I had my first major panic attack almost two years ago while driving. I got extremely dizzy, my heart starting thumping and skipping beats, I got the icy-hot feeling throughout my entire body, etc. I ended up having to pull over and call 911. I seriously thought I was dying. I even called my husband at work and told him so. Thank goodness I didn't have my kids in the car with me for all that.
Anyway, almost two years later, I am doing better. I still suffer from agoraphobia and I'm back on Zoloft after being off of it for 8 months. I went back because I had some major stressors in my life and started to feel myself slipping back into the depression, agoraphobia, and debilitating anxiety again. I have not completed the program yet.
My biggest problem is driving alone. If I have another adult who I know can take the wheel if need be, I'm fine. I have no problem driving. But if I'm alone or with my kids, I get as scared as a kid is of the dark. In fact, I am scared of the dark. Driving in the dark is 10 x's harder for me than driving during the day. I seriously feel like a 4-year old. It's very frustrating. My biggest concern is that I'm afraid I'll have a panic attack, get dizzy and then wreck the car. And I know that the reason the car triggers it is because that's where my first attack happened.
Does anyone else have a difficult time driving? Any tips on how to deal with it?
The car and driving alone is my trigger.
Thats my #1 all time fear is being in a car/driving! I think its the same reason as yours i had my first panic attack in a car..
What i dont understand is that 2 years ago b4 i had a panic attack My Favorite Thing To Do Was Drive!
I carpooled to Sturges South Dakota for the 2007 Bikers Rally, I use to just drive with my friends at night n we would just talk for hours on hours while just aimlessly driving around our city...
Now i cant even step foot in a car cause i start gettin dizzy and paranoid that i'll have another panic attack and it normaly causes one to happen...
so yea me too amber i have a hard time with it also and im hoping this program will help me fix that so i can start cruising around again worry free
What i dont understand is that 2 years ago b4 i had a panic attack My Favorite Thing To Do Was Drive!
I carpooled to Sturges South Dakota for the 2007 Bikers Rally, I use to just drive with my friends at night n we would just talk for hours on hours while just aimlessly driving around our city...
Now i cant even step foot in a car cause i start gettin dizzy and paranoid that i'll have another panic attack and it normaly causes one to happen...
so yea me too amber i have a hard time with it also and im hoping this program will help me fix that so i can start cruising around again worry free
Jenova - There is some comfort in knowing that I'm not alone in this crazy, irrational fear. I was looking back through the archives on here and saw that actually a lot of people with anxiety have difficulty driving. I also saw that Stress Stress Center sells a driving CD. I'm going to check into that. I feel like this is my biggest obstacle to overcome, and, like you said in your other post, I just want a quick fix. But I know that a quick fix won't be a lasting fix. It's hard to have patience when you're not functioning as well as you used to. I just want to get back to how I used to be. I can't imagine that there was ever a time when I could just hop in a car without giving anxiety or a panic attack a thought. That seems like a different life. I think that my big obstacle right now is accepting it. I don't think I've truly accepted that this is how I am right now. And that's the first step in recovery. I want to accept it, but it's so hard.
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grandma loves arielle
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:03 am
I too have fear of driving along with my one sister and my late mother.Im ok within a 10 to 15 mile radious but outside of that I panic. I take ativan if I do have to drive alone outside of my comfort zone and that works for me.I also hate nite driving but my worst fear is driving in snow.AS far as associating the car to panic attacks thats a normal response but remember its not whats outside of you but inside your mind thats causing this.I had some bad attacks at work and had to fight that association of work causing panic because I HAVE TO WORK SO i TAKE ATIVAN AND REMIND MYSELF its all inside and can happen anywhere so I wont be so afraid.
I know what u mean by accepting the fact that we have anxiety. that is fact.. just dont accept that this is what it is n we got to learn to live with it n get by day by day..
