Situational Anxiety/Anxiety while driving.

[thomj513]

I don't know if this is even a legitimate problem area, but I'm having problems with anxiety while driving in my car.  It's getting to the point where I'm afraid one day that I won't be able to even get into the thing.  My Dr has had me on Prozac and Celexa but I'm now off of both due to the bad side effects I was having.  I go back again on the 17th of this month to see what else they'll prescribe.  Anyone else have this "phobia"?  Thx, Thom.

[NaomiLee]

I have suffered 3 panic attacks while driving. Each time I've experienced numbness on the left side of my body, shortness of breath,  and feeling as though my throat was closing in. The first time was the worst. I grew stiff to the point where my mouth and lips were clenched tight and I could not relax them. I think these attacks were my body's reaction to built up stresses over a long period of time. Ever since, I have not been myslef.  I suffer from constant facial tension and have tried every relaxation technique to lessen it.  None have worked.  I feel like I will never be the same again.

I live in fear that it will happen again, and hit me while I'm driving. For this reason, I like to stay close to home.  If I know I have to travel far or be away from home most of the day, I get nervous.   Although I feel tense each day-worrying about future tasks and trying to balance home and work - it heightens considerable when I'm drving.  The only things that gives me some relief is when I'm with someone. I feel as though I have the security that they will take care of me, should I have another attack.

Thank you for all your posts. They help comfort me, although I wish we can all feel back to our old selves again.  I'm curious, has anyone else out there had the same symptoms as me?

[skimordiegirl]

Please let me know how the B12 shots are working for you. I am so desperate at finding an answer. My brain and eyes do not work together for some reason and the dr's can not give me an answer. My email is ***@****

[skimordiegirl]

I am this same way :( Have you found an answer to your problem yet? I get like hypnotized. Sometime I feel like I am driving at an angle... or straight up or down and then I think.... what if there was no gravity, yada yada.... It's awful because I have to work 2 jobs and drive my son to day care like this.

[vienna_236]

I have the same issue I get very nervous when i'm driving somewhere new and or at night. When driving to work or places i go on a regular basis my anxiety is about a 1 or 2 depending on excess traffic. It's hard to deal with and I hate that a lot of people don't understand. I live in NJ and always seem to meet new people in the places I don't want to drive like philadelphia which is only a half hour away but it's the city and more hectic confusing or a certain town in nj that i hate. It's mostly major highways, towns with a million 4 ways stops with weird angles where i can't really see. Plus every town is different so all the stuff you learn when taking your drivers test you forget until that one day you drive in the new town and you have to go around a circle or parallel park and have no time to figure out how to do it because it always seems like everyone wants to be behind you and on your tail. It really got in the way of my dating life if they lived in a weird area luckily now the guy i'm seeing is very comforting about it and helps me relax until each trip gets easier and easier. Another issue I have is i always drive alone so when someone else is in the car i dont really know that well i tense up because i'm thinking of what they are thinking about my driving so i'm over concentrating and trying to listen to them talk at the same time so it seems like i'm completely ignoring them but i'm just in a weird zone of panic. What helps me is i do the following 3 things if I am able to.

1. I always google map any new location because they show a picture of most of the directions

2. I will try to get the person i am driving to or ask a friend to drive there for me the first time so i can see how bad i'm making the drive to be in my mind

3. The first couple to several times i am driving somewhere new that really makes me nervous I always make it a priority to get there very early where there is hardly any traffic and try to leave a. when it's still light out or b. later at night when there are no cars on the road

Yoga helped me relax and meditating the phrase I am safe also my favorite songs help me relax as well

[BoomersMom214]

I have been having anxiety/panic attacks since I was 15.  At 16 I started driving...passed my test...got my license.  I have found ways to cope with this anxiety while driving for many years (I am now 51 years old).  About 2 years ago I had a real bad episode and could not drive for over 6 months.  Finally I forced myself to drive so that I could go back to work.  The strangest thing is, I used to have anxiety all the time...couldn't go to the mall, or restaurants, etc.  But now all of my anxiety and panic attacks happen while driving. Bad weather like rain or snow increase the attacks.  Just knowing there's a slight chance of snow will throw off my whole day and cause me to panic even before I get in my car!  I cry at night over the frustration and the control this has over me.  Why is it I won't let a REAL thing like a person control me, but my imagination and a stupid phobia can control my life?  My biggest fear is having a panic attack and passing out...and worrying about that is what usually brings on the attack.  Yes, worrying that I might have a panic attack actually brings on a panic attack!  Maybe I will try to worry about NOT having a panic attack so that I WON'T have one!

[phyllis777]

I'm so glad I'm not alone when it comes to driving and anxiety.  The freeway and especially the speed on the freeway is what makes me anxious.  I always take a Xanax before and that really helps.  Tomorrow I need to drive on the freeway in an area of town I'm not familiar with and I always end up making the wrong turn because I get panicky.  But anxiety has always been a part of my life.  I sympathize with all of you.