Riding in a Vehicle
Boy my week has not been good with my anxiety at all. I started session 4 but feel like I am going backwards instead of forward. I have been exercising daily, journaling, self talking but it does not seem to be helping. My husband and I went out of town today and just riding in the vehicle about killed me. My symptoms were strong! I guess I am just looking for reassurance that I am not going crazy. Do any of you feel weak, stomach feels strange, chest tight, and just plain strange in your head when you are in a vehicle or am I going crazy? I feel better when I am out of the vehicle but still feel strange. I almost wonder if I have vertigo or something. But than again this anxiety will tell you a lot of things are wrong with you because you dont want to face reality. My head just feels real strange this past week. Please tell me I am not alone in feeling like this.. This is sad when you constantly need reasurance. I am laughing to myself thinking how pitiful I am to be even writing this. Well thank you & hope you all are having good days.
Hi Gina. No. You are not alone. I use to have such a hard time riding in cars that I stopped going anywhere if I had to ride in a car. I had all of the symptoms that you have, and was lightheaded too. It was horrible. I felt like I had to constantly "brace" myself because I was afraid something bad was happening to me.
You will be okay, just tell yourself that it's just anxiety and that it won't hurt you, it can only make you feel uncomfortable, that's all. Then try to focus on something to get your mind off of the car.
Hope this helps.
Take care. DeeDee.
You will be okay, just tell yourself that it's just anxiety and that it won't hurt you, it can only make you feel uncomfortable, that's all. Then try to focus on something to get your mind off of the car.
Hope this helps.
Take care. DeeDee.
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never give up
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:59 pm
I used to have a very hard time in cars, n a lot of situations, highways, bridges, etc. Between Lucinda's program and the program at <A HREF="http://www.DrivingFear.com" TARGET=_blank>www.DrivingFear.com</A> , it doesn't bother me AT ALL anymore. I actually relax in the car now, who whudda thought!
Check out the program at www.drivingfear.com if you have a fear of driving, that and Lucinda's program has me panic attack free for over 6 years now. Trust in those programs!
I have car anxiety and also it is harder for me to be a passenger than a driver. it is a control thing for me. I get weird feelings like you have described. Lately (I am on session 4 and in my 5th week of the program), I have been feeling better in my car. I reinforce my good feelings when I do feel good by saying calming soothing things to myself, such as, oh, there is alot of space in my car, if I get in a traffic jam, yes there will be cars all around me but notice all the space I have in my car. I am safe.
I have to also say that I had alot of car trauma in my childhood and so I really understand the root of my anxiety, my father used to drive drunk with all of us (my siblings and I and my mom who did not have a drivers license). My dad would drag race people on highways while he was drunk and all of us as kids in the car and my mom. It was so frightening and many times we almost died in a crash. So, although, at least so far Lucinda does not get into the root of why we are anxious, I can almost always trace my anxiety back to my traumatic childhood.
Anyway, You are not alone at all with the car thing, as a passenger or as a driver. Breathe and notice the spaciousness around you. Breathe as slowly as you can. I listen to the relaxation CD in my car all the time, driving to and from work. It does not make me sleepy at all and really helps me to relax, b/c in the CD Lucinda says great soothing things... like..."you are safe now, your mind is calm now", etc.
maybe try listening to the relaxation cd as you are a passenger in the car?
Good luck and remember you are definitely not alone.
-Mary
I have to also say that I had alot of car trauma in my childhood and so I really understand the root of my anxiety, my father used to drive drunk with all of us (my siblings and I and my mom who did not have a drivers license). My dad would drag race people on highways while he was drunk and all of us as kids in the car and my mom. It was so frightening and many times we almost died in a crash. So, although, at least so far Lucinda does not get into the root of why we are anxious, I can almost always trace my anxiety back to my traumatic childhood.
Anyway, You are not alone at all with the car thing, as a passenger or as a driver. Breathe and notice the spaciousness around you. Breathe as slowly as you can. I listen to the relaxation CD in my car all the time, driving to and from work. It does not make me sleepy at all and really helps me to relax, b/c in the CD Lucinda says great soothing things... like..."you are safe now, your mind is calm now", etc.
maybe try listening to the relaxation cd as you are a passenger in the car?
Good luck and remember you are definitely not alone.
-Mary