First swim competition as Masters swimmer (would be from old forum)

Congrats!  I’ve always appreciated your forum involvement. I read along a lot and wish there was more activity.  I get very nervous about meets too and am currently really scared to try the 500, which has always been an event I love. I lost a lot of confidence being away from the pool during the height of covid and I think the stress aged me a bit too!  Anyway, I’m glad to see more events for those of us who are ready and able.

I hear you.  I've been in USMS since 2017 and had 32 swims at meets.  In 2021 our team hosted a meet.  Everyone wore masks until ready to swim event.  I was already terribly nervous and then it felt like the mask hightened that nervousness to full blown anxiety.  I swam HORRIBLY.  Like, I didn't finish TWO events. :(   I cried and cried that night.  So, our team just hosted this year's meet (same meet as last year), and I did not participate.  :(  Why?  I think after having swam 32 events, and then having  a horrible meet that really "got in my head" -  now I'm afraid to ever participate again.  After that 2021 meet my coach had a long talk with me (sports psychology.  I just love her!), but she ended up moving on a month later and our team has been without a coach since then.  So, I missed an opportunity two weeks ago to make better a horrible experience in 2021.  I'm not going to not participate again, but perhaps choose the easiet and least stressful event and do no more than 1 or 2 events.  In the past I would do at least 6.  I know I need to face my fears in order to overcome them.  Anyway, I just wanted to say I hear you and understand.
And what wonderful encouragement from Elaine Krugman :)   I needed to hear that as well!

I hear you.  I've been in USMS since 2017 and had 32 swims at meets.  In 2021 our team hosted a meet.  Everyone wore masks until ready to swim event.  I was already terribly nervous and then it felt like the mask hightened that nervousness to full blown anxiety.  I swam HORRIBLY.  Like, I didn't finish TWO events. :(   I cried and cried that night.  So, our team just hosted this year's meet (same meet as last year), and I did not participate.  :(  Why?  I think after having swam 32 events, and then having  a horrible meet that really "got in my head" -  now I'm afraid to ever participate again.  After that 2021 meet my coach had a long talk with me (sports psychology.  I just love her!), but she ended up moving on a month later and our team has been without a coach since then.  So, I missed an opportunity two weeks ago to make better a horrible experience in 2021.  I'm not going to not participate again, but perhaps choose the easiet and least stressful event and do no more than 1 or 2 events.  In the past I would do at least 6.  I know I need to face my fears in order to overcome them.  Anyway, I just wanted to say I hear you and understand.
And what wonderful encouragement from Elaine Krugman :)   I needed to hear that as well!

I am so sorry to hear that happened to you. Severe anxiety and panic can definitely be horrible. I absolutely agree with you to put as little pressure on yourself as possible for the next meet. Just go to be with people and have fun and swim an event or two. Take care of yourself and ease back into it

Thanks for your comment at the end.  I'm sorry to hear about your stressful meet experience.  Your idea of choosing the easiest and least stressful events at your next meet is excellent.  No pressure!  One of the reasons I took up the 200 fly and 400 IM several years ago was because of the pressure I was putting on myself in my 3 breaststroke events to meet my time goals.  I know I'm slow in fly, but I'm also one of only a few my age (60) that do the 200 fly regularly.  They are all SO MUCH faster than me that my only goal is to swim a clean "race" and not rest at the walls!  I have ended up liking (loving!) fly so much that I train more yards of fly than any other stroke on most days.

By choosing new events, you may find a renewed passion for swimming or find that you really enjoy your new events more than your previous ones.

Hey, if you ever feel that anxiety again, stop at the next wall, take some slow deep breaths, remember that you are just there to have fun, and then continue swimming.  Don't worry about what others may think, because chances are, they were too busy talking with their friends to see what you did.  If you prepare for that now and give yourself permission to stop, it will be so much easier if/when the time comes.  Believe me, because I have been there!  It was for physical reasons (dysautonomia) rather than anxiety, but I was determined to finish the race one way or another!  Chances are it will happen again, and I am mentally prepared.

Good luck!