I understand that the program teaches us to be kind to ourself but theres also a time we need to step up and kick ourself in the butt!
i always told myself if i could go back in time i'd go back 2 years and woop my own butt! I'd go back and kick the crap out of myself for being so weak and holding my thoughts and emotions to myself! This was where Anxiety took its first foothold was when i let my guard down and felt like life was being unfair.. But now i understand that it wasnt life being unfair to me it was Me being unfair to My Life!
I was doing favors for people i didnt want to do.. i was goin places i didnt want to go.. i was even in a relationship i didnt want to be in anymore but just didnt know how to get out of it or if i even could get out of it... Thats when Anxiety sneaks in is when our guard is down and once Anxiety sinks its feet in he's a pain to get out...
Thats why i think theres a time when we got to step up and just not care anymore.. look at yourself and laugh at the things we're scared to do! Honestly its a freakin joke that im scared to Drive! Lol i aint scared of crashing my car i can care less about that.. im scared of being scared lol.. i feel like a grown man scared of the boogyman lol..
The best thing about Lucinda's program is that it brought all of us together.. We are our own therapy.. when one of us takes a step we all take a step until we're out of this together
I understand that the program teaches us to be kind to ourself but theres also a time we need to step up and kick ourself in the butt!
i always told myself if i could go back in time i'd go back 2 years and woop my own butt! I'd go back and kick the crap out of myself for being so weak and holding my thoughts and emotions to myself! This was where Anxiety took its first foothold was when i let my guard down and felt like life was being unfair.. But now i understand that it wasnt life being unfair to me it was Me being unfair to My Life!
I was doing favors for people i didnt want to do.. i was goin places i didnt want to go.. i was even in a relationship i didnt want to be in anymore but just didnt know how to get out of it or if i even could get out of it... Thats when Anxiety sneaks in is when our guard is down and once Anxiety sinks its feet in he's a pain to get out...
Thats why i think theres a time when we got to step up and just not care anymore.. look at yourself and laugh at the things we're scared to do! Honestly its a freakin joke that im scared to Drive! Lol i aint scared of crashing my car i can care less about that.. im scared of being scared lol.. i feel like a grown man scared of the boogyman lol..
The best thing about Lucinda's program is that it brought all of us together.. We are our own therapy.. when one of us takes a step we all take a step until we're out of this together
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Paisleegreen
- Posts: 1778
- Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 5:27 pm
I had to put my dog to sleep a year and a half ago. He was my traveling buddy, etc. My heart broke when he got injured and then after a 5 day stay at a pet hospital, his infection became septic and it was time. This just brought up reminders of other losses, etc. This dog kept me company and safe to travel in my vehicle out of state or anywhere. He was my walking/hiking buddy, he was always by my side.
So it was hard when I took two road trips out of state without him. But this last road trip was harder because I had experienced two panic attacks. One was after a road trip without him and the other was a family road trip with a young 19 year old driving. Although I wasn't in the vehicle, it was actually due to this young adult's behavior and it seemed to involve being on a trip with him or after a trip without him. Funny how I'm connecting some of this more.
And it was because of him that I had anxiety on my road trip by myself, it was to not be near him. I am doing better, though because of my road trip and the visits I got in with loving family and friends. I was able to face the young adult DS much better.
I think what has been happening is that control of my own house was being taken away by family members. And because of my weaning off my antidepressants, I started feeling again some deeper wounds from losses. Does this make sense to you guys? At least this is what I think and I'm told.
So it was hard when I took two road trips out of state without him. But this last road trip was harder because I had experienced two panic attacks. One was after a road trip without him and the other was a family road trip with a young 19 year old driving. Although I wasn't in the vehicle, it was actually due to this young adult's behavior and it seemed to involve being on a trip with him or after a trip without him. Funny how I'm connecting some of this more.
And it was because of him that I had anxiety on my road trip by myself, it was to not be near him. I am doing better, though because of my road trip and the visits I got in with loving family and friends. I was able to face the young adult DS much better.
