Conference hydra::dejavu

    (Speaking for myself now).

    My gut reaction, Olivia, is that you did the right thing.  Its possible
    that you subconsciously picked up on some danger, either through
    subtle sensory means or through some form of ESP.  In that case it
    was the "right thing to do" because the danger *might* have been
    real.  Its also possible that your fear was "irrational" in that there
    was no real danger or indications, however subtle, of danger.  In
    that case, even though the danger was not real, your extreme discomfort
    *was* real, and the stress of remaining where you were would have
    been also.  So why put yourself through that.

    If this was a recurrent occurance, I would recommend seeing a counsler
    of some kind, since it might be caused by an "anxiety disorder", which
    is apparently caused by a chronic imbalance of brain chemistry.  Since
    it occured only once it is not a "problem", and, as I said, may even
    have been justified.  Relax, forget it, its over.

					    Topher

    Re .0 ("Olivia")
    
    There was not mention in the basenote whether anything out of the
    ordinary happened at work after she left. Was there some equipment
    malfunction, fire or other out of the ordinary occurrence? Or perhaps
    an accident on the way home at the time she would normally have been
    driving home?
    It would be interesting to find out if it was a real pre-cognitive
    experience.
    
    Marilyn

re -.1

This is a little presumptious of me, but Olivia may not be here to speak for 
herself, if she is posting anonymously through Topher.

I would imagine that if she knew of something that happened, not only would
she have mentioned it, but she probably woulld not be feeling anxious now and
would have no need to post her note - she would know why she had the feeling.

The irritating thing about things like this is that if you follow the hunch
and nothing happens, you will probably never *know* why you had the hunch -
if she was going to be attacked by the watchman, for instance, well, she wasn't 
there so the attack didn't happen.

I agree wth Topher.  Since this was a one-time event, it's not because she
has an emotional/psychological problem.  With that out of the way, then I
would say she was obsolutely right in following her intuition - it was an
unusually strong one, from my experience, usually these things are a little
more subtle - which mitigates for it being genuine.  Even if there was no
impending event (seems unlikely due to the one time only, "out of the blue" 
and strong nature of the feelings), then leaving was still a good idea -
like Topher said, why stay and be miserable?  You never know...  And I think
that is the point of her note, the frustration, possibly even anxiety of
having these strong feelings, and then never knowing *why* - not even knowing
if there was a reason, or if she "just made it up."  I've been there myself.
Only thing I know to do is to take comfort in the fact that no matter what, 
she didn't go wrong in going with the feelings, and try to let go of the need 
to know what it was all about.

    Hi Olivia,
    
    >Was I correct in "going with" the feeling and leaving?
    
    Yes, I believe you were.  I'd do the same thing, if found in the same
    situation.
    
    Cindy

    I wonder what kind of environment this individual works in. 
    If it's working with a lot of machines, perhaps the body was
    letting the mind in this individual it had enough of the place.
    Women are now being told even a single CRT can cause some fetal damage,
    so if this person is working with any  number of  computing
    devices she probably was physically sick. 
     
    

    Olivia,
    
    It sounds to me as if you may have had a classic anxiety attack.
    Your symptoms sound exactly like those in an anxiety attack. If
    it happens again, you might want to get counseling help.
    
    Eileen
    

    Since you ran you will never know what may or maynot have happened,
    but you are alive to think about it. Chill out.. forget about it.

RE: .6 (Eileen)

    Your concern is reasonable -- this does sound like a classic attack
    from anxiety disorder, as I mentioned in .1.  If you read the base
    note, however, you will see that the incident in question occured about
    three years ago, and there has not been a recurrance.  One possible
    explanation is that there is an "acute" form of anxiety disorder in
    addition to the well known chronic form.  This would then be some
    sort of temporary neurochemical "glitch".  There seems, in this case
    to be no basis for treatment -- whatever it was is gone.  The comments
    in connection with "if there was no actual basis" are then apropos --
    "its over with, forget it unless it happens again."

