The Madding Crowd

I discovered a technique for dealing with crowds. Crowds really bother me, because there are more people to pick up energy from. I experienced this especially when I going into a crowded elevator, and when I have to enter an elevator full of people, I always stand towards the front if possible so I’m not surrounded by people. I had an experience where I had to leave a store suddenly because I got claustrophobic. It was around Christmas and I was at the back of the store. Suddenly, I started feeling panicky and realized that there was no direct route out of the store and it was full of people. The way I felt can only be described as if everyone was breathing my oxygen. I managed to wind my way through the maze of the shop full of shoppers. What I feel is not a phobia. I don’t get sweaty hands, I don’t feel like I’m dying. I just feel very uncomfortable and nervous.

Today it was like that in the store. I went in and soon, I was having to wind my way through the crowd with my shopping cart, people passing me, almost running into me. Then I saw a small boy standing behind a column peeping out at everybody. It was then I realized what I needed to do. All I had to do when I’m in a situation like that is focus on the most non-threatening person in the room such as a child.

Children are non-threatening, unless there is something wrong with them like being mentally unbalanced. When I focus my energy like this, the others around me aren’t noticed as much. I guess it’s similar to speaking before a crowd and choosing a sympathetic face.

I hope this helps someone in some way.

It is safer to accept any chance that offers itself, and extemporize a procedure to fit it, than to get a good plan matured, and wait for a chance of using it. ~ Thomas Hardy