Anxiety And Driving.

[Wordgirl]

I sometimes feel like I'm losing touch with reality when I'm driving, and then I get scared, and then I feel sick... this has been going on for many years. I drive when I have to, and the funny thing is when I'm thinking about something totally unrelated to my fear of driving, all of a sudden, I realize that I'm not particularly anxious. I stay off the major freeways because loud noises make me cringe, but it's even worse when I'm a passenger, so I truly sympathize with you, gizmo. I was my mother's caregiver through all the icky stuff, and finally got hospice in to help. What a blessing. The person in care doesn't have to have a six month limit on living, just a debilitating disease that is progressive. Many hospice services are free. Check it out. Meanwhile, stay off the sidewalk if you don't like the way I drive! :D

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Hi Jen, thanks for writing to me. I've only talked to people in this group about my anxiety while driving. The last time I talked I told my psychiatrist and she took me off the zanax because she did'nt want to be blamed if I got in a wreck, Needless to say I have a new psychiatrist who is going to set me up with EMDR for the anxiety.

I am so sorry you are having the troubles you have while driving. You are so young. I am sorry you have all of the flashbacks etc when you do drive. I hope you have someone safe you can talk to about this, and I hope that by talking about it it makes it feel better. I hope that makes sense.

Thanks for sharing how you feel and what you think about this. I am sorry you are going thru it, but it is nice to know that I am not alone. That other fellow sufferers are trying to deal with this monkey on our backs. Take care

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Lav how did the accepting the anxiety go? I am still working on it. It is humiliating. I used to love driving. I do not dissociate during driving. That is scary.

I have a low grade anxiety. It was worse. but I have been getting anxiety during the day. I have to drive on the freeway on Wed. I'm hoping it will be a good day.

I write here to help me. I still haven't found what helps me. I feel like a prisoner too. I don't do long distances and we don't go anywhere fun anymore now that my husband is not doing the driving. I could stand to go to the aquarium it is a relaxing place to go. We used to go to knotts berry farm afterwards and get a chicken dinner. I miss those days.

I think it is because it is all up to me that I have anxiety. I don't want to drive. I want to be rescued and taken care of. Big sigh.:)

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Thanks Wordgirl for writing to me about your anxiety. I am so very sorry that you have it I onlydrive when I have to on the freeways. I do not go anyplace fun except for one day I went for a 100 mile drive in my jeep and i loved it. I had no fear that day. I wish I could do that everytime I drive.

Thanks for the tip on hospice care. We don't need it yet. He is still functional. But it is hard sometimes to be the grown up for both of us. He was my carer before, and I really miss all the things he used to do. Now I do them. We had a hard day today. He can't understand that there are only 4 wed this month. He thinks we have 5. He is worried about the social security check. We will get it next Wed. He will be ok when we get it. i do not know how to better explain things to him when they don't make sense to him.

But I digress. I will laugh and enjoy your joke when I am driving on Wed. I have to pick up my anxiety med and it will be on Wed. So I have the added problem of knowing it is ahead of me. I did'nt have anxiety today and I am glad. I need the anxiety to go away.

I get it in my stomach. I get restless legs when I am driving. I need some kind of distraction, so I will play the radio, I will take sweets, and I will try to remember to breathe. I am so sick of the anxiety, I reallly am.

I have been doing this post since I got the idea and It has turned into a journal of sorts. I need the anxiety to go away. I can't imagine having this for years. I have only had it for the last year. I keep on hoping it will go away. It was getting better than I started having anxiety during the day.

I get restless. I go out once a day and drive. I expose myself to driving in town. I need to do the freeway one time a day. But I do it. I go out once a day. I am going crazy in this house. I do not have enough to distract myself with. I need more to do. But I keep on thinking be careful what I wish for I could have it far worse.

It is nice to know I am not alone but what a lousy way not to be alone. I am still looking for a way to manage the anxiety. I am still working on full acceptance of the anxiety. Take care

 

[Lav]

Gizmo, haven't had a chance to try out the acceptance trick yet. Hope your trip on Wed goes ok. :tup:

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Lav, Thanks for the well wishes. I appreciate it alot.:)

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I am getting pre-driving jitters. Just thinking I get to drive is giving me the shakes. Courage is being afraid and doing it anyways. So I am full of courage. I will do it. I wish it will be a good day.

I try to tell myself that It will be ok. It is better when I have to drive without thinking about it. Does anyone have the problem of dreading it before it happens?

I am feeling a low grade anxiety. It is 2 days away. I will do ok.

 

[KP the nut]

(((Gizmo))), I have only just picked up on this thread.

My PTSD was triggered by a serious car crash. A truck crossed onto my side of the road and it wasn't pretty. After the accident my focus was on healing physically and actually after 3 months I was driving again.

Eventually anxiety took over, I had a very near miss, someone overtaking on a blind bend and coming at me head on. That was it, I pulled over and all I could see was my initial accident, fire, ambulance, police, lights and broken glass.

I didn't drive again for ages. My T used EMDR, and set me small challenges to drive again. I built up slowly, I am still anxious and have to plan longer journeys meticulously. Things which have helped me.

• Essential lemon oil
• Relaxing music.
• Travel sweets.
• Body scan (to check where the tension is).
• Stopping to do breathing and grounding techniques.
• Being kind to myself, rewarding myself and allowing time to rest and recover following drives.

[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/i-drove-130-miles.17924/[/DLMURL]
[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/i-have-achieved-my-ultimate-goal.18721/[/DLMURL]

I wish you well
(((HUGS)))
KP

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Thank you KP. I appreciate your sharing what helps you. I have a appt in the end of April to see my pshchiatrist to get a referral for EMDR. So it did'nt help you very much? I am so sorry you were in a serious car accident. I am amzed at how many people have anxiety while driving.

Thank you for your well wishes. I appreciate this feedback. Anything to help me. i hope the EMDR works for me. I have a low grade anxiety, just enough to make me uncomfortable. I have been telling myself it is a figment of myimagination, this anxiety. And it calms down and helps me with the predriving anxiety. I dread it when I know it is coming. BUt on some days, I can drive and it is ok.

I can't wait for the anxiety to go away. I long for the day when this will happen. I had such high hopes with the EMDR. I really hope it works. After i finish writing here , I will read what you put down for me to read. I hope it is inspiring. I have been writning about the driving anxiety for awhile now. I have gotten alot of good ideas.

I will use the radio, I will use sweets, I will breathe. I will ground myself. I will do ok. I am full of courage.
I do it anyways. Anyways thanks for the well wishes. I sure need them. And the hugs for bravery. I will do it tommorow and I will write about it. I will write about what helped me and what did'nt. I will hope that it is another good driving day. I get them sometimes. That is what makes me think it will go away. Well here is to driving tommorow. I will do it.

 

[KP the nut]

(((Gizmo))), EMDR helped give me back my life. It is the hardest thing I have ever done (and I've had 2 children :eek:). My therapist was amazing as well.

I wish you well
KP

 

[Deleted member 12723]

KP I am glad EMDR worked for you. I am feeling more hopeful now. It was hard huh? What was so hard about it. I really do not know anything about EMDR. I only know it involves rapid eye movement. And it takes more than one session. Anything you could tell me about it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[KP the nut]

Gizmo, if you search EMDR in the search box you will get lots of links. My threads 'Fed up with the rollercoaster of emotion' and 'Bad things come in 30s not 3s' also have my experiences.

For me it was the reliving in minute detail things I could remember from my accident. Iam also has some good threads re her experiences.