Hypervigilence in driving

[Deleted member 40995]

I am so scared of driving, its hard for me too. I always go into panic-mode, feel super anxious, its a struggle. I do practice breathing techniques when Im driving, breathing slowly and carefully. Sometimes I listen to the radio or chew gum, chewing gum can really help with nerves. I have a habit of listening to the same song over and over, it helps my concentration and its soothing, I have made disks before where it is just the same song over and over, not sure if thats just me, or if that could help :)

 

[Glo809]

Greetings

Been a while since I've posted, but I got a whopper tonight.

I drive 400 miles 4 nights a week for a living. my meds 40mg celexa, 7.5 mg buspar twice a day, and hylands tonic for extra help when needed.

Then there are other meds for stuff.

There is one metro area I drive through that is quite congested, exits on both sides and people have to cut hard to make the exit if the just entered the hwy.

I work overnights and I'm in this area around 1 AM, this is a new change to my route and have been dealing with it pretty good.

It rained the other day, I used the helper pills...... but my world still turned to shit..,..

My anxiety was off the charts, I had to get off the interstate a number of times to calm down..... I bet everyone reading this would have said ' oh look there is a Denny's, you can drop me off there and pick me up on your way back.

I was doing 45 on the interstate and had a death grip on the wheel, because I knew I was going to hydroplane and spin out of control, I knew it was going to happen.

Adrenaline was flooding my system, which didn't help, but I made it.

Winter is coming, my anxiety is kicking up just thinking about it.

My question, is there a panic attack med that is used on a as needed basis?

If not, I have some serious thinking to do.

G

 

[anonymous]

I learned recently that I don't drive very well following a session.

 

[Fadeaway]

Beats me. I'm afraid to check the mail. None of my traumas have anything to do with the mail yet it takes all my courage to check and even more to open it. Sometimes PTSD just doesn't make sense.

I had to check the name and recheck the name to make sure I ma not the one who wrote it. The I realized there were no typos, so it couldn't be me. Mail is pure evil.

I am not driving right now, so I depend on my Hubby. Driving is his hands down worst quality. He can not drive. I have to beg for him to use his turn signal. He tailgates and then complains about every other driver on the road. For the most part my husband is passive aggressive. He doesn't get mad, he gets even, kind of deal. On the road, it is a different story. All his repressed angry comes out. So driving with him is very scary. He complains about me being a back seat driver, but I am just trying to get him to obey the laws so we don't get a ticket we can't afford.
Yes, I nag but if he starts using his turn signal just to shut me up, then I am happy.

For the record, he tells me that no one in Ohio or Virginia uses turn signals but Michiganders are the real bad drivers because their politeness in slowing down to let people merge in front of them, gets people killed. :banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead: Let's not get started about his strange belief about pedestrians and experience points.:alien:

So yeah, major hypervig when in the car with him. My ability to hold my breath for long periods of time has increased dramatically.

 

[PilotLight]

Greetings

Been a while since I've posted, but I got a whopper tonight.

I drive 400 miles 4 nights a we...

I take 10 mg of the beta blocker propranolol on an as needed basis. It blocks adrenalin and is often prescribed for "stage fright" (e.g. public speaking). It doesn't alter the thinking that leads me to panic, but it reduces the positive feedback loop where I feel the surge in adrenalin, my heart starts pounding and I start shaking, and I think, "Oh no, I'm panicking!" I have found it helpful for driving because I get huge surges in adrenalin when I do. My body still releases the adrenalin, but it isn't able to have its effect on me. I feel calmer. Propranolol is usually prescribed for the heart so a doctor has to assess whether or not it's suitable for a given individual.

 

[user27357]

I think my hyper vigilance on the road is something I am just going to have to carry for the rest of my life. Years of motorcycle riding, being in some bad wrecks (as a passenger in a car) being hit and run, seeing it happen, and then being a volunteer fire fighter in a rural area where I never saw a Prius into a parking meter but was getting used to Suburbans vs. semis and mini vans vs. farm trucks, high-speed head ons and lots and lots of life flight helicopter landing zones set up in farm fields in the dark.

Yeah, I look all around all the time when I am driving. Never going to stop.

It makes me the worst passenger ever and my kids the safest drivers i could make them, all at the same time. My wife can't stand it anymore and refuses to drive with me in the car unless I am sedated and I refuse to drive when I am.

My diagnosis came after a very close call and 3 weeks of sleeplessness and inability to concentrate and raging anger at the drop of a hat. After years of being treated for depression, I was finally diagnosed correctly with PTSD for having bad reactions to life threatening situations in traffic.

Fear of bullets is considered sane, even expected. The same level of fear of oncoming vehicles that carry much much more energy and do much much more damage is reason to be considered hyper-vigilant? This reasoning eludes me. I don't think I am hyper vigilant, I think anyone who isn't scared to death out there on the road just doesn't get it.

I am a good patient driver, I always leave early and I never drive unless i have to. I won't drive drunk or tolerate someone that does. I never road rage. No apologies, I am hyper damn vigilant and not even trying to get over it.