2 hour drive and agoraphobic

[den42]

hi can anyone give me some advise, i have a wedding to go to on the 5th of may, its going to take about 2 hours to get there, mostly motorway, im agoraphobic, but i have been getting out a bit more , well as its getting closer im starting to freak out about it, what can i do to help myself ive already thought of the worst scenario, i need positive thinking and i find that really hard to do, i also dont want to let anybody down, so thats the guilt trip done,ive thought of all the necessary ones like i-pod, walkman (thats showing my age lol) talking or in my case just listening as i would be to anxious to talk, ive even got my daughter following us in their car, is there no-end to unrational thinking

thanks
denise

[mirry]

Hi denise, 2 hours drive seems too much to take on in one go, do you have to drive ? Usually its not a good idea to try to get out of things but as its a 2 hour drive it seems excessive.
could you follow yours daughters car instead ?
Take a good tablet ?
Drive up when the roads are empty ?

Maybe someone else will offer good advise soon .

[honeybee3939]

Hi Den

I really hope you manage the 2 hour drive, im Agorophobic and have problems driving too, so i geuss im not much help, other than suggest what you have already mentioned.
You say your daughter is going to follow you there? Is there a few of you going? maybe you could hire a minibus to take you all, i know it would be quite expensive but if theres a few of you it would reduce the cost.
its just a idea mind you, if you do feel like you can drive there, then that would be the best possible way to overcome your fear!

Love

Andrea
xxxxx

[happyone]

Just a suggestion here.
A few years ago, I wasn't agraphobic but I did have panic attacks whenever I had time to think, thus every time I drove, I got a panic!
I found that listening to audio books in the car really really helped. You have to give so much of your concentration to the listening, without it distracting you too much from your driving, yet you have to give enough concentration that it stops the thoughts getting in, or it did me.
I found that music didn't help as it washed over me.
Worth a try?

happyone
x

[den42]

hi and thanks
my partner and me are going in a friends car, our daugter and her boyfriend are following in another car, i personally would prefer for us all to be travelling together, as im not a good passenger, id rather drive that way im not always thinking of how im feeling, plus if i do need to swap theres someone else who can drive, im looking forward to going but at the same time scared shitless christ this anxiety is a pain

denise xx

[eeyorelover]

I hate long car rides
The only other thing that I can think of that would help the time go faster is playing some of those road games like when we were kids. I spy or the car license game would help to pass some time and take your mind off things for a few.
You will do fine hun
xxx
Sandy

[Alabasterlyn]

I'm agoraphobic too and I would also find a 2hr car journey sheer hell! One thing that I find that helps me if I am going out of my 'safe zone' is to take my laptop with me and a good DVD to play on it so that I can lose myself in it.

[Wenjoy]

Hi - I dont drive but long car journeys like to go on holiday etc make my panic come back in the car - I try pluggin in mymp3 with classical music on and shut my eyes and also relax my hands together in my lap. I think if we are excited about something like a party,wedding,holiday that trips the anxiety off. Wenjoy x