Car phobia, is it agoraphobia in disguise

[Elizabeth78]

Hi,
Has anyone else every heard of a car phobia? I have had panic attacks/ unpleasant sensations for over 30years from any kind of moving vehicle. To be more specific its the acceleration from a stationary position or the rhythmical persistent movement when on a long road. It's not just cars it can also be when I travel on a train for example.
It's ruled my life since I can remember , I can't drive because I still get the unpleasant feelings and it could be dangerous if I freeze whilst driving.
I've often wondered what triggered this. Could it be some kind of agoraphobia? I'm ok when I sit in the back of a car and I know that no one can see me if I have a 'moment'. When it happens, it's like half panic attack, half something else. If I'm in the passenger seat sat at traffic lights I start to sweat and I feel like jumping out the car. What I do now is to distract myself by fidgeting in my handbag pretending to look for something. It doesn't always work. When I have an episode I feel like I've just gone over a roller coaster hump (that kind of tickle in the stomach but not in any way pleasant) I tense up from the middle of my body, my limbs go stiff and I almost arch my back. (yes I know it sounds daft but its what happens) I've looked at the possibility of epilepsy, but this thing I have must be self inflicted because if I am able to distract myself it doesn't happen.
It's incredibly debilitating as you can imagine. This is a world or cars. I have never told anyone face to face about it because it just doesn't make sense. I cant get into a car with family of friends. I am desperate to be free from this burden.
I will really value any input anyone can give me. I'll be especially interested if there is anyone out there who has experienced this!

[jrcoleman]

I know your pain. I always get panic when behind the wheel. My triggers are being stopped in a lane that I feel trapped by. I also cannot look at red lights directly because I can see them emanating (sort of like getting brighter and dimmer) and it cause me to panic. I was still able to manage until I started taking Sertraline at my doctors advice. Now I seem to have developed car agoraphobia. It is nuts. When I get the "episode" I tend to bounce my knee against the drivers door as a distraction or will start cursing it in hopes of it going away quickly. I am sorry to hear you are experiencing this also. As of yet, I can still ride as a passenger but I put myself in trance while riding (zone out).

[Pkstracy]

I had to stop driving due to anxiety whenever I got behind the wheel. Good luck to you.

[Elizabeth78]

Thank you so much for your replies. I'm beginning to think that I am the only person with this specific problem. Not the driving phobia, quite a few people suffer from that, but the general car/ movement on any form of transport.
I struggle everyday with this crazy disease. It's incredibly exhausting isn't it? Thank you for your support
Love and light x

[NinaQc]

To this day, I can only get into a car with a limited number of people driving.
(My mom, my man and my friends dad), even then, I do get scared at times.

I don't think that it is related to agoraphobia, but maybe more a fear of a deadly accident?
I can't tell for sure since i have had different experiences. But i do know that anxiety relates to my own fear of death. And a deadly car accident is one of the many phobias I have since the anxiety started. I have the same symptoms as you thought. Gripping the handle at everything rough turn, acceleration or passing an other car, body stiff as a board all along the ride...
I do hope it gets better for you, with the years it did wear off a little for me, at the beginning I did everything to avoid getting into a car.

[Elizabeth78]

It's quite reassuring to know that there are some people out there who understand. I truly don't think it's a fear of an accident. I just don't like movement and it's almost like a form of epilepsy. I feel the fear more when sunlight flickers through trees for example. It's a type of sensory overload.
Thank you all for the support x

[PatriUCLA]

... I have had panic attacks/ unpleasant sensations for over 30years from any kind of moving vehicle. To be more specific its the acceleration from a stationary position or the rhythmical persistent movement when on a long road. It's not just cars it can also be when I travel on a train for example.

Hi Elizabeth,
By reading the description of what causes you panic attacks/ unpleasant sensations, it doesn't seem to me agoraphobia or epilepsy.
In my opinion it's more like the fear of losing control. When the car/train accelerate you are moving from a situation that you know to a situation you don't know and this causes you panic.
When the car or the train move rhythmically and persistently, it seems you are trapped in a situation you can not change and that causes you panic. I'm not a doctor so don't take my words as a diagnosis ... I just tried to understand what is causing you panic attacks/ unpleasant sensations. Please, let me know if this makes any sense to you.

