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Situational Anxiety/Anxiety while driving.
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.
I recently began having this same issue. I feel helpless because I've always been a driver. Always the one who offered to drive, never shied away from driving around the state. Then one day had a panic attack while driving and have not been able to since. Not even around my neighborhood. I have no problem being the passenger but driving myself seems like the worst thing I could do. I'm glad I'm not alone. I know it is my own mental block and that I can overcome and understand that driving is not what caused my panic attack. I will continue to try and drive around my neighborhood to reaffirm that I am a good and safe driver and that I am capable. I know this thread is 10 years old but it has helped me tremendously.
I had this problem almost 30 years ago. My first panic attack was in the car. Back then there wasn't much information so I bought every book I could find on the subject.
I learned that for what ever reason we begin to slowly breathe just a little more than normal, then we are hyperventilating and our lips and hands can go numb. I kept saying, I am not hyperventilating, but realized I was. I learned that if you drink cold water you can't breath faster. For a year I kept a bottle of water in the car with me until the memory of the panic was gone.
I suffered with this every day on the way to work. If it gets really bad, you can breathe in to a paper bag.
While I understand this is an old thread, someone above said it comes up first during a search of panic while driving.
I hope this helps someone. Dee
I learned that for what ever reason we begin to slowly breathe just a little more than normal, then we are hyperventilating and our lips and hands can go numb. I kept saying, I am not hyperventilating, but realized I was. I learned that if you drink cold water you can't breath faster. For a year I kept a bottle of water in the car with me until the memory of the panic was gone.
I suffered with this every day on the way to work. If it gets really bad, you can breathe in to a paper bag.
While I understand this is an old thread, someone above said it comes up first during a search of panic while driving.
I hope this helps someone. Dee
I am grateful for not being alone with this predicament. I just got my license in October (I am 34) and have recently found temporary work (lasting up to 2 months) my husband and I have one car currently and he must travel next week. (My first start) and it's 30 minutes away, we're finally purchasing a 2nd car so I'm able to go back and forth. I now however have found myself terrified, I have never driven longer than a few miles away by myself. The thought of highway driving even this short distance worries me so much (my anxiety is about being in an accident) so much so that I am so anxious I am trying to find ANY reason to not take this job. I don't know what else to do. It's not that I don't want to work. I am scared of possible outcomes. Hoping someone out there can help.
1 Comments
The last post is 12 months old so they likely won't see your question. You can start a new thread if you want.
While I realize this is an old thread, it's also one of the top Google hits for driving anxiety, so I wanted to share my story because it's so similar to others' here. I've gone back and forth with driving anxiety for a while now. I have panic disorder in general, agoraphobia that is somewhat controlled, situational panic attacks, an inner ear condition, and PTSD. I used to take xanax but now take klonopin, not for driving, but in general, for life. So when I got my driver's license twenty-five years ago, I was anxious from the get-go in traffic and on bridges and avoided both. I live in a suburban area of California, and the freeways are pretty large here -- six lanes wide. Some of our bridges don't have shoulders.
My condition comes and goes, plain and simple. I will be fine for a year or two, and I will drive hundreds of miles on freeways and take road trips and everything, although I always have extreme difficulty being a passenger in a car, and I cannot take public transportation except busses or trains (I think because they're larger, but then I can't take subways, so I don't know). Then I will invariably have a panic attack of massive proportions while driving, and recently, this has nearly caused me to crash and has been also severe enough as a passenger to jump out of a not-yet stopped vehicle (no injuries). I'm scared of how intensely these things hit. I'm also horrible in the left turn lane or at a stop light. I almost always stay in the right lane.
I'll be fine, driving, but then I feel a rapid tingling up the back of my scalp accompanied by an urgent feeling of "get away." If I can pull over or off the freeway, I do, but on many of our freeways, there are no pull-offs or stops are miles apart. So if I cannot pull off, that's when things are bad, and the attacks come so darned quickly it's unbelievable. The next feeling that I have is complete confusion and faintness, and I am 90% sure my blood pressure drops. I'm not actually scared of anything though. I basically just feel trapped and overwhelmed. I have dim vision. If this continues, then I will get rapid heart rate and breath fast. It's all worse at night, on hills, and ascending or descending, as well as on wide freeways where there is a lot of motion from other cars. If there are no other cars on the freeway, I'm 100% fine driving by myself (but the traffic is heavy here, so that's really rare).
