Stress Center Peer Support

Long story short, I was driving and got lost (so to speak). I knew the road I was on, but had never been that far away from home on it, so it was unfamiliar. I began having anxious feelings. It would rush into my body at a ten(scale of one to ten), and then I would relax and it would dissipate, then a few moments later it would rush in again and I would gain control and it would go away. I was about an hour away from home, so for about 45 minutes I was going through these waves of panic.

I finally got home, but I when I go through something like this, I seem to have this residual anxiety. I don't have the panic, but the uneasy, upset stomach, etc feeling is there. I don't feel like I think I should, "I made it through, I did great, see nothing happened." I feel like, "I hope I never go through that again." It makes me not want to venture out on my own in the car to unfamiliar places. It makes me think, if I was this anxious on a road I knew, what would have happened if I could not find a familiar road? I also had someone in the car with me, so it also makes me think what if I was alone, how would I have handled it, I don't think I could have.

Dose anyone go through this? How can I push forward? I am so afraid of feeling the panic that it makes me apprehensive to do things.

Sometimes I have the after anxiety uneasiness and sometimes I do not. I like it better when I don't! I do know how you feel with the what ifs and the fears that can come from going someplace different or new. Those feelings are avoidance feelings and its how I got to the point of agoraphobia. I hope that you can push through it so that you do not get stuck in the house like I am. I know you don't want to feel that way again but it is not as bad as feeling trapped in your own home. Best wishes.

I too had my first taste of anxiety/Panic in a situation much like your own. I was driving in heavy traffic in a part of Los Angles which is a distance from where I live and I had this extreme fear like I was dying and needed to be back in familiar and safe territory as quickly as possible. I felt light headed and my heart was pounding so hard and fast I swore I was going to pass out and crash on the freeway. I made it home very dizzy and weak, my legs were shaking. Ever since this experience which was nine years ago I cannot travel far or to unfamiliar places alone and I have never flown. This has changed my life and I now get anxiety and sometimes panic in any situation where i do not see an easy escape, the movie theater or a show(which is a shame because theatre and film are my two passions) going to dinner, being in line somewhere, even getting a haircut. It's horrible and I want to begin this program and conquer this so I can do normal activities again. One way I have found to help me is through writing, I write short stories and journal a lot and this has helped me. I wish you look and thank you for posting, it is helpful to hear from other people going through the same thing I am.