Anxiety about driving to work
I have recently gotten to the point that I am not able to get myself to go to work. I live about 40 miles from my work and can get about half way sometimes, when I don't talk myself out of it, but can't make it any further. I have a very good job and really don't want to mess it up. I work for a very large company so am wondering if I should tell my boss and see if our Health Services Department has had to deal with other employee's with these issues that they might help. I am just afraid that someone will look down on me and think I'm "crazy". My OB gave me some Xanax to take when I start feeling this way. Only half of the smallest dose but ofcourse I'm "afraid" to take that too because of how it "might" make me feel. I'm thinking that I may have to take it to get through this hump. I am on week 6 of the program but seems like I am getting worse. Please help with any suggestions!!
Hi abbers !
Try taking the xanax on a day that you dont have to work just so you can "test" it out to see how you feel on it. Thats what I did when I had to take new meds for the first time. It helps to have a supportive but not "enabling" person around at the time too.
What is it about the last half of your trip to work that makes it difficult to drive? Have you tried playing soothing music while driving, or even your relaxation tape? That might help. I know what its like to have driving issues. I find that if I put on some music that relaxes me and I talk to myself, yes sometimes out loud...lol, it helps.
Try taking the xanax on a day that you dont have to work just so you can "test" it out to see how you feel on it. Thats what I did when I had to take new meds for the first time. It helps to have a supportive but not "enabling" person around at the time too.
What is it about the last half of your trip to work that makes it difficult to drive? Have you tried playing soothing music while driving, or even your relaxation tape? That might help. I know what its like to have driving issues. I find that if I put on some music that relaxes me and I talk to myself, yes sometimes out loud...lol, it helps.
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Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves...
who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are we not to be? --Unknown
*****************************************
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Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves...
who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are we not to be? --Unknown
*****************************************
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/TheOneAndOnlyDerfy/sigsAvatarsEtc/loveyouguysWave.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/TheOneAndOnlyDerfy/sigsAvatarsEtc/ValHeartsSmiHug.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/TheOneAndOnlyDerfy/SigTags/LynneCocoaMo-1-1.jpg[/IMG]
A major part of my anxiety is getting to my jobOriginally posted by abbers:
I have recently gotten to the point that I am not able to get myself to go to work. I live about 40 miles from my work and can get about half way sometimes, when I don't talk myself out of it, but can't make it any further. I have a very good job and really don't want to mess it up. I work for a very large company so am wondering if I should tell my boss and see if our Health Services Department has had to deal with other employee's with these issues that they might help. I am just afraid that someone will look down on me and think I'm "crazy". My OB gave me some Xanax to take when I start feeling this way. Only half of the smallest dose but ofcourse I'm "afraid" to take that too because of how it "might" make me feel. I'm thinking that I may have to take it to get through this hump. I am on week 6 of the program but seems like I am getting worse. Please help with any suggestions!!
too. I live about 25 miles from my job but the
traffic makes it a nightmare for me and every morning I am stressed out about getting there & I hate going thru those traffic jams.
THings that I found helpful are;
Get up early- give yourself time so you don't
rush.
Ask your employer maybe you can start earlier?
or start later?
Can you take public transportation? Then you
wouldn't have to worry about driving.
Also Lucinda has a helpful Driving cd that you
can buy -perhaps that will calm you down while
driving to work.
Hope this helps
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Guest
This was (and still is sometimes) the biggest impact to my work life that anxiety/panic had. I am slowly getting over it, but I have adapted a bit. Debdeb's suggestions were all good. If it's traffic jams that bother you, try leaving at different times. Jams are my thing. They make me feel trapped and unsafe.
I also work for a large company and spoke to my manager early on when I realized what I was going through. He was very understanding and gave me some patience to work my way through. For me, the afternoon rush hour is the worst, so he let me come in earlier and leave earlier. I think you'd be surprised how understanding people can be. Try talking to your manager, or HR.
In the end though, try to get out there and face the fear all the way. You've made it 1/2-way before, so that's great. Now, set your goal on the 2nd 1/2. If you're worried about what'll happen when you get there, just remember your techniques from the program. Even if you get there, work a few hours, and want to leave, that's better than what's happening now. Just make sure you keep your manager in the loop.
On the xanax thing, I agree with Reen38. Try one on a weekend or at night to see how it makes you feel. Xanax is what I got when my panic attacks started, and it worked fine for me. I take a 1/2 of a 0.5 mg pill when I feel the symptoms building (like in a traffic jam). It doesn't make me drowsy, just more able to "float" with the feelings and a bit easier to face fears. I hope to not have to take it for much longer, but it is something that can help.
Good luck.
I also work for a large company and spoke to my manager early on when I realized what I was going through. He was very understanding and gave me some patience to work my way through. For me, the afternoon rush hour is the worst, so he let me come in earlier and leave earlier. I think you'd be surprised how understanding people can be. Try talking to your manager, or HR.