[AngelLover385]

Hi Elizabeth78,

I'm sorry to hear your struggling at the moment, It is an awful feeling to carry around with you.

When I first learned to drive I felt like I conquered the world then as it suddenly became a reality that an experienced driving instructor wasnt sat next to me anymore, I could feel the fear of being completely in control of a vehicle come to life, it was such a scary feeling.

With that, I lost all confidence in my driving ability, even looking at the car would make my eyes fill with tears.

What I found helped (I know this is completely different to what your suffering with) but literally going into a relatives car and them driving very slowly around the block, taking it nice and steady, stopping and starting when you say so, it doesnt matter how long this may take but even if it helps you feel a little bit more comfortable being in a moving vehicle. There is no time limit set for people's fear, it is only upto the person with the fear that can say when.

I really do help you feel better soon, I cannot imagine how awful you must feel :hugs:

Amy x

[PatriUCLA]

....What I found helped (I know this is completely different to what your suffering with) but literally going into a relatives car and them driving very slowly around the block, taking it nice and steady, stopping and starting when you say so, it doesnt matter how long this may take but even if it helps you feel a little bit more comfortable being in a moving vehicle. There is no time limit set for people's fear, it is only upto the person with the fear that can say when.

AngelLover385, in my opinion that's a great advice !!!

[GiantMogwai]

Hi Elizabeth,

Sounds like motion sickness combined with sensory overload when at the lights. I can relate to that.

I'm OK on the train, really bad on boats, backs of cars, and terrible on coaches. When I was younger i joked that whenever i travelled by coach i needed two seats, one for me and one for the bucket. I was also really bad on airplanes when i was younger.

I don't drive as it makes me feel overwhelmed.

How are you now?

[ankietyjoe]

Sounds very much like a learned response to me.

There may have been a source incident many years ago, but once you reacted with anxiety once, it becomes expected, and eventually learned. If the sensation can be alleviated or avoided by sitting in the back, by not being 'seen' or by fiddling with something, the problem can be dealt with.

The way I'd deal with it is to say to myself that I know I can feel better by fidgeting with my handbag or by sitting in the back, so I know this isn't a problem that I can't deal with, and I know I'm not in danger. You may have to do this dozens of times.

You have to re-learn how to feel safe in a car over time.

[GiantMogwai]

Motion sickness isn't a learned response, and distraction does help but only for a short time. I've puked up on different forms of transport numerous times where everyone else was fine. Not learned response one bit. Motion sickness also contributes to sensory overload. You're right it can be alleviated sometimes. On boats sitting at the front with wind blowing in face helps, but on coach trips I've never had a strategy that works.

[ankietyjoe]

I didn't mention motion sickness, I believe that was you.

[GiantMogwai]

Fair enough. Crossed wires. I believe what she is describing is motion sickness although appreciate that is open to interpretation. If it is panic then I take your point. My personal opinion is what she is describing overall is sensory overload and not panic. I'm theorizing and would be interested to hear from Elizabeth how much she experiences sensory overload generally and in what circumstances. As I write this a ticking watch is shredding my nerves and the vibrations from neighbours talking too. I have no fear of those things inherently but individually they hurt and as a collective they may cause me a meltdown.

[ankietyjoe]

Fair enough. Crossed wires. I believe what she is describing is motion sickness although appreciate that is open to interpretation. If it is panic then I take your point. My personal opinion is what she is describing overall is sensory overload and not panic. I'm theorizing and would be interested to hear from Elizabeth how much she experiences sensory overload generally and in what circumstances. As I write this a ticking watch is shredding my nerves and the vibrations from neighbours talking too. I have no fear of those things inherently but individually they hurt and as a collective they may cause me a meltdown.


Sure

Either of us could be on to something, or not!

And I would agree that motion sickness is not a learned response.