The thing is, that I'm worse as a passenger because I feel even more trapped. In that case, I often just feel kind of motion sick but not nauseous. This could have to do with my inner ear plus the anxiety. I often just feel like jumping out of the car and running away, but I have to soldier through it, and my heart starts racing, I sweat, I shake from head to toe, and I either shout out in fear or cry in terror. I have been very embarrassed to have this happen many times now, so I avoid driving with others.
Then the whole thing will go away again since I have no choice but to drive. We don't have good public transportation here, and a bicycle isn't an option since things are too spread out. Besides, I am a big fan of going places, so I always suck it up again, but I can have back-to-back attacks or pull over again and again which is rough. It's usually hard on my passengers too.
I've never been in a car accident, ever, and have driven across country as well as in other countries. No idea why this crops up sometimes. It does go away. It can also come back. I find it depressing and strange. It's good to read accounts from people with such a similar issue because driving panic is NOT LIKE other panic attacks (I've had them all, I think!) -- it's more faint-y and also, you do feel kind of paralyzed during the episode, I think because you can't always fight, or flight, so you freeze. It's also a situation where you are not totally in control, so it's not just in your head. I think if you are better driving back roads, that's fine. It definitely responds to exposure though, and it can recur, but will go away again with exposure too. I feel crazy sometimes though.
My condition comes and goes, plain and simple. I will be fine for a year or two, and I will drive hundreds of miles on freeways and take road trips and everything, although I always have extreme difficulty being a passenger in a car, and I cannot take public transportation except busses or trains (I think because they're larger, but then I can't take subways, so I don't know). Then I will invariably have a panic attack of massive proportions while driving, and recently, this has nearly caused me to crash and has been also severe enough as a passenger to jump out of a not-yet stopped vehicle (no injuries). I'm scared of how intensely these things hit. I'm also horrible in the left turn lane or at a stop light. I almost always stay in the right lane.
I'll be fine, driving, but then I feel a rapid tingling up the back of my scalp accompanied by an urgent feeling of "get away." If I can pull over or off the freeway, I do, but on many of our freeways, there are no pull-offs or stops are miles apart. So if I cannot pull off, that's when things are bad, and the attacks come so darned quickly it's unbelievable. The next feeling that I have is complete confusion and faintness, and I am 90% sure my blood pressure drops. I'm not actually scared of anything though. I basically just feel trapped and overwhelmed. I have dim vision. If this continues, then I will get rapid heart rate and breath fast. It's all worse at night, on hills, and ascending or descending, as well as on wide freeways where there is a lot of motion from other cars. If there are no other cars on the freeway, I'm 100% fine driving by myself (but the traffic is heavy here, so that's really rare).
The thing is, that I'm worse as a passenger because I feel even more trapped. In that case, I often just feel kind of motion sick but not nauseous. This could have to do with my inner ear plus the anxiety. I often just feel like jumping out of the car and running away, but I have to soldier through it, and my heart starts racing, I sweat, I shake from head to toe, and I either shout out in fear or cry in terror. I have been very embarrassed to have this happen many times now, so I avoid driving with others.
Then the whole thing will go away again since I have no choice but to drive. We don't have good public transportation here, and a bicycle isn't an option since things are too spread out. Besides, I am a big fan of going places, so I always suck it up again, but I can have back-to-back attacks or pull over again and again which is rough. It's usually hard on my passengers too.
I've never been in a car accident, ever, and have driven across country as well as in other countries. No idea why this crops up sometimes. It does go away. It can also come back. I find it depressing and strange. It's good to read accounts from people with such a similar issue because driving panic is NOT LIKE other panic attacks (I've had them all, I think!) -- it's more faint-y and also, you do feel kind of paralyzed during the episode, I think because you can't always fight, or flight, so you freeze. It's also a situation where you are not totally in control, so it's not just in your head. I think if you are better driving back roads, that's fine. It definitely responds to exposure though, and it can recur, but will go away again with exposure too. I feel crazy sometimes though.
1 Comments
I am also having this problem exactly how you described it and have stopped driving. It's been two years since I have really driven around town. I have been in my car since then but I only will go to the end of the street. I also have panic attacks when I'm standing in open spaces. I had this problem as a kid and now it affects my driving. I don't know what to do to cure this. I feel crippled and I want to get free from this!
Don't stop driving. It will only get worse. Mine is better but not before some low times. One day I got in my care and said "dammit there are places I want to go and I'm not going to let this control me" the more u get out and do it the better it gets..my Dr told me my fears were all imagined, that helped me as well. I really hope this helps :)
Wow this sounds a lot like my situation. I feel like my eyes want to pop out and my head wants to roll off my shoulders. I like to go so I forc e myself I think my blood pressure is thru the roof when I'm on the highway. I drove 3hrs today and I'm physically exhausted. And I always liked driving
I just recently developed this problem. What triggered it was that I have high blood pressure, and finally was hospitalized for it. I have meds for it now, but I worry I will have something happen to me while driving, that I will hurt someone else, etc. I had no idea other people suffered from this same problem until now. And here's the really bad part of my particular situation: my job is a medical van driver. Basically all I do all day is drive all over southern ca area picking up sick people to take to doctors, etc. Not EMT, thank God, but still stressful. Even if I'm feeling okay, all it takes is a client to flip on me about going a different route than what they want, or just talking too much to me and being overexcited, and that can send me into a panic attack. The attack will spin worse and worse because I start to dwell on it and how I know I can't just pull over with these people on board, etc. It's gotten to the point I might have to find a different job, it's that bad. I will probably have to get on some real meds for the anxiety, or hopefully find a job that only entails driving to and from work. I can definitely sympathize with anyone else going through this.
I am going to take my driving test tomorrow for the forth time....and my parents are pressuring me since I go to college and they do not want to drive me there anymore.....the thing is, I really want to pass and I know how to drive but i start to get very nervous and hyperventilate when i drive....I cried after my third test fail and now my dad keeps telling me not to cry, such as in a mocking manner. They think I am crazy and that i do not want to pass but they do not want to see that i have a driving phobia.....and maybe perhaps just anxiety problems..i read these stories and i am glad that i am not alone.....wish me luck tomorrow!
I have had this problem for a number of years now. Once my baby was born I completely stopped driving because of the fear of having a panic attack while they were with me in the car. I started to drive short distances, to the local shops etc. But haven't yet gone further. Ive left it for a few years now and just seems so much harder to get back out there. I took the easy option of never driving and relying on other people but now it is really getting me down because I cant just get up and go where ever I like. I want to avoid medications if I can but this plays on my mind all the time from the time I WAKe up until I sleep at night. Any recommendations. Have tried to go further distances over bridges and lights but get to a point where I start to freak out and say I cant do this, then pull over and my husband then takes over. Its so frustrating and just want to be able to drive normally again. Any suggestions or advice to overcome this!
Hi There,
I just came across this - i know it has been a number of years. Are you still suffering from this or have you found something to help you??
I am currently going through this and it's very upsetting as I have never had this happen before and now it's happening every day.
I just came across this - i know it has been a number of years. Are you still suffering from this or have you found something to help you??
I am currently going through this and it's very upsetting as I have never had this happen before and now it's happening every day.
Thank you!! It's still hard for me because of my "fear" of having one while driving. I'm only lucky because I run my own online business from home and my husband has a good job so I don't "have" to work. But my only issue now is, my daughter's school was rezoned to a crappy school. So luckily she got into a better school this year, but they don't offer transpertation (it's an "open enrollment" where your child can still continue going to that school EXCEPT they don't offer bus transportation--and the drive is 16 min away), so I'm still suffering from having the courage to drive her to and from. It's not really when she's with me in the car. It's only when I'm driving back alone and then driving "alone" on the way to pick her up :( It's stressing me a lot. But my friend is driving behind me to get me used to it and it is helping. I've also found different routes where I don't have to go through much traffic lights (traffics lights scare me the most)-something about having to "stop" and "wait"..most likely because when we stop, we feel like we cant move again. When driving you are constantly moving therefore you feel you can hurry along or drive somewhere to pull over if needed. So stopping at a light is the biggest issue because I feel once I stop..if I panic, I can't start up again ....that is why people have a hard time. I REALLY trully feel my biggest issue was quitting regular cigarettes. The ecigs I vape work great-but the nicotine level is very low but the additives that my body was withdrawaling from really screwed my mind up because somehow (even after almost 2 years), it altered something in my mind..sigh. Sometimes I feel I should just go back to smoking regular cigarettes. I am TERIFIED of being "medicated" (even tho oddly I trully feel regular ciggs have traces of medication in them since tobacco companies don't have to list 500+ chemicals in them that make you extremely addicted. I never had panic when I smoked. I can't drink or take anything that will make my heartbeat go fast (coffee now frightens me unless I'm not going to drive).
