driving!!!!!! i just cant do it, but need 2!!!!

[nic x]

hi all, well iv been driving 9 yrs, and always ben a careful confident driver, friends would always ask me 2 drive if we were goin busy places or me to park their car,as i was so confident! but i cant even get in2 the car alone anymore, its really getting me down, iv been having a bad few month, with pa, but having therapy and seem to have gettin goo at all the things i couldnt do, now this has set in! has anyone every felt like this whilst driving?
-hot
-then sweating
-then really really burning
-sick to the stomach
-dizzy
-like the throats closing
- it goes on and on
but if im with someone im fine, if me and the kids are in i cant do it, iv gone over and over it, but just feel like i cant win, i need to do this, kids go back to school next week, please any advice xxx

[decca]

Yea I know what you mean , it's almost like a type of agoraphobia where everything seems scarry when you are driving and you panic.
I don't like the feeling of speed anymore as well,it all seems weird.
I've started getting over it by doing short drives by myself,just let the feelings wash over you if you can but if it's really bad ,stop the car,get out and walk around it three times,get back in and drive away.
Don't let it beat ya , good luck

Decca.

[polly123]

Hiya
Yep i know what you mean hun, only i can go one better than that i drive buses part time, lol so you can imagine how it is for me, ive read that distracting your mind onto other things helps, ie, reading car number plates if your stuck in traffic, keep the radio on and try to concetrate on the things around you instead of how you are feeling, give it a try it did help for me, and as decca said please dont let it beat you cause i think we can all do with some independance.
Take Care POLLY

[honeybee3939]

Hi

Polly is right, dont give in hun its the worst thing you can do.:ohmy: I had the same problem when driving and like a fool i did give in:weep: . I havent drove now for over 6 month and its been so hard not been able to take myself places. I have to rely on my husband to take me everywhere now. Im really determined to start driving again i miss it so much.

Sorry i havent been much help, but please dont give in keep trying hun.:)

Love
:hugs:
Andrea
xxxxx

[sheena]

Please don't despair. I was like you. At first I could drive to the corner shop to get a newspaper as I was agoraphobic. Then I could not do this and like you had to depend on my daughter to drive me and my ex husband used to pay for a taxi for me to see the psychatrist.

I even forgot to tax it and it was just sitting out side the house and got filthy. I did not realise until I was dozing on the sofa wondering what the noise was outside. My car was only about to be towed away. I had to pay over a hundred pounds to get them not to take it away.

I used to panic that I was going to be in a car and be in an accident and get trapped. That was my big fear whether I was in the car or not. I remember we we going to see my son and as we hit the motorway the cars were not moving. The fear was tremdous and I felt trapped as I could not get out either. Luckily the cars started moving. But after that I would not go on the motorway even though my daugher was driving.

I started to get CBT therapy for my agoraphobia and panic attacks. To start off with I would just sit in the car with the passenger door open. Then I would sit in the car with the door shut. I couldn't lock myself in for a long time. I would then drive up the road a few yards and turn around at a motor shop. I would do this for quite a few times. Eventually I drove around the block. I still felt worried that I would get trapped but I perservered.

Now I can drive to my sons, about 20 miles away, but not on the motorway. Even now sometimes I have to say to him that some days I cannot make it. But, I don't bring myself down about it.

Please try and start to just getting back to sitting in the car again. I know had bad it must be making you feel. I used to drive up and down the country - whether I can do that again I do not know. I am just happy to be able to gain my indepence back again although if I need to go somewhere out of my safe zone or somewhere I do not know my daughter still drives.

Can you maybe get someone to sit in the car with you, while it is stationary, to make you feel less panicky?

I hope this might help you a bit.

Sheena

[nic x]

hi its nic x.thanks for the replys, just thought id let u all no, iv actully drove today!!!!!!!! by myself, woke up this morning and just thought, am i going sit here and sulk all day or am i goin drive to my parents 5 miles away to have dinner with the family? i thought im going this is not going to beat me anymore and i managed, im so pleased with myself, goin do the same thing 2morro!!! xx

[honeybee3939]

Aww Nic thats fab news ! WELL DONE!!:yesyes:

How lovely to hear you didnt give up:yesyes: , you show that anxiety whos the boss!:)

Proud of ya hun.

Love
:hugs:
Andrea
xxxx

[Pickle]

Nic

:yesyes: Well done you :yesyes:

Sometimes we just have to face the fear and get on with it anyway.

Try to build on today's success and before you know it you won't even give the driving a second thought

Well done again :hugs: