Hi

(I shared this in the panic forum, but I think it's a kind of agoraphobia, so hope it's ok to share here too as someone may be able to help more here)


I chatted before on here about panic while driving, I still have that. Still find dual carriageways impossible because I can't stop on them (I don't want to, or cause a pile up but find it impossible to drive on them currently because I can't stop). I've seen people say that they have stopped because of panic, on the hard shoulder on motorways, but I can't even get myself on these roads because I know I'm not allowed to stop.

I have to travel across london soon with a young child (relative) with me. There's no option. So my panic is now centred on the child. I will do anything to keep him safe, and he won't be in any danger with me. The worst that can happen is I will pull out of it. I need to support my family right now and they need me to do this journey. So every night I'm searching the train times, trying out different routes on the map, and not getting anywhere. I've worked out one train route and then I can pick up a hire car at london waterloo for the rest of the journey. That will save me doing motorways and dual carriageways to london. I've almost worked out an easy route to where I have to drive to but I'm exhausted with all this. And I'm not sure yet on the route. I feel like I'm at my limit, but I have to do this journey one way or another. There are no dual carriageways on the route I'm checking out for driving, but I worry I'll take a wrong turn and end up on one.

I used to drive everywhere. All the family relied on me to do journey's, like they are now, and I'm not the same person these days. It's like I keep checking the map every night to see if I can find a much easier route, but keep being faced with the complexity of the journey. I've a really good send of direction and good map reading skills, it's not a skills problem. It's emotional and the more I try to solve it the worse it's getting and the more worked up I'm getting.

Would welcome any thoughts or words of wisdom anyone has. Thanks