One other thing I recently researched was middle ear issues (which also happens after quitting smoking oddly). Something to do with making sure your middle ear is in good shape because that can escalate anxiety and panic attacks. Even if you don't have any middle ear infections, do get it checked. Also TEETH FILLINGS (mercury fillings) seem to do something to our brains as well). IF ANYONE HAS MERCURY FILLINGS-it is important to go to a HOLISTIC dentist that is EXPERIANCED in removing them safetly as this seems to be another issue with those who have extreme panic disorder.
One other thing I recently researched was middle ear issues (which also happens after quitting smoking oddly). Something to do with making sure your middle ear is in good shape because that can escalate anxiety and panic attacks. Even if you don't have any middle ear infections, do get it checked. Also TEETH FILLINGS (mercury fillings) seem to do something to our brains as well). IF ANYONE HAS MERCURY FILLINGS-it is important to go to a HOLISTIC dentist that is EXPERIANCED in removing them safetly as this seems to be another issue with those who have extreme panic disorder.
wow I just read everything your wrote and I just want to thank you for all that information...I feel like a big loser because I just can't get behind the wheel again after having a panic attach about 6 months ago and I have to get ride to work and back now...I just can't fight that fear off! I hope your doing better.
I was the same way with driving until I tried Carole Fosters EPPLEY MANEUVER. Its on you tube try it , it really helped me.
I also forgot to add (very sorry)..but Depression is a natural human feeling. I trully believe that people become depressed because we grow up thinking life should become a certain way (due to media and society) as a child. Depression happens because of STRESS in life. Decades ago (in caveman days) we did NOT have too much information being pushed onto us at once (bills, work, kids, babysitters, friends, media, news, internet, cell phones, radio, etc)...THIS is because our brains process way too much information at once. Also GET TOXIC PEOPLE OUT OF YOUR LIFE!! THIS stuff causes stress which when bottled up inside for too long-turns into panic attacks and anxiety!!! I was always an anxious person and grew up with too many thoughts in my head...never had a panic attacks until two years ago, and BAM..I have not driven ALONE in TWO YEARS!! :( But chagning my diet to Vegan plant based, and take magnesium, IRON, B12, etc has greatly helped). The only reason I havnt driven alone yet is because its a MENTAL fear of "the FEAR" of having one WHILE driving. I can control ANY panic attack on my own-except while driving because when driving you cannot just stop the car anywhere at anytime and get out and run or walk around to calm you down, etc..this is my problem.
People don't realize that while driving, you cannot just calm down as much unless there are zero cars on the road with you. It's not that easy. Same thing with rollar coasters..I will not go on them. I think partly because it is any fear associated with "being out of control"..you DO control the car..but you cannot control the "flow of traffic" or when other cars are behind you honking their horns while you are stuck at a green light trying to catch your breath before driving again...this is why.
See. ONCE you have a panic attack,. your brain remembers-and then it associates the incident with the same area and same thing you were in (if it happened in a car-it will happen in a car all the time, if it happened in the shower, it will associate with taking a shower, etc). This is why we fear or avoid anything if we had a panic attack while there.
For anyone who has smoked: QUITTING CIGARETTES GREATLY higherd my anxiety. I havnt smoked for a year (I use electronic cigs and they work great and I'm still using them because I love them), however---I cannot STRESS to say that the ADDITIVES in cigs are what you are withdrawling from. Its' not the nicotine. If it was, the patch and anything else would work. I was a smoker for 11 years (the strongest kind-Pall malls) and let me tell you- getting OFF the additives really f***** with my brain because you are withdrawling from SO MANY additive chemicals (I have read that some additives in cigs are possibly anti depressant chemicals they put in there) which explains why so many who have quit regular ciggs go into anxiety mode and sometimes it lasts for a year or more!!
People don't realize that while driving, you cannot just calm down as much unless there are zero cars on the road with you. It's not that easy. Same thing with rollar coasters..I will not go on them. I think partly because it is any fear associated with "being out of control"..you DO control the car..but you cannot control the "flow of traffic" or when other cars are behind you honking their horns while you are stuck at a green light trying to catch your breath before driving again...this is why.
See. ONCE you have a panic attack,. your brain remembers-and then it associates the incident with the same area and same thing you were in (if it happened in a car-it will happen in a car all the time, if it happened in the shower, it will associate with taking a shower, etc). This is why we fear or avoid anything if we had a panic attack while there.
For anyone who has smoked: QUITTING CIGARETTES GREATLY higherd my anxiety. I havnt smoked for a year (I use electronic cigs and they work great and I'm still using them because I love them), however---I cannot STRESS to say that the ADDITIVES in cigs are what you are withdrawling from. Its' not the nicotine. If it was, the patch and anything else would work. I was a smoker for 11 years (the strongest kind-Pall malls) and let me tell you- getting OFF the additives really f***** with my brain because you are withdrawling from SO MANY additive chemicals (I have read that some additives in cigs are possibly anti depressant chemicals they put in there) which explains why so many who have quit regular ciggs go into anxiety mode and sometimes it lasts for a year or more!!
I'm going to possibly awaken some of you, and for some, you probably already know this. But after reading ALL of these comments (and my heart goes out to all of you because I have been going thru the same thing for about 2 years now), But I have found some things and done some HEAVY research and tried some things myself.
Please know that I am NOT a doctor, and I too always loved driving, and has never had an issue with driving far away or anywhere-unTIL I had a full blown panic attack in the car (it actually "oddly" happened because I was listening to some VERY loud/dance/exciting music that got my heart pumping, and all of a sudden-BAM..the shakes, heart going like I was running, feeling faint, etc...)
Please read everything I'm going to tell you. I hope this helps anyone.
1. MOST of the people who have panic attacks are usually highly anxious people. I AM ONE. OR..most people who are like "us" are because ONE of their parents were anxious people. (ADHD like symtoms all their life), or the fact that whoever raised you- taught you to "fear" the world (my mother had always been that way).
2. MOST people like "us" are not understanding that ANY chemical imbalance/illness/emotions are usually TWO things. 1. DIET 2.LIFE
MOST people are not eating good enough. You eat two ways. Either #1. Acidic food (coffee, black tea, fried food, processed food, meat, dairy, alcohol, fake sugar (aspartame is the WORST- it is a neurotoxin-please RESEARCH IT), anything processed white flour/sugar, etc. #2. Alkaline food (organic, UNprocessed foods (unless made with natural ingrediants only as much as possible), leafy greens, VEGAN Plant based diet.
3. VITAMIN DEFICIENCIES!!! B-12 and MAGNESIUM CITRATE are the TWO **BIGGEST** "most important" minerals that we are depleted of the most because our SOILS ARE DEPLETED from too many farmers' chemicals and pesticides. I have read here people mention B-12 but NO ONE has yet mentioned MAGNESIUM CITRATE (oxide is not the best absorbtion)--and eating acidic causing foods DEPLETE or BLOCK both these important minerals from being absorbed right. ALSO IRON is a HUGE mineral we need to prevent anxiety!
4. When I mention "acidic foods" I am NOT talking about "lemons, limes, etc..."...some acidic foods turn ALKALINE after eating them-fruits and veggies are highly good for you, and so is ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR "With MOTHER" in it (the cheap bland acv is NOT the same). These things will help balance your Ph in your body.
HERE ARE THE MAIN THINGS (AND BRANDS) THAT WILL HELP YOU THE BEST:
1. Natural Calm Magnesium CITRATE (powder form-you drink it and you can mix it in any drink-but best with filtered water only since sugar and coffee DEPLETES and blocks magnesium citrate). This brand is the ONLY form of magnesium that has helped me!!! It tastes like Lemon flavored..it is NON GMO, completely organic...it is sold on Amazon (PLEASE READ THE REVIEWS)!! (it is also known to PREVENT heart attacks!!! for those who do have heart problems)
2. Organic Black strap molasses (MUST BE ORGANIC) the best brand i buy from (Amazon) is "Wholesome Sweetners" (ordering online is a anxiety person's best friend I will add so you spend less time driving to search for these excellent products that I myself TRUST).. Now even tho this stuff tastes bad...it is best to eat 2-3 tbsp on a slice of wholegrain bread with almond butter. That's the only way I can eat it now. But I swear, it calms me down. IRON is soooo important..esp this stuff eases menstural cramps too!!
3.Vitamin B-12-even if you eat meat. (I am 100% vegan only now). But B-12 is highly for those with anxiety. RESEARCH. Again, maginesium CITRATE (like natural calm) works miraculously!!
4. Vitamin D deficiency (sorry about my spelling but I work from home and I am trying to type as much as possible to help eveyrone..so bare with me, as I don't have much time on my hands like I used to). THE SUN DOES NOT CAUSE CANCER...IT IS A MYTH!! Sunscreen BLOCKS Vitamin D aborbtion which causes mineral depletion and causes DEPRESSION. Please research (on you tube) How bad vitamin D is needed for everything (just like magnesium).
Other helpers:
1. St. Johns wort---I drink "Blues Away" Yogi Tea..but if you can find any teas made with this super miracle "herb" that is suppsoably the best for