PLEASE help

i am a panic/anxiety attack sufferer and to cut long story short i have been having a few bad weeks and fightin them but then on monday i had a car accident i was fine monday night tuesday all day and today all day but then tonight we have been talking about geting me another car but i dont want one i am to scared to even sit in the car let alone drive it i have sustained bad whiplash and bruising and really freaking out i was the driver and i wrote my car off but i do and i dont want to get driving again it has really scared me but it all sound s very stupid and trivial but i felt physically sick today just clearing the car out and my daughter sat in the driver seat and put her seat belt on and i shouted at her to take it of and get out of the seat basically i feel now i over reacted but everytime i think about gettin in a car i panic and start feeling really sick and paranoid and going light headed and breathing really funny please can any one advise or even help in any way would be really greatful i have a councillor but because the kids r on holiday i cant go there and i really feel i need to. my children were not in the accident but it is really freaking me out and i cant sleep hense why i am here and not asleep and also i cant get into chat as internet keeps freezing and having a funny on me please please please from tracy

TRACY dont be hard on yourself like me (SEE my post) YOU HAVE HAD A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE even without anx probs anyone will feeel upset after a bad crash. GIVE YOURSELF TIME dont drive with whiplash either its dangerous. WHAT YOU FEEL is normal i had a bad smash many years ago when i was ok with my anx problems and it took weeks to get back but i did, and if you dont wanna drive anymore dont, just dont feel guilty and beat yourself up about it

Hi Tracy

Just allow yourself the slight buffer to your anxiety that not driving will bring. Like the other reply, this does not mean you wont drive but everything is so raw and close to the surface that you are sure to react not in the way you would like to.

You could, on the other hand go cold turkey and just drive but this really depends on how well or not so well you can embrace panic if it comes. This really is a personal judgement call.

I wish you heaps and heaps of strength and understanding..........be kind to yourself.

Best wishes

Mark

thankl you guys i am sorrry i have not been on here before but my internet keeps crashing and cant get on when i need people my friends help which is really annoying as i have had nothing but panic attacks and the breathing probs that you get with them and needed help doctor has put me on so much meds i dont even know what i am doing now so wouldnt drive it really isnt bothering me either which scares me still and now i have found out i got a trapped nerve as well it is really doingmy head in and as you can see from the time i am still having problems sleeping want to but cant think i am dying and waking up very rapidly fast heart beat and gasping sort of thing

Tracy, the way you are feeling is 100% normal. My mom almost died in her car a year ago and took her almost a year to get a new vehicle. She was scared to drive. She did buy a truck because she felt safer in a larger vehicle and she is just now starting to drive herself to work again. Her accident was really bad though.
It also scared me to the point that I make my hubby call every AM when he gets to work so I know he is there ok. She was on her way to work when it happened. Funny thing, he drives all day, but once I know he is there, my mind rationalizes the rest of the day as being safe.
Take it easy and try to allow yourself time to heal properly. I posted on your other thread wondering what was wrong....are you getting to be ok now??

no still as bad and still having the attacks hense being on here at this time of night just wish th feelings would go away and i could drive and be back to normal my friends and hubby have been brilliant and they r running kids to school and picking them up but i cant get use to it and another part of me never wants to get in a car again it has scared me my biggest fear is dying and this is all i can think about since the accident thank you for your kind encouraging words on both posts mrans everything and reassuing to know that people do understand and care

Tracy, don't know if I can be of any help, but, when you get this feeling, don't try and fight it or you make it worse, just let it go through you, stay completely immobile and welcome the feeling because you know it will also go away, it;s not permanent. If you try to fight it you add fear to fear. You will get back to driving when you feel ready. Best of luck.:yesyes:

poor you.... Your confidence will come back. Take care of yourself x:bighug1: