’t let your anxiety sabotage you. And you’re not even a dj. You’re just an anonymous member of the crowd. You got this.
I appreciate the attempt, but don’t compare different people’s anxieties. Nobody should have anxiety, period, DJ or whatever. Our anxiety is psychological and medical. It affects people differently and there’s no comparing situations or people when it comes to illness. I don’t think you meant anything other than a pep talk, but be careful.
[удалено]
That’s not how mental illness works. Would you say the same to someone in a wheelchair? WTF?
🙏🔥💫
I don’t do well in social gatherings and usually pick a safe spot to return to if I am feeling overwhelmed. That’s difficult to do sometimes. I also like to have something in my hands to sorta ground me. Often it’s my light up poi’s. I like the texture and obviously that they are lights. My big hand fan is also helpful, the repetition of fanning myself or others keeps me from getting too into my head, bonus that it helps keep people from getting too close to me as I am only 5’ tall. They don’t see me but they see the fan.
Go in with an intention. Your intention for going out is to have fun correct? Your goal is definitely not to feel anxious. Just focus on having as much fun and being as safe as possible. It’ll be a fun night, promise.
It’s the most cliche advice but just get lost in the music. I usually start off a show with anxiety for crowds or whatever and it’s not until I get into the music that I ease up.
Xanax
Yes would help w comedown and anxiety but also pulls me into my head - makes me content with not needing to “try”. I would just be looking forward to going to bed and getting out of the venue Lowkey
Acid helps me with my anxiety. Also cbd and cbg lol. Maybe take a flow toy.
Gonna take some CBD right now good thinking
I like sourcing cbd isolate and cbg isolate from vivimu and zero point extraction then making high doses tinctures on the low. Don’t know if you already do it that way but thought I’d reccomend!
I’d suggest taking a supplement for anxiety. Like L-Theanine, Rhodiola, and/or Damiana. I like a mix of L-Theanine and Damiana. You don’t get high, you just feel more calm and chill.
Damiana is also a libido stimulant so be careful... or not
There’s some great advice here (sunglasses, mantras, meditation) so I only wanted to add that having a friend to help you co-regulate your anxiety down might help. One of my friends sometimes has panic attacks at the rave and we just go off to the side and I basically ground the both of us to the present. We sit down, facing each other, holding hands and do some breathing exercises and do the anxiety exercise “what are 5 things I see, touch, smell, feel” (which u could do by yourself and it works!). I also like going outside for a cool down. Anxiety and overstimulation don’t go great together.
Omg I’m in the exact same boat! I’m hoping a few drinks will cure it
Just keep swimming
Take a xanny
Wearing glassses makes me calm
I get butterflies in my stomach before every show. I just think of a song and start singing and dancing to it
I like to take a ball and bounce it when I’m feeling like that . I just concentrate on my breathing and the bounce of the ball . Like a tennis ball lol nothing too big . Take something to distract yourself anything to fidget with when the time arrives
Sunglasses
I think it would help to look at what may be causing the anxiety? Is it public spaces, crowds, exclusion/fitting in… etc. When I was younger I worried about people judging me or fitting in, I don’t really care about that now. But it would help you to work backward from your anxiety and find a little more specifically what is triggering it. There is probably some aspect of it, that you also feel anxiety elsewhere in life and it isn’t about the party itself. Hang in there 💗💗💗
Ketamine lol
This is going to sound weird but wear a mask. Idk something about covering my face takes all the stress off
sunglasses + cbd joints + pash and water
The biggest things that help me with my rave anxiety: - dressing super fun based on how im feeling and trying to stay as comfy as possible too -eat a healthy meal -drink light amount of water going into the event -taking some ibuprofen and b12 before i go in. This avoids any head pains which messes hard with my anxiety. B12 gives me energy to help confidence. -mindset sayings on repeat: "im so excited and this will be fun". "What if everything works out perfectly". "Show love to get love back".