driving....

[Jen84]

I have never had a problem with driving its actually been the one thing i dont seem to panic about.......until now!argh i was driving on a motorway about a week ago with my mum it was really busy and i started to feel abit faint and worked up!i told her a few times i was startin to really panic and goin at 70 its never a good thing! i felt so bad a had to pull over and let my mum take over! i felt so bad and i couldnt believe it had happened! anyway now when i drive im ok til it gets busy or big traffic light roundabout and i get the same feelings. came home today and my hands were shaking!
sorry i just had to let this out!
Jenny x

[Jules31]

Oh Jen

Hope you are feeling better. It's just a blip. I never had problems driving until I had had anxiety for quite a long time. Luckily the more I did it, the quicker it went.

The good thing is that you have managed to drive since and even though you felt horrible today, you still managed to get home. Also on neither occasion did you faint.

It's good you came here to let it out.

Take care

Jules

[nomorepanic]

Jen

All my panic/anxiety started whilst driving and has been a big problem for years and years.

Take a look at my story - www.nomorepanic.co.uk/mystory.htm

Here are some coping tips whilst driving ...


Whilst Driving:
You must distract your mind from feeling Panicky and frightened whilst driving as you may feel even more frightened as you're in control of a potentially dangerous piece of machinery. Here are a few coping techniques (believe me they work, no matter how mad they sound):

1) Add up number plates - look at the car in front and add up any numbers on the number plate, try to see what car number plate gives the highest score.

2) Select a colour and start counting the number of cars you can see in that colour.

3) Select a make of care and start counting how many cars of that make pass you.

4) Take the letters in a car number plate and work out an amusing phrase for it.

5) Sing! - put some music on and sing along. If you start singing you will automatically start to breathe correctly and it will also take your mind off the problem. This recently worked for me on a long drive and I started to feel panicky. I turned the music up and sang away - it worked!

6) Talk positively to yourself - e.g. "I've only driven shorter distances recently so it's Ok to feel nervous about this journey. I know I will be fine as I always am fine and the feelings of nervousness cannot harm me and always pass. I know I am a good, safe driver and will in time get to enjoy this journey. If I should feel faint, I know that these sensations will pass and that the sooner I relax , the sooner the faint feeling will pass."

7) Distract yourself and start planning a birthday party for XXXX , now who shall we invite, where shall we go, what games shall we play etc.

8) Plan what to spend a windfall on, DIY projects are all useful too. Ensure you need to think about the details of whatever you think about.

9) Talking books are great especially if you have a favourite subject/ author.

You may need to start this thought replacement long before your journey and may need to try several distraction options out before you find the one that works for you.


I hope you can get your confidence back soon cos I really do know how you feel. Hang in there ok?


Nicola

[lilac kitten]

Jenny,

I totally know where you're coming from and can totally sympathise. I am doing CBT and have been for three years. Up until January this year when my father died everything was coming on in leaps and bounds and I'd even posted on here that I'd managed to drive the short distance from Hook to Basingstoke on the M3 - all five miles of it!! Now I shake at the mere thought of going around the motorway roundabout again. However, I'm going back to my therapist in a couple of weeks, but I am determined to get through this again. I've done it once and this is a tiny blip. I'm going to Portsmouth this weekend for a Christening, I'll have my partner and kids with me, but I'm going to have to do as much of the drive as I can as my partner chopped off the top of his finger yesterday.

My other phobia is a fear of being sick in public, and this kind of relates to the feeling trapped feeling on motorways and major A roads, and traffic jams, etc.

If you feel that your anxiety and panic is making you avoid the things you would normally do then I would consider some sort of CBT (you should be able to be referred through your doctor on the nhs). It does take time, but its good therapy.

Please also take heed of Nicolas advice above as it will really help.

Good luck, keep us in touch with how things are going - ups, downs, and anxieties.

Ruth
x