It's probably nothing compared to these peoples' commute :/ Just a regular day on the beijing subway

[Sabrina]

That does my head in

[Timgt5]

Why I do not live in a big city and use public transport, I know some folks love it but the thought of being herded like cattle into a box has no appeal to me, whatsoever.

I will keep my car thanks.

Blimey it's like a stampede, I could never bear that it drives me mad getting a bus at times.

I don't know why but I loved crowded places..they used to give me so much good energy and occasionally I met very interesting people.
But I'm talking about US style crowded and not the dangerously full trains of China. I have been to Beijing and other bigger cities in Asia and there is no way to have a chitchat with the person squeezed next to you even if you felt like it. Everyone is just trying to keep to themselves in their little virtual personal area and..conserve air : ] I'm just thankful that I live in a less overpopulated place, but I do wonder sometimes if I would have dealt better with the anxiety if I was forced to face the crowds on a daily basis. I might be wrong but I have the impression that there seems to be less anxiety disorders in Asia than in Western countries.

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by chocmouse

I have the impression that there seems to be less anxiety disorders in Asia than in Western countries.

<Latin American countries displayed the lowest social anxiety levels, whereas the collectivistic East Asian group displayed the highest.>
Social anxiety and social norms in individualistic and collectivistic countries

I can handle some amount of subway crowding, but that seems certainly more crowded than any subway I've been on. Boston, NYC, Montreal and DC.

Found another link on pc which compares anxiety and depression levels in different countries. The Latin Americans weren't included though.

Anxiety More Common in the Western World, Depression in East | Psych Central News

"About 10 percent of people in North America, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand were experiencing clinical anxiety compared to approximately eight percent in the Middle East and six percent in Asia."

[herethennow]

Mine is a little like that video.. just a little lesser by 5%.

[MoxieDoxie]

I travel 32 miles one way to work. It can take 45min-2hrs dependin on weather and accidents.

[DenisDonnacha]

that was crazy, there was a bunch of people getting off who got pushed back in if you look, I don't mind public transport but that would drive me nuts, I'd probably start swinging to make my way out

[CaptainKirk]

That would give me a panic attack.

[tokiwartooth]

That video made my head 'splode. I could never live in an area like that. I hate crowds like that. It'd be like Disney World on speed. My commute is 17 miles to work, about 30 minutes, not horribly busy, just normal. I thought driving through Asheville was bad, the traffic there is horrible, but it's piddling compared to that video. I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and I can say that even that wasn't as bad as Beijing. Coming home from school when mom picked me up, if we took the highway (595 or I-95 depending on which direction we went) it could take us 2 to 3 hours to go about 10 miles. We usually took the back ways when going home and it didn't take nearly as long, maybe 20 minutes. I absolutely hate traveling through Florida anymore because of the traffic. Another bad place to drive is Atlanta. I have driven through there to the airport and it's probably the worst traffic I have ever experienced. I'll take my scenic country roads, thanks.

Originally Posted by CaptainKirk

That would give me a panic attack.

CaptainKirk, it would most likely give me several panic attacks if I was caught there between the masses of people. just watching the video was awful. somehow i must have managed to block the anxious emotions in the past. wished i could remember how