Panic and Driving

[jammy78]

I'm new to this forum, but certainly not new to panic.

My first panic attack occured in church when I was 14, and I am now 28. Panic has been something that I have had to cope with for much of the time inbetween.

I'd had a few good years, with only the very occasional panic attack. The last 6-7 months though have been very difficult.

After 10 years of driving on motorways with no issues, I now cannot go on a motorway without suffering horrendous panic attacks. This is made worse by the fact that I work 30 motorway miles from home, but now have to plot a circuitous route on the road so I avoid the motorway. It take 3 times longer, and I am finding it hard to cope with. I've been to my doctor, and have Propranolol, which used to help, but isn't scratching the surface now.

Has anybody ever experienced anything like this?

[nomorepanic]

Hi there and welcome

I am renowned for my driving panics and have had CBT to help me.

Read these...

driving
Hi new member mom w/ panic and dp/dr (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1239)
Driving (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6038)
driving phobia (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5105)
Hi, I am new and need re-assurance (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6527)
Panic - When driving (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6631)
Panic attacks while driving (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7291)
CBT therapy for driving problems - my diary (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7162)


Also read the coping page on the website for coping techniques.

My CBT post is the last one on the list.

[jammy78]

Hi there and welcome

I am renowned for my driving panics and have had CBT to help me.

Read these...

driving
Hi new member mom w/ panic and dp/dr (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1239)
Driving (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6038)
driving phobia (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5105)
Hi, I am new and need re-assurance (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6527)
Panic - When driving (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6631)
Panic attacks while driving (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7291)
CBT therapy for driving problems - my diary (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7162)


Also read the coping page on the website for coping techniques.

My CBT post is the last one on the list.

Thanks - read through these, and while they don't provide an immediate solution, it is comforting to know I am not completely alone.

[nomorepanic]

Did my CBT post not help?

There is no quick cure - you have to apply the techniques I learnt.

[jammy78]

Did my CBT post not help?

I just can't do things slowly, really, because I have to drive 30 miles to work at the moment.

Driving home is fine because I don't have to rush, I take the road, but that is avoidance of course.

[happyone]

Hi, something that helped me a few years ago when I was having panic attacks whilst driving, was to listen to an audio book in the car. It makes you concentrate on the story but leaves you enough concentration to drive, in a way that the radio doesn't as you let the radio or music wash over you.

However, whilst I had panic attacks in the car, they weren't due to driving or the roads, it was purely because I had stopped long enough to think about the stuff that was panicking me at that time.

It really is worth a try, I had 15 miles of not motorway, but busy dual carriageway to drive every day and I managed it due to listening.

Good luck

happyone

[blackie]

Hiya
A member of my family was telling me the other day about how hard she use to find driving on moterways. She use to make herself do it and take regular stops at the service stations and congratulate herself for making it that far. After a while of doing this she started to feel better and didnt need to make so many stops. Now she is compleltly fine about it.
Happyones idea of listning to an audio book sounds like a great idea to. I listen to them in the evning when i feel panicky.
Take care hun
Blackie

[up a ladder]

Audio books are also my way of helping myself.
I try either comedy or very light drama.
My problem was more when I stopped than when I was actually moving.

Unfortunately, as with most of the panic and anxiety, it seems to be more a case of working through rather than around the problem.

I do appreciate how difficult this must be and sympathise with you.
Can you try doing a little more motorway per day, say one junction for a couple of days then two etc...

Keep at it as it seems to be the only way.

I am going to try a relaxation CD before I leave for work every day to see if that helps me get through the day.

All the best

[feartie]

I'm looking forward to reading all the links you've listed Nicola, because I suffer from this too. Sometimes I'm ok, other times it's a nightmare.

Jammy, something I do when I'm feeling panicky when driving is to put on some good songs to sing to and then belt it out! I think the singing helps control my breathing, maybe by making me breathe more deeply.

And try not to feel pressured to drive faster than you want to...

I hope you find something that works for you soon. It must be very hard to have the extra stress in your life of having to do all that extra driving.

Linda

[nomorepanic]

Jammy

There are immediate coping techniques in my post as well as the coping page on the website.

It is hard to do them but they do work.

[jammy78]

Thanks so much to everyone for all your support and suggestions. The audio book sounds like an idea worth trying just as soon as I get my new cd player fitted. The suggestion of singing aloud is something that I try sometimes and it sometimes works, perhaps it depends on the song, I don't know.

I am going to spend some time reading through all the driving related threads tonight, and begin to try some of the techniques as of tomorrow, my next day at work. Last time it took many years to conquer panic, I am determined not to give in to it again.

Thanks everyone.

jammy

[Liviguy]

Hi

Totally understand where you are coming from here. I too avoid motorways at all costs as I fear a panic attack coming on. I drive back roads etc to work and back and dread traffic jams.

I am trying hypnotherapy just now to overcome it.

[Wendie j]

Hi :)

yes I know what you are going through I had a major panic attack while doing 70mph in the outside lane of a motorway and was still about 40 miles from home.

It will take abit of practice but I find that staying in the first lane (by the hard shoulder) really helps it gives you extra brathing space and you dont feel so closed in.If the worst really came to the worst its easier to stop.

Practice at weeknds or late evenings when its abit quieter(are they ever lol)doing junction by juntion and going round and round in a loop.Keep doing a junction round and round till the anxiety goes down.Then move on to the next one when you feel ready.

Also i find packling an "emergency kit "helps like bottle of water, rescue remedy or sweets/ chewing gum.

let us know how you get on take care wendie j xxxx

[mirry]

I dont drive anymore,, roundabouts scare me silly.

[jammy78]

I'm sorry to hear from other people caught in the same position as me at the moment. It is a horrible, horrible thing that I would never wish upon anybody.

My own situation has got much worse since starting back on Propranalol, they really don't seem to make a scrap of difference to the panic, which I find so strange as they really helped me in the past. The panic attacks have now spread to work, leisure, home...pretty much anywhere, now. It feels like there is no escape this time, but after some annual leave from work, I go back tomorrow. There is no way in the world I feel up to tackling a motorway drive, but I think I am up to the long way round on the road.

Hope things are going better for some of you at least.

Incidently, if anybody knows anything about Propranalol, can you suggest what I might be doing wrong - I drink much more often than I should, but I discussed this with my doctor. Also, I perhaps haven't taken them at regular times each day. Is this a big problem? My doctor suggested I take them before stressful situations, so I've saved them for driving more often than not.

[Lindalou64]

thats my worst fear is driving on the highway(motorway for you) alone i can drive it as long as someone is with me its sooo frustrating ..i live so far from home and my good friends and fam live over the bridge where i live on an island i think the reason for this is cause i feel trapped and plus i have a tendency to drive fast and when i get into the passing lane i get dizzy why i do it i dunno i will def look at ya post nic links......i think once i got the driving down everything else is a piece of cake not sayin it wont be there but def can handle it........wish ya the best with it im gonna read them all......lol........missed out in too much time and fam and friends........life is a highway im gonna drive it all night long lol ............had to thow a little singing in there........Linda

[Lindalou64]

may i add i hate to say but from experience drinking will give you anxiety maybe you feel good well doing it but im sure you dont the next day alcahol is just a depressant and makes ya feel like crap i would love to have 1 or 2 but i stopped 14 yrs ago sick of the way it was makin me feel the next day maybe even 3-4 days....doing much better with out it .....