Graded exposure for driving?

[Roxroxrox]

Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone has used graded exposure during CBT for panic attacks that happen while driving? My therapist has recommended it and I’m terrified as I’ve spent the last two years doing anything I can to avoid panicking. I understand the logic, and regular exposure has helped me as a passenger and on certain roads. But there are some I’m seriously dreading attempting. Has it worked for anyone?

[Phill2]

I find that the best way of getting over things is to do them regardless of the fear.
If you let it beat you once it will beat you every time.

[dorabella]

I would say the same as Phill2 - just get behind the wheel and drive through the panic.

I have had panic attacks whilst driving on local quiet roads and also on the motorway - the latter is particularly troublesome when you know that you cannot pull off the road and calm yourself down. I just try to calm my breathing down, open the window, suck on a strong mint - everyone has to develop their own coping mechanism. Equally I have driven on those same roads and not panicked once - it is pointless trying to predict when it will happen or trying to prepare yourself for the driving experience. Believe me I have procrastinated and anticipated myself silly over the years when I know I have to make such and such a trip, to the point that I was hardly driving at all.

Regular or graded exposure has never worked for me. Sometimes the best way (for me) is just to get in the car, turn on the ignition and get going - come what may. The greatest fear is always that you will faint, lose control of the vehicle, crash etc etc but it won't come to that. Your instinct and basic senses will kick in when they need to ... and you can always slow the vehicle down until you have calmed down. Never mind other drivers - they can go round you!

[Roxroxrox]

I find that the best way of getting over things is to do them regardless of the fear.
If you let it beat you once it will beat you every time.

That’s very true, thank you

[Roxroxrox]

I find that the best way of getting over things is to do them regardless of the fear.
If you let it beat you once it will beat you every time.

I would say the same as Phill2 - just get behind the wheel and drive through the panic.

I have had panic attacks whilst driving on local quiet roads and also on the motorway - the latter is particularly troublesome when you know that you cannot pull off the road and calm yourself down. I just try to calm my breathing down, open the window, suck on a strong mint - everyone has to develop their own coping mechanism. Equally I have driven on those same roads and not panicked once - it is pointless trying to predict when it will happen or trying to prepare yourself for the driving experience. Believe me I have procrastinated and anticipated myself silly over the years when I know I have to make such and such a trip, to the point that I was hardly driving at all.

Regular or graded exposure has never worked for me. Sometimes the best way (for me) is just to get in the car, turn on the ignition and get going - come what may. The greatest fear is always that you will faint, lose control of the vehicle, crash etc etc but it won't come to that. Your instinct and basic senses will kick in when they need to ... and you can always slow the vehicle down until you have calmed down. Never mind other drivers - they can go round you!

Thank you, that’s good advice. There are some roads I have panicked on but I’ve done them if there’s no other route or I’m running late or it’s a short bit road. Over time I’ve gotten used to it and it’s been easier to challenge my negative thinking and now I can drive on them with ease. I’m hoping the same will happen on the larger and more scarier roads for me (dual carriageways, motorways, etc). It’s the anticipation beforehand that gets me worked up before I’ve even got there and seals my fate so I stopped driving on them and now I’ve left it so long! Prior to my panic attacks starting 2 years a go I opted for those types of roads, so I know I can do them and have done them, but it’s hard to even remember that time and that it was me doing it. Even if the graded exposure doesn’t work for me, I’m hoping at the least it’ll get me on one of those roads and then I can get confident on them again. My anxiety seems to have crept in to all areas of my life, but it’ll do me the world of good to get back in to driving again and not take the longest route on the back roads!

[Phill2]

Yep
The anticipation is always worse than the actual event.