How can I deal with these thoughts?

[jayye]

My phobia is of being trapped. I don't travel on planes, trains, buses, taxis . I do drive but recently have been getting worse especially on motorways. When traffic builds up I feel that I can't escape. I've had some terrible panic attacks during the last times I drove or was a passenger on the motorway so that is making me worried obviously about motorways. My world is getting smaller and I don't want to have to stop driving as thats the only way I can get around.

So even though I know I'm not in danger - I just can't reason with myself. As soon as the traffic starts to slow, that's it. Automatic feelings of panic start. And even when that attack ends another will start as I know that I'm still on the motorway/ still in the traffic. I have to escape. I don't even know where I need to escape to. I just need to get off. Does anyone have any ideas of thoughts I can use to help. 'I'm not in danger' doesn't work for me.

---------- Post added at 13:20 ---------- Previous post was at 13:17 ----------

Also I hate anywhere with automatic doors. I was in a store the other day waiting in the queue when I started to think what if the automatic door out fails. How would I get out. An instant panic attack would come if that door didnt open.

[ana]

I have the exact same problem as you do. I can't stand to be a passenger in a car as I feel as though I'd have to escape eventually and I won't be able to since I'm not the one behind the wheel. Whenever I'm in the car with someone, I reassuringly rest my hand on the door handle and just try and breathe deeply and focus on what the person I'm with is saying. I also say to myself that the illusion of feeling trapped it just an illusion and that I can get out at any moment. This seems to calm me down - just knowing that I could ask for the person to pull over and let me out of the car if I wanted to.

My world has already got so small that I can only manage going to a few neighbourhoods that are not further than a 20-minute walk, and this makes me incredibly sad. :(
I used to be an avid traveller, but now I'm a prisoner of my own fears and worries.

I've just now realised that I've got on and on about my problem as opposed to trying to help you out with yours, lol. I'm sorry.
Well, I guess you can try and see what it is about feeling trapped that scares you so much, perhaps try and get to the root cause of the issue. Why does not being in control scare you so much? Why do you feel like you generally have control over what's happening to you?
I can tell you that I know I crave control because I feel like I don't have control over my thoughts and feelings, so by controlling the outside conditions I compensate for the lack of control of my inner state.
Perhaps if you started being more spontaneous, it would help with proving to yourself that being in control is burdening and you might find it easier to get used to the idea of being trapped. I realise that the way I've formulated this previous sentence may sound a little odd, but it's helped me loosen up a little (tiny) bit. :)