Fear of driving

[bna]

Hello
I've finished the program 4 weeks ago. I have been doing ok. Had a few "growth spurts' over the last few weeks but managing ok.

I have started to notice I am becoming fearful of driving. What if I made a mistake driving, what if the person o n the bike falls off in front of me. (which did happen many years ago, Thank God i did not hit that person), fear of hitting a pedesterian walking along side of the road (there are very few sidewalks in my town, live in the suburbs).

This evening coming home with my youngest son, driving up my street, noticed 2 little ones on there bikes on left side of the road, there mother walking a distance behind). I made sure I was way over on the edge of the road, keeping right. I slowed down very slow, again because of my fears about bikes, and especially when young kids out. You can never trust children what they might do, especially when driving.

I was momentarily blinded by the sun where I couldn't see anything, I slowed down to a crawl but kept driving forward ever so slowly, hoping to get out of the blind spot. I know it was seconds but I have been beating myself up incredaibly over it.
It seemed liked minutes. My scary thoughts are what if theses kids pulled in front of me, what if I had hit them, What kind of person/driver am I?

I called my sister as i needed to to talk to someone because I felt so panicky. She helped me see all the positive things I had done. But all I can focus on is all the things I did wrong.

Does anyone else have fears about driving? What do you do to overcome them? Has anyone tried Carolyn's driving tape, I know I read something about it somewhere on one of the forums.

I would love to hear from someone because right now I am having a difficult time trying to work through this. Thank you. God Bless.

[Kate2287]

Hi there.

I know you're going through a lot with this fear and you're definitely not alone. This is my second bought with anxiety and the first thing that I started having difficulty with was driving. I think the thing that bothers me the most is the I'm in control of the car and if I lose control or go crazy I can hurt myself or someone else. Also, I feel very safe in certain locations, so I get anxious when I am too far away from those locations to get to them in a reasonable amount of time.

I think this fear is completely normal, there is a lot of potential to hurt someone with a car. However, as an anxious people I think that we're often more cautious and conscious of other people than most. Even though you're having this fear, I don't think that you'd ever hurt someone because you're so conscious of others and so worried about them. As an anxious person, you're obviously very sensitive and worried. I think these are great qualities for someone on the road and better qualities than most people who are driving have.

It's important to remember that a lot of your fears and irrational and that you're the one scaring yourself. Try to work on controlling those thoughts and beginning to trust yourself again. This is the way that I recovered from anxiety the first time: learning to trust myself and learning to believe the real things not the scary thoughts.

I wish you good luck and I know you'll be better soon. Just start feeding yourself the good thoughts!

[bna]

Thanks Kate, I really appreciate your kind words. Take care and God bless.

[dulce]

Hello my name is Dulce, and i understand perfectly how you feel!!!!!!!!!!!! everyday i feel anxious going to work, as soon i get my jacket i put my self into this anxious mood i hate it!! i know that nothing happens, because nothing ever ever happens, i always have to call my bf or a girlfriend and i always get better, i just get so scared of going crazy or loosing control, or just having a hearattack, but nothing ever ever happens. i listen to my cd's or good music i distract myself. And thank God i always make it!! no matter where i go, i am always good, dont worry you will be good and nothing ever happens, you will never hur anybody, i am glad that there is people with this problem driving!! i am not alone we are not alone. take care goodluck.

[Barbara U. Cherish]

I can relate to your fears of driving!
I just completed the program and am doing really well however I still need to face my fear of driving the highway as it is the limitation that keeps me trapped here in the remote area where I live. It's 30 miles to the nearest larger grocery store. Every day when I drive to the post office I think maybe I will venture out there and try to make it to the first off-ramp but always seem to find an excuse.
I know I will do this but I am really frustrated at my self right now. I wanted to have someone with me the first time out but no one seems to have the time....Soooo I WILL DO THIS BY MYSELF....maybe even tomorrow...

Thanks for listening and good luck with your driving.

Barbara U. Cherish

[bna]

Thank you all for your support. Its comforting to know that i am not alone. I feel much better today. I used my acquired skills and was able to comfort and soothe myself, which is huge. Before this program I would have spent at least a week or more obessing over any issue that I thought i had not done well enough. This porgram hs helped me come so far. I keeping reminding myself this is just a growth spurt and I can never go back to the way i was before this program.

I am determined that I will never be beaten by this stuff. I will continue to use my skills and keep moving forward. I will continue to drive evn though it may result in anxious feelings.

Once again thank you to all who responded, your support was just what I needed to get back on track.Good luck and God Bless.

[doozyj]

Hi,
I get this too, sometimes I get that spacey feeling and feel a little surge of panic coming on. I am scared I will pass out on the freeway and crash etc. I just try to tell myself I won't pass out and take a deep breath and take a drink of water (I always carry water with me everywhere, little bit of a OCD issue ).