I think what has been happening is that control of my own house was being taken away by family members. And because of my weaning off my antidepressants, I started feeling again some deeper wounds from losses. Does this make sense to you guys? At least this is what I think and I'm told.
it seems like your afraid of change.. you took a trip without your dog (sorry to hear about your dogs passing) and then a 19 year old "young adult" was driving on the other trip.. maybe you can try and look at that situation and others like it in a different way..
the 19 year old you were probably use to him being in the back seat while an "Adult" was driving..
But look at that as that 19 year old is changing.. he's growing up and things like that trip with him driving is turning him into an "Adult" and not so much an immature kid anymore.. Its little baby steps like that we all took while growing up and now its his turn..
Maybe to help yourself feel more in control of your own house you can make some changes yourself.. Maybe try re decorating a room or re-arrange some furniture in the living room or your bedroom..
Try not to feel like your losing control you'll always have control over your own life no matter what happens
So yea your story did make a lot of sense but maybe try and look at things a little different to help understand that things arent always going to be the same as we know it..
im still trying to understand this myself and while you probably wont see this but your story helped me realize that sometimes i dont always need to be the one in control of a situation but to just go with the flow sometimes sit back and relax and let others just do what they want to do instead of worrying about it or stressing over the situation
the 19 year old you were probably use to him being in the back seat while an "Adult" was driving..
But look at that as that 19 year old is changing.. he's growing up and things like that trip with him driving is turning him into an "Adult" and not so much an immature kid anymore.. Its little baby steps like that we all took while growing up and now its his turn..
Maybe to help yourself feel more in control of your own house you can make some changes yourself.. Maybe try re decorating a room or re-arrange some furniture in the living room or your bedroom..
Try not to feel like your losing control you'll always have control over your own life no matter what happens
So yea your story did make a lot of sense but maybe try and look at things a little different to help understand that things arent always going to be the same as we know it..
im still trying to understand this myself and while you probably wont see this but your story helped me realize that sometimes i dont always need to be the one in control of a situation but to just go with the flow sometimes sit back and relax and let others just do what they want to do instead of worrying about it or stressing over the situation
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Paisleegreen
- Posts: 1778
- Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 5:27 pm
Thanks, Jenova, I appreciate your thoughts. Good ideas in changing my line of thinking. This 19 DS made a pact with me that I couldn't say anything about his driving or instructions on this trip to a reunion out of state. Big sister was enough for him to listen to. Dad was sitting behind him and I was in the way back of the vehicle.
It was hard...as I was started on Beta Blockers at the time...then the reunion was a bit lonely as things had changed with my siblings. Only 2 of them were there with some of their adult children.
I had my second panic attack while being there after not taking a beta blocker or restoril the night before. What started it was DS discussing an alternate route with winding roads and longer time in the vehicle w/ said family members. During this time, my gut was churning and lots of anxiety. No Xanax on this trip as I felt I didn't need it. Only had 1/4 of .5mg enough to calm the panic attack and my niece had 3/4 of one buried in her purse. (She uses them when she flies)
I like your ideas and I've been working on not being in control. I got that rude awakening before my first panic attack. I was told by my past Dr that I my coping mechanism's I was using had to stop. It was affecting the family. So when I ruminated about what in the world is he talking about and what does he mean, I had my first panic attack.
It was hard...as I was started on Beta Blockers at the time...then the reunion was a bit lonely as things had changed with my siblings. Only 2 of them were there with some of their adult children.
I had my second panic attack while being there after not taking a beta blocker or restoril the night before. What started it was DS discussing an alternate route with winding roads and longer time in the vehicle w/ said family members. During this time, my gut was churning and lots of anxiety. No Xanax on this trip as I felt I didn't need it. Only had 1/4 of .5mg enough to calm the panic attack and my niece had 3/4 of one buried in her purse. (She uses them when she flies)
I like your ideas and I've been working on not being in control. I got that rude awakening before my first panic attack. I was told by my past Dr that I my coping mechanism's I was using had to stop. It was affecting the family. So when I ruminated about what in the world is he talking about and what does he mean, I had my first panic attack.