Drove on the motorway!!

[orangeblossom]

That is brilliant!!!!!!

It is wonderful to hear others sucess stories!

I'm SOSOSOSOSOSOOOO happy for you!!!!

[BasilCat]

Hi Heather, Michelle, Els and Orangeblossom. Many thanks for your kind words of support and encouragement. As you know, anxiety is not easy and only 2 years ago, I thought I would never drive again, let alone on a Motorway so it was a big thing for me. And I will have to keep pushing the boundaries. Its true though, people who have not experienced anxiety have no idea what its like to not be able to walk down the street or drive the car etc because it can rob you of your life cant it. Things do get better though with patience and understanding and time. Thanks everybody. Your messages have cheered me up.

Shirley
x x x

[Southern_Belle]

Of course I don't know which motorway this is but I can imagine it is a big one. Great job on overcoming your fears and taking on anxiety and winning.

Take care,

Laura

[eternally optimistic]

What brilliant news.... that's a great way to start the New Year.

Good for you....

The impossible, is not the impossible. (thinking about it, I should
use this line myself, LOL).

Bye for now.

[BasilCat]

Hi Laura and Jackie, Lovely to hear from you. I had been "building up" to going on the motorway for quite a while and New Years Day felt like the "right time". I am glad I did it. It isnt that big Laura - 25 miles long but far enough for me to touch 60 and 70 mph! I used to drive on the Motorway regular without a second though untill the anxiety kicked in. It was the M65 between Colne and just south of Preston in Lancashire by the way. Yes a really good way to start the New Year. And as you say Jackie, the impossible is not impossible.

Happy New Year to you both.

Shirley
x x x

[BasilCat]

Hi Tetley, Thank you for your kind words. I am so glad I went down the motorway and it was such a good start to 2009 too. I must add here that it was very quiet on the motorway on Thursday. But I had this inner feeling that I would cope, even though I am not quite 100% yet. The only thing is Tetley that its about 18 miles to the motorway and 25 miles from one end to the other so quite a few miles altogether and not something I can practice on a daily basis because of the cost of fuel etc. How long have you been anxious driving Tetley? The thing is, if you keep practising, you wont be too bothered about traffic lights after a while then you can move on to other things and go a bit further too, then you will eventually feel like you can cope with a motorway as I did the other day. I am sure you will get there Tetley. It just takes patience - It will come I am sure.

Happy New Year!

Shirley

[sunshine-lady]

Hi Shirley,

WELL DONE!!! you should be very proud of yourself!!! It is so easy to sit back and say "I can't do that" as it is going out of our saftey zone. Hope you continue with your progress.

I am scared of motorways and i don't drive!

[Patty]

Hi Shirley,

That's brilliant news!! Well done!!

I want to thank-you so much for sharing your experience with driving. I have driving anxiety that has got very strong this last 1 1/2 years.

Reading of your experience gives me hope that it will get easier to face these fears.

Best wishes xx

[BasilCat]

Hi Sunshine-lady and Patty, Thank you for your kind words. I am proud that I went down the motorway again, I just wish I was nearer to it and could practice more.

Patty you can overcome your driving anxiety. Mine started because I had 2 anxiety attacks in the car in July 2006. One when I was driving, the other as a passenger. Its such a shame I was in the car when I had these attacks because if I had not have been, then there would have been no problem for me driving all this time. I would have still had anxiety but not about driving.

Anyway I am glad that things are finally looking up and they can for you too. I started off driving 1/4 mile to Tescos and back, then into town (2 miles and back) then to my voluntary job 10 miles away. I did that for ages. Then just before Xmas I took my 14 year old daughter to Lytham and back ( a round trip of 60 miles) without hubby to take over the driving if I needed him to do so, and then my 110 mile round trip last week but hubby was with me at the time. So, if you do it in stages, it does come.

Sunshine-lady, Yes I was well out of my safety zone but I thought that I wouldnt find out how I would cope with it till I gave it a go. Instinct told me that I had found the right day to do it. And I had. Have you never been a driver Sunshine-lady? I have driven for 25 years so the last 2.5 years havent been easy. But I am getting there and my progress will continue - I will make sure it does.

Happy New Year.
Shirley