In the end though, try to get out there and face the fear all the way. You've made it 1/2-way before, so that's great. Now, set your goal on the 2nd 1/2. If you're worried about what'll happen when you get there, just remember your techniques from the program. Even if you get there, work a few hours, and want to leave, that's better than what's happening now. Just make sure you keep your manager in the loop.
On the xanax thing, I agree with Reen38. Try one on a weekend or at night to see how it makes you feel. Xanax is what I got when my panic attacks started, and it worked fine for me. I take a 1/2 of a 0.5 mg pill when I feel the symptoms building (like in a traffic jam). It doesn't make me drowsy, just more able to "float" with the feelings and a bit easier to face fears. I hope to not have to take it for much longer, but it is something that can help.
Good luck.
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Guest
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Guest
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Guest
Thanks all. I did send my manager an email this morning as to why I was working from home today. He called me and we talked about it. He was very understanding and told me, "Everyone is going through something and that we will work through it". That made me feel better but I also don't want to be enabled. I'm not sure what it is about the second half of my drive.. being further away? I have a 10 month old son at home. Sometimes I have attacks at work or just a constant dizzy feeling. I'm assuming that is an anxiety thing because when I am not anxious, like at home, I don't have that feeling. The driving CD might help me. I build myself up before I even leave with the unrealistic "expectations"
I may try the Xanax tonight. Another of my fears is how I'm not in control on medication. I know the Xanax dose that my Dr gave me was 1/2 of a .25mg pill. I don't think that should make me feel too different. Let me know too if you find that Driving CD. My travel is all wide open country. Sometimes I don't see many people. The "alone" fear, if something were to happen, break down...etc.. Although I used to sometimes enjoy the drive. I want to get back to that mindset. I know I need to use the tools I've learned but sometimes I feel shear terror out there.
Thanks all.
I may try the Xanax tonight. Another of my fears is how I'm not in control on medication. I know the Xanax dose that my Dr gave me was 1/2 of a .25mg pill. I don't think that should make me feel too different. Let me know too if you find that Driving CD. My travel is all wide open country. Sometimes I don't see many people. The "alone" fear, if something were to happen, break down...etc.. Although I used to sometimes enjoy the drive. I want to get back to that mindset. I know I need to use the tools I've learned but sometimes I feel shear terror out there.
Thanks all.
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Guest
Hi Abbers!
I just want to throw my two cents in here. I am so glad you told your boss about your anxiety, people ARE understanding! More so than you'd think. Work can be tricky for people with anxiety. When my anxiety was very bad, I had a hard time going to work, too. (Sometimes I still do if I have an off day, but no where near how bad it used to be)
The thing about these limitations are we give them to ourselves. We really do. The reason you feel like you aren't capable of driving to work, is because you're telling yourself you can't drive to work. And I wont say it's easy! It's very hard. When my anxiety was bad, I had a hard time going places, especially the grocery store. Now I love going to the grocery store, shopping, out to eat, etc. But for months I was telling myself I couldn't do it! Well, I felt like I wasn't able to, because I told myself that I wasn't able to. Your thoughts are so powerful.
So what to do? Drive to work. You've just gotta do it, of course using your skills. You are capable of so much, you're just not letting yourself see that potential! Show yourself who you really are. What is the worst thing that could happen?
It took me nearly a month to get over my fear of going places and going to work. I don't mean to scare you, but it does take time! It took A LOT of changing my thoughts, even when I didn't believe them. But I started to slowly believe them and I truly made myself proud with everything I was doing. Now I go anywhere! I am really happy. It's great. You can do it, show yourself you can!
I just want to throw my two cents in here. I am so glad you told your boss about your anxiety, people ARE understanding! More so than you'd think. Work can be tricky for people with anxiety. When my anxiety was very bad, I had a hard time going to work, too. (Sometimes I still do if I have an off day, but no where near how bad it used to be)
The thing about these limitations are we give them to ourselves. We really do. The reason you feel like you aren't capable of driving to work, is because you're telling yourself you can't drive to work. And I wont say it's easy! It's very hard. When my anxiety was bad, I had a hard time going places, especially the grocery store. Now I love going to the grocery store, shopping, out to eat, etc. But for months I was telling myself I couldn't do it! Well, I felt like I wasn't able to, because I told myself that I wasn't able to. Your thoughts are so powerful.
So what to do? Drive to work. You've just gotta do it, of course using your skills. You are capable of so much, you're just not letting yourself see that potential! Show yourself who you really are. What is the worst thing that could happen?
It took me nearly a month to get over my fear of going places and going to work. I don't mean to scare you, but it does take time! It took A LOT of changing my thoughts, even when I didn't believe them. But I started to slowly believe them and I truly made myself proud with everything I was doing. Now I go anywhere! I am really happy. It's great. You can do it, show yourself you can!