panic while driving
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Guest
Hey Mike,
When I first had troubles with anxiety and OCD it was with panic attacks. My very first bad one was while driving on the highway. So i know what you are going through very well.
How long have you been driving trucks for a living? Did you always have panic attacks? Do you have the program? Lesson 2 is about panic attacks.
Here are a few things that helped me out from the program.
1- A panic attack will not hurt you. Your body can only release so much adrenaline. It cannot sustain a panic attack for that long. So when we all say it is just anxiety it goes away and doesn't last, we mean it in the literal sense.
2- Self-talk is the key here. negative fearful self-talk is what triggers your panic attack. Positive self-talk will dissolve it and get you through those moments.
What is it exactly that scares you when you are driving? I ask because that way you can modify your own self-talk.
If your fear is losing control of your truck for example, just remember that you have been driving for years and I am sure passed some kind of course to be licensed to drive trucks. You are fully capable of handling such vehicle, and you won't lose control.
Just remember you are ok, it is only anxiety. Say it out loud if you need to. " i am OK this is just anxiety and it passes, I will get through this. If I need to slow down or pull over that is OK too, but I will get through this."
3- then change your focus from your panicky feelings to something else like music. sing or hum along if you want to. change your focus and immediately you will see the feelings start to die down.
4- having a bottle of water or some kind of beverage like hot tea to sip also calmed me down as well.
You will get through it and it takes some practice. Drive while feeling the anxiousness and once you see you can do that, it won't matter if you have the panic in the first place because you will be comfortable.
If I could get through it so can you. Take it easy.
Eddy J
When I first had troubles with anxiety and OCD it was with panic attacks. My very first bad one was while driving on the highway. So i know what you are going through very well.
How long have you been driving trucks for a living? Did you always have panic attacks? Do you have the program? Lesson 2 is about panic attacks.
Here are a few things that helped me out from the program.
1- A panic attack will not hurt you. Your body can only release so much adrenaline. It cannot sustain a panic attack for that long. So when we all say it is just anxiety it goes away and doesn't last, we mean it in the literal sense.
2- Self-talk is the key here. negative fearful self-talk is what triggers your panic attack. Positive self-talk will dissolve it and get you through those moments.
What is it exactly that scares you when you are driving? I ask because that way you can modify your own self-talk.
If your fear is losing control of your truck for example, just remember that you have been driving for years and I am sure passed some kind of course to be licensed to drive trucks. You are fully capable of handling such vehicle, and you won't lose control.
Just remember you are ok, it is only anxiety. Say it out loud if you need to. " i am OK this is just anxiety and it passes, I will get through this. If I need to slow down or pull over that is OK too, but I will get through this."
3- then change your focus from your panicky feelings to something else like music. sing or hum along if you want to. change your focus and immediately you will see the feelings start to die down.
4- having a bottle of water or some kind of beverage like hot tea to sip also calmed me down as well.
You will get through it and it takes some practice. Drive while feeling the anxiousness and once you see you can do that, it won't matter if you have the panic in the first place because you will be comfortable.
If I could get through it so can you. Take it easy.
Eddy J