Panic attacks while driving

[sandradee]

I actually drove today, felt v. edgy , opened the door of the Clio with a kitchen towel to avoid the inevitible static shock! OH in passenger seat, he is not the most patient of people. A short trip to supermarket , parking etc. and then back home on dual carriageway. It wasn't too bad, I'm finding that where we live now to the previous 'out in the sticks' there is no warm up period, it's busy from the onset. plus I can't seem to get a handle on the wretched Clio.

I'm going to have to change my thinking re this. Tomorrow out will come the hand book and I will have to learn to love the thing. I've been ignoring it. I've no sense of direction either, so this is going to need some work. Even OH who is a v. experienced driver found it a bit hairy on the 'wrong' side of the road to begin with.

I realise that this is a little different scenario to most, but it all boils down to the same thing, we had some sort of experience which put us off driving, whether motorway or country road or just how we were feeling at the time.
If you were going to the corner shop and you didn't feel great, you'd brush it off, the fact that you feel less than great in charge of a vehicle, well that could be 'dangerous'. Different scenario. And most panickers are caring people. Apologies for the sermon.

[sandradee]

Tony 1980 wrote: I remember my driving lessons being horrible at times. I could literally feel the sweat dripping off me at times as I used to fret so much, even on roads which I would now find easy to drive!

How I empathise, I used to get horrible 'stage fright' before a lesson and literally 'drip' through one , with my leg trembling on the clutch. I passed first time! I think they call it perfomance anxiety, except now I'm getting it before every drive. good luck to you.

[Panic Twin]

Hi both, new to site found by chance but glad I did. I know this might sound daft but sandradee are you left handed ? I tutor as a job and I am left handed. I have same problem as you with the driving and given it a great deal of thought. My theory on the sense of direction is that it feels more natural to travel the opposite way to the "norm". I have read this back it does sound mad but I know exactly what you mean above. I am still avoiding the driving in unfamiliar areas but two tips I try when I have to drive are: Radio on low to sounds that make me smile and window half down to give me air.... Also treat the drive as though you are showing someone else where to go it makes you read the road (surroundings, signs etc) in a more confident mood. Good luck

[Meltdown]

I used to have panic attacks whilst driving. I hated the feeling of not being able to get off a motorway, and the feeling of being trapped in roadworks, etc.

I particularly hated being stuck in traffic jams, and started taking a very convoluted route to work to avoid them!

However, with the help of my CBT therapist, I am now free of these fears. Her suggestion was to start out for work a little earlier, and face the Jams (which would be less severe than normal). I set a stopwatch when my speed dropped below 30 mph in the traffic, and found that these jams which seemed to be an eternity, were actually less than ten minutes.

Initially, I had panic attacks, which were horrible, but I told myself that they would last less than ten minutes. I also told myself that if I felt really bad, I could pull over and stop on the verge (which I never had to do in practice).

By gradual exposure to longer jams and journey times, I have been able to beat my fear of driving, and can now face just about anything!

[Mich1111]

Driving had never been a problem to me although I have always been nervous on motorways whether driving or passenger I have always managed to do it.

I used to think If I felt unwell I had my car to get home. However, recently I have been suffering a bad spell of anxiety/panic attacks in general - it has got to the point where I havent really been out for 3 weeks. The thought of getting in my car and driving scares the life out of me.
I think where I am so anxious everything seems surreal and even attempting a short drive as a passenger last week had me in tears and feeling ill.

I am hoping once I calm down and my medicine kicks in it will subside and I can get back to normal.

[trulybatty]

Great to read your posts and realise I am not alone. I can do any driving apart from motorways which is very restrictive and stops me living my life as I used to love going to see friends for weekends away etc and now can't. My worst part is the Dartford crossing on the M25 which even the thought of coping with makes a PA come on full force. I have no idea why but want to sort it so your posts were a great help to me. Thanks.

[Meltdown]

Just a suggestion, try driving a short section you know won't be crowded, and come off at the next junction. Try doing it again repeatedly until the feeling that you are going to panic goes away.

Then try a longer stretch, etc

I used this sort of technique to beat my fear of a number of situations, including traffic jams!

You may want to visualise yourself driving down a motorway first, feeling totally in control and relaxed...

[PhilipR]

I am now agoraphobic thanks to feeling panicky while driving. It was at its worse on the Severn Bridge - I knew there was a service station ahead and so I focused on getting there - and was sooo releived to get into the car park. I rang a friend - mobile phones - are great - and managed to calm down enough to drive home. It is always somehow easier when I am heading home! I felt really bad that I didn't manage to get where I was going - to see an old friend in Exeter. If ever I get back to driving during the daytime again - I will definitely go for hands free - as talking to someone while in a tailback - or whenever, helps. Having someone who can drive as a passenger would be ideal - but sadly - I don't have any local friends anymore or any relatives who can drive.

Anyway - since the crisis - I now drive only at 2-3am in the morning when traffic is light - and although I feel anxious - some times are worse than others - I still can't drive more than about 40 miles from my home. I do use the M4 - I won't let the fact I can't stop deter me - I still love driving. I listen to loud music and this helps a lot. The other night there were roadworks and I saw the warning signs that J33 was closed - but I didn't realise that Cardiff West - where I usually turn around was J33! It shows how anxiety can make you less observant! Doh! So I was stuck on the motorway until Cardiff Gate - I didn't get panicky thankfully - though my heart was beating quite fast the whole time - I tried to be positive and tried to enjoy the drive. The weather didn't help - it was raining monsoon dogs. Windscreen wipers at warp nine. Speed restrictions! Single lanes!

I wrote recently to my doctor - inquiring about CBT - but have heard mixed reports about its effectiveness. Wonder if the Psychologist who invented it ever suffered really heavy depression and chronic anxiety? I sometimes think I would be better off learning Martial Arts. Mental fitness is definitely related to physical fitness. Not only that - Martial Arts teaches you to channel positive energy. I find that if I try and analyse my fear- it just gets worse! I try and deflect it and confuse it! Thinking about something really banal , or as I compose music - a musical problem sometimes helps.

. I am 54 now - slim maybe - but prone to hyperventilation and I get tired quickly - so probably unrealistic to take up any heavy physical challenges - and Martial Arts is. Would CBT teach me to go for it! ??? If past experiences are anything to go by - I would be a complete wreck before I arrived at the Dojo! Sorry if I strayed a bit off topic here -

[Meltdown]

CBT is definitely effective, in my experience. But there is often a long waiting list for it (maybe that is why your doctor is trying to put you off it?)

Try learning meditiation, if you want to relax and control your mind. I find it useful from time to time, but don't really make enough time for it!

[nomorepanic]

Here is my post about driving and the CBT I had for it..


http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7162