I have to go to a bachelorette party for my future sister in law next month. We don't get along that well so I'm not terribly excited. She has requested that we get a limo, go to dinner, and go to some bars and at least one bar should be a dance club. I don't really know or particularly like any of the other girls going, and I don't think ANY of them dance, but they want to go to a dance place bc the bride requested it. I have a feeling that either I'll be the only one not dancing, or none of us will dance and we'll look stupid bc the bride has her stupid tiara and sash on and we're all just standing there. I jokingly asked my fiance to push me down the stairs shortly before the party, but seriously, I do not think I am able to put on my big girl pants and make it through a night of bars and dance clubs and I'm totally perseverating on it.
I used to drink til I could dance when I was in college, but recently I recognized that alcohol was making my anxiety worse. So I hardly drink and therefore I don't dance socially anymore. We ended up on the dance floor at my bachelorette last month, despite my repeated requests to go somewhere that I didn't have to dance (thank you, friends) and I froze up and almost started crying. I don't get panic attacks, but I stiffen up and I don't know who to talk to, how to stand, what to do with myself. If I can't exit the situation, I will probably start crying. I've always been able to exit the situation, but I won't be able to at this upcoming party.
My therapist said that it is too soon to make any behavioral changes that will help me deal with it, so I should just take a Xanax and drink very little. I would still rather break my leg than do that. I keep wondering if I can come down with a migraine or diarrhea or ANYTHING that can prevent me from going. I chose not to see my therapist again until a few days after the party because I'm getting married next weekend and she helped me get ready for the wedding and now I just want to clear my schedule and get things done. But I keep thinking about this stupid bachelorette party and I think I need to see my therapist before it.
Anyone have any words of advice or feel like sharing their mutual hatred for unoriginal and over-rated wedding traditions such as the drunken attention-demanding bachelorette party? :-P