				    Topher

RE: last few 
    
    In my humble opinion, it sounds like an anxiety attack as has been
    stated a multiple number of times.  In my lifetime, I've experienced
    only two anxiety attacks, but they were extremely strong and it
    felt as though I had no physical control over my body and no mental
    control over my mind.  The first one occurred in a car, was extremely
    strong, and caused me to lock the brakes on the highway (going about
    50 mph).  My arms locked at the steering wheel and I couldn't clear
    my mind of the feeling of impending doom.
    
    
    Scary, disturbing, and strong - but it allowed me to understand
    myself and learn about what was going inside of me more.  Almost
    forced me to evaluate what I was doing with my life.  I decided
    to start relaxing and taking things less seriously.
    
    
    For what it's worth,
    
    - Steve

    
    re: .0 
    
    and now, a little psychic validation -
    
    A long time ago on New Year's Eve I was sitting in a Gino's
    pizza place in Westborogh Mass, finishing dinner.  Dinner had
    been peaceful.  In a moment I was hit with an incredibly strong
    compulsion to leave - I felt almost literally drawn out
    of my chair.  I told my then husband we should go - he wanted
    to stay and be mellow.  I almost left by myself (which was quite
    atypical for me at that time) but I gave in, ignored my feelings
    and stayed.  We left shortly thereafter.  
    
    When we walked up to our car, we found that the left corner of
    the car had been crunched in by a much taller (aka jeep) vehicle.
    It appears to have happened about the time I was feeling anxious,
    as the tracks had yet to be obliterated by other traffic in
    the snow.  
    
    On a different note,  my shrink, who has a healthy respect for
    psychic stuff, and an equally healthy appreciation for intuitive
    type stuff often reminds me that intuitions are a survival mechanism
    that have served us well in the past and should definitely be
    listened to in the present.
    
    alison
    

    O course if you've ever eaten there you might be able to relate to it!
    :-)   

    
      My mother told me a story awhile back about a similar "anxiety"
    feeling which occurred to her.  We lived very near a lake (Michigan
    to be exact) - and one day while driving home on Lake Shore Drive
    she happened to notice many cars pulled in near the beach area and
    many people mulling around.  She also noticed a couple of police
    cars in the area.
      Well,  she was suddenly overcome with a fear that I had drowned!
    She *knew* it - she said she was in such a panic that she couldn't
    go over to the area and just decided to race home and tell me Dad.
    So, of course, she comes running into the house crying to my Dad "that
    I had drowned down at the beach!"  Of course, this then sends my Dad
    into hysterics and he "floors it" back down to the beach area...only
    to find out that.....
    
    
    
    
    
    
     the Shriners were having a flag raising ceremony in the park, next to
     the Beach House!!  I've never come close to drowing in my whole life...
    
    

    First, if you've worked alone a lot and this has happened only once,
    you would seem to be a very stable individual.
    
    Second, I don't think it's all that unusual to have negative, anxious
    or unsettling feelings when cut off from human companionship for a
    time.  Over several decades of working and traveling I've often found
    myself a long way from the next human.  Even with people around me
    like in a rough section of city or working a psychiatric ward alone
    on the night shift I've felt cut off.  The presence of a phone, a
    two-way radio, a machine (snow cat or car) or a firearm is reassuring,
    and I try not to be without one of the above.  There are also times
    when I just had to get away from an environment after months and months
    of sameness.  The mind strives for variety, stimualtion and company,
    and just walking away from a boring our repetitive situation proves
    to your subsoncious self that you are still in control.  Knowing you
    could run away from deadly boredom is in itself reassuring.
    
    I've had supervisors who periodically reminded us to take 'mental
    health days' once in a while.  Working without enough space or other
    resources or help would tax your resilience and creativity and wear
    you down.  We were told that to say 'to hell with it all' once in a
    while and take a day just for ourselves.  We came back to work the
    next day rested and restored, ready to get back in the trench and
    accomplish more than if we'd just slogged on thru with no thought
    to ourselves...mwr
    

    
    I tend to think it may have been an anxiety attack too; which btw,
    it not necessary 'psychological' at all but can be based on some
    type of chemical disorder.  At any rate, there is  good book
    on the subject, _The Anxiety Disease_.  
    The dismaying part of this disorder is that it tends to reoccur,
    usually often but sometimes, not for years later.  But it can
    be treated with meds. now which is, I guess, the good news.
    Good luck,
    Maia