fear of driving

TracyRN · Post by **TracyRN** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:52 am

Does anyone have this? Its not that Im afraid to drive..Im afraid to drive by myself or drive too far away from home. I wont even go shopping by myself anymore..which is very odd for me. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get over this quickly.. I cant stand this and i dont understand it either...this just started about 3 months ago.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:17 am

Hi, I can certainly relate to this. I don't like to drive, but I can and do - only for short distances up to 30 minutes from home at the most. The thought of driving on the parkway near my house for an hour or more still gives me anxiety. I do go shopping for the things I really need, but I Internet shop for many things whenever possible. I hope to overcome this with applying the coping skills of the program. Best regards,

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:37 am

thanks for your response.

I hope to get over this soon, i feel like this is making me a prisoner in my home and i hate it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:44 am

YES! Raising hand over here! You are not alone. I've never had a fear of driving before. But late November I was under a lot of stress and one night I got home and I needed to pick-up my daughters at my in-laws house and on the way over (which is a 10 minute drive) I felt like I was going to pass out! I was scared to drive home so asked my father-in-law to drive me and the girls home because I wasn't feeling well. This was my first of many that followed panic attack. I was afraid of driving, especially with my young daughters because of the "what-if's" . Like, what if I faint when I'm driving? I felt weird, I never had these "waves" come over me like this before. I went to the doctor and to make a long story short - learned that this is anxiety and I am normal. My oldest daughter just turned 4 and I drive her to and from preschool everyday. Twice in a row, I had full on panic attacks when I drove her. I just keep telling myself that I won't pass out, this feeling will pass, but I was just so afraid of the feeling that I worked myself up to a panic. Luckily, the next 2 weeks she had off and so didn't have to drive. What I did was have my husband drive and tried just to be comfortable riding in the car, when we had errands to do. I was so bad that I would start shaking when I was getting in the car! I read ahead and practiced the breathing 2-4. Learning about panic has helped me and also I practice self-talk a lot. I was doing good with the panic but 2 days before my daughter started up school again I started to get more nervous. My husband was off of work so he could drive on Monday, but I ended up having to pick her up by myself because he needed to do something. It was great! I did it! Without a full on panic attack!! Of course I had a little anxiety but I kept telling myself good things like - "It's not raining today. What good practice...I can do it. It's OK that I'm anxious because I haven't driven in a couple weeks....If I need to my mom's home and I can always call her..." A lot of things like that and it's been one month and I drive and pick-up my daughter everyday and guess what - I haven't had a full blown panic attack!! The self talk and the breathing and knowledge of panic and nothing bad will come, has really helped me a lot. I still feel anxious sometimes, but have not experienced full on panic. I am proud of myself, because it would have been so easy for me to not sign my daughter up for another month and just kept her home and use the excuse that she's the youngest in her class to keep her home but that wasn't the right choice for me. She loves school and is doing great that it wouldn't have been fair to keep her home because of how I'm feeling. I also feel anxious with other things too, but driving was my number one limitation and I'm doing it! The more I do it, the easier it is. I really do hope that this helps you. Good luck, both of you and know that you are not alone and together we will overcome this and be stonger for it!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:52 am

One more thing - just keep repeating, "I am my own safe-person". The two times that I had full-on panic attacks while driving happened close to the same spot so I also kept telling myself, "It's not the road, it's not the car...." and remember to breath the 2-4! Sorry, this is all for now!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:02 am

Hello, I know exactly how you feel, I too do this as well. Bernice your story sounds exactly like mine. I feel a wierd feeling come over me and feel like I am going to faint. Its getting a little better because I talk myself out of feeling so wierd by breathing and telling myself its just anxiety I am not dying. Funny how this affects us in this way. Mine started coming on really bad this September, I never had this much fear before than, a little anxious at times but I came out of it... Well good luck to you, and remember its only anxiety, and it will pass.
Gina

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:14 am

thanks everyone for your support. its a little different with me though because i havent had a panic attack while driving so i dont know where this is coming from, why am i afraid to drive away from my house??? I quess i associate my home as my safe place and i know that that is ridiculous, and the bad thing is is that I really really want to go out and drive and go shopping by myself but i cant seem to make myself do it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:19 am

Hi my name is Liz and I am a new member. I just read your story and I feel like its about me. It all started about 7 years ago. I was driving home from work and I experienced a bad ringing in my ears which made then feel spacey so I had to pull the car over. I then called my parents since my husband was to far away to come and get me. I had six more episodes like that so I went to every doctor imaginable to see what was wrong with me. To find out it was stress ( at the time of the first episode I was splitting with my partner, i had to work everyday, try to find a babysitter and moved to new jersey away from family) but even though the doctors told me there was nothing wrong with me I still can't seem to drive by myself, shop myself thinking something was going to happen to me. I am 42 years old I have two children 11 and 7 and I feel and hope this program along with the support group is the answer for me. I just want to be me again.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:25 am

Hi Liz
I know exactly what you mean when you say you just want to be you again! I have been saying that for almost 3 months now, but im not so sure that i want to just be me anymore, i want to be somthing better and I know that God is showing me how to accomplish that. We will get there : )

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:03 am

I know what you mean Tracy. I too just want to go shopping like I use to and not have to worry about the what if's. I ask myself all the time why I am so afraid. I sometimes talk myself out of a situations but in the back of my mind I wonder if the next time I will be able to talk myself out of it or am i going to loose it. When I am working i never experience an attack pretty much just when I doing something alone. I am looking forward to this program and talking with everyone.