Fighting Hard and Winning

[DogTired]

Got behind a steering wheel after 6 months of extreme hypervigilance crippled my ability to drive.
Okay, I wasn't alone with my wife in the passenger seat and dog just behind me.
My dog is my talisman, as she always knows when I'm approaching a crisis, calms me down, and wakes me me when I go into another place, anoher time.

I was scanning "convoy security" level of attention, that would have me stopping to check out the road ahead when I saw indicators of IED's or ambush.
Which made me overly cautious and took my attention off the road , anyone in front of me, let alone other road users.
BUT, it had to be done, the trip I mean, and my wife can only drive so far.

So we set off. In the first half hour I stopped twice when I was triggered. Each time I got out, the dog came too.
She bashing against my legs to keep me doing something stupid. This probably sounds weird to some but for me it works.
Bottom line? The intevals between stops got longer and after 2 hours driving, I stopped scanning and started to relax.

Then we hit the roadworks of hell, and I felt totally swamped again and re-started scanning.
IT took 20 minutes to get through, then a quick stop so I could upchuck, and after that I was fine.
We did the trip, I did the trip, and I felt GREAT that I had overcome yet another fear.

 

[Movingforward10]

Amazing!! Well done.
Hope you continue to bask in your achievement and hold it.

 

[DogTired]

Amazing!! Well done.
Hope you continue to bask in your achievement and hold it.

With SWMBO and dog on my side, that's may just be doable.

 

[arfie]

kudos on the accomplishment. double kudos on learning how to listen to your dog. quadruple kudos for taking a moment to celebrate the victory.

my road dogs are my greatest comfort on road trips. so much so that i don't grumble about the inconveniences of bringing them along. alas, my own HWMBO (he who must be obeyed) is a harsh distraction when he is the passenger seat. i leave him at home for my exposure therapy.

 

[Sideways]

Mod Note:
@DogTired - please log in to post.

 

[abovedown]

Got behind a steering wheel after 6 months of extreme hypervigilance crippled my ability to drive.
Okay, I wasn't alone with my wife in the passenger seat and dog just behind me.
My dog is my talisman, as she always knows when I'm approaching a crisis, calms me down, and wakes me me when I go into another place, anoher time.

I was scanning "convoy security" level of attention, that would have me stopping to check out the road ahead when I saw indicators of IED's or ambush.
Which made me overly cautious and took my attention off the road , anyone in front of me, let alone other road users.
BUT, it had to be done, the trip I mean, and my wife can only drive so far.

So we set off. In the first half hour I stopped twice when I was triggered. Each time I got out, the dog came too.
She bashing against my legs to keep me doing something stupid. This probably sounds weird to some but for me it works.
Bottom line? The intevals between stops got longer and after 2 hours driving, I stopped scanning and started to relax.

Then we hit the roadworks of hell, and I felt totally swamped again and re-started scanning.
IT took 20 minutes to get through, then a quick stop so I could upchuck, and after that I was fine.
We did the trip, I did the trip, and I felt GREAT that I had overcome yet another fear.

Roadworks are so stressing! Good for you getting back behind a wheel!