"Accepting" panic in order to recover - how??

[Squiggle]

Hi,
From what I've read over the years the only way to really recover is to accept the panic and not try to fight it any more. For a long time that just seemed far too scary to contemplate and I was just looking for any way to cope. I've read it so often at this stage that I'm beginning to accept that this might just be what I have to do. My problem is that my panic attacks only happen when driving so I pull in off the road. I can't say this is safe, I'm afraid I pull in as quickly as possible and it's far from safe but I don't quite understand what they mean when they say to accept it. Do they just mean keep driving through a full blown panic attack? Has anybody done this? I'll ask my therapist but my work with her's all very generic and she doesn't seem to really understand my specific driving issue.
Thanks for reading!

[stamags]

have you read Dr Claire Weekes, her books are very informative and helps you understand what is happening, I am reading help for your nerves and it has made things alot clearer to me.

[potato11]

Hello Squiggle

firstly - read this!

http://nothingworks.weebly.com/

The writer puts it very well - the human body/mind is designed to RESIST being under 'attack' - therefore accepting panic, which we mostly view as scary/malevolent/out to get us, is pretty much impossible by design

However, when we gain knowledge and learn that anxiety/panic is a PROTECTION loop - we are much less scared of it - and by design, we can therefore accept that we are in no danger

Does that make sense?

Its not about learning to not fear fear - it's about learning how it works

I'm not very eloquent - but that guy who wrote the above website is! check it out.

[Stormsky]

Its fighting it that leads to full blown panic in the first place, thats my opinion, if you just say to yourself ok, im going to let you panic, do your best, i dont care anymore... its when you dont care, when you dont fear it, when you dont fight it, that it cant exist, the panic just dies off... its your fear of it that keeps it coming and keeps it alive... dont fear it, let it come, just say i dont care what you do to me, im not scared... once you do this, its loses it grip, you are no longer afraid of it, and as such wont get full blown panic attacks anymore

[xvolatileheart]

I'm struggling with this as well. My main barrier to "accepting" panic is that I fear there is something physically wrong with me causing these symptoms. How can I "accept" panic if I don't believe deep down that it really is panic?

[kittikat]

I had my first ever major panic attack in the car, alone, around 15 miles away from home. I really didn't know what had hit me but I had an overwhelming urge to abandon my car in the middle of the road and scream 'HELP ME'...I really don't know how I managed to get to the next side road and pull over. It was the most frightening experience of my life. Scared, alone, far from home, and thinking I was going to die any minute. I paced the road, patting my chest and hyperventilating fearing I would never get back in my car that day. I still don't know how I did. My legs were shaking all the way home, I was so scared it was going to happen again. I do not know to this day how I actually got home. That was about 6 years ago. I still have problems driving to this day and my safe radius is around 2 miles max. I have read conflicting articles about letting the panic pass through you and 'do it's thing' or concentrating and working with the breathing, thoughts & feelings or distraction therapy, where you try to focus on something else to take your mind away from what is happening to you. To this day I still can't say what is right or wrong. I have never actually driven through full blown panic...I have to pull over. I had CBT back then which gave me some insight into understanding what is happening and how I should handle it, all very helpful, but in practice, my panic has a will of it's own and sometimes it doesn't matter what I try- it wins. It would be interesting to hear your therapists thoughts and maybe I will ask mine too. I have just started seeing someone again since a major breakdown in November. Perhaps we can compare notes at a later stage.
Good luck, sorry I don't have the answers, but I do totally understand your post.
Kitti

[emmasaurus]

I'm struggling with this as well. My main barrier to "accepting" panic is that I fear there is something physically wrong with me causing these symptoms. How can I "accept" panic if I don't believe deep down that it really is panic?

This is my problem, too.

[Squiggle]

It's great at least to know I'm not alone. Kittikat, I laughed with relief, I hope you don't mind. I've been there so often, stuck on the side of the road quivering, not able to go forward or back. For the first few years I didn't even know what was wrong, maybe I needed a heavier car or maybe it was a physical problem with space and my ear or brain. I was so pleased when a friend told me it was agoraphobia because at least I now had a name. I thought if it had a name it could be treated but that's not proving so easy. If any of you find any improvement please share your tips. One thing that gives me hope is lessons. I found an instructor who specialises in driving fear and he really understands. He's the first person I've ever met who actually gets it and I believe if anyone can help me he can. He's able to distract me at just the right moment and he can tell me after what the trigger at that point on the road was. I'll ask him about driving through it too. I just can't imagine how on earth you'd do it in a driving situation. Thanks to all of you and good luck recovering.

---------- Post added at 11:45 ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 ----------

Shamans,
I forgot to mention I haven't read Dr. Weekes but I have dowoaded and started listening to her audiobook on iTunes. I love her voice and wish she was my therapist. I've been reading a bit about her and she sounds like quite a character. I suppose a CD is the next best thing to taking her on a drive with me.

[Em84]

Think it's easier said than done...fighting it! I've had panic attacks where I just keep on doing the washing up but it's not necessarily good! I still have the physical problems like shaking, chest pains, shortness of breath etc etc. Not something I would like to experience whilst driving ( find it hard enough to walk about with the dizziness )

We know its a panic attack but I think it's always what the body does...not our minds....this is why they come from nowhere. I can be relaxed laughing and have one

[Rushway]

Odd one this, the driving/panic thing....oddly it's something I've always been able to do.

I have a lot of attacks at work and my first thought is to get home, to be safe !....which means I have to drive 12 miles !...and I've always done it.

However panicky, sweaty, heart racing it's been, I've always managed to be safe and drive sensibly...no disrespects to anyone but the 'giving in' and pulling over (trust me I understand why it's done!) is relenting to the fear - it's won !..

I think, because of this need to get home and be safe, my fears never got the better of me whilst driving because I always needed to get there ! Hence due to this constant exposure therapy with driving, I feel I conquered it..can't recommend it as a therapy because it can be dangerous but just giving my pennyworth ! It's all exposure therapy !