Total panic when driving downhill..

[dread]

This is really embarrassing, and also really horrible. I'm sure you know what I mean when I talk about that feeling you get in your stomach when you're on a rollercoaster drop. .well, i get it when i go down a hill in a car.
It never bothered me until I stopped taking meds, but now that feeling seems a thousand times more intense and is getting me worked up, and freaking out when it happens.
I wouldnt mind so much, but where I work, we drive a girl home fridays and pick her up sundays and the roads are all national limit country roads staggered with loads of these very steep and very high hills. They're unavoidable, and I cant get out of making the journey, but its such an embarrassing problem. Today one was so bad that my speech went slurred and my head rolled- like a rollercoaster- and it was just a bloody hill. Pardon my French but its infuriating.
Will the feelings get less intense if I get used to it? I know i should relax but its so hard, especially when its dark and I don't always see them coming. Its horrible :(

[Elle-Kay]

Do you do the driving? If so, even if the road is national speed limit there is nothing to stop you slowing down at the crest of a hill. I know the feeling that you mean - I get it especially on hump back bridges - but I find that it doesn't happen if I drive down the incline more slowly (say at around 30mph).

[nomorepanic]

I used to be the same as you and it does get easier in time. Practice on your own and keep going up and down it till it gets easier and you are less stressed. I mean literally go up then down then up then down and do it over and over.

[dread]

I sometimes do the driving and it doesn't tend tto bother me so much as I am in control. I think I might just have to ask whoever drives to take the downhill slower because I do generally get nauseas on them anyway. As for practice - I only get to drive at work, so that's not so easy. Looking back to earlier I feel so silly for how I felt :/ good to have tthe reassurance though, thanks

[nomorepanic]

Ahhh ok so you were not driving??

OMG I would never let someone drive me down hills cos they go too fast for me. I used to avoid it at all costs. I then learnt to trust a work colleague and told him and he drove very slowly down them.

I also developed a phobia of approaching roundabouts at speed lol - mad as it sounds

[dread]

It's really embarrassing isn't it =[ but I think I just have to man up and let myself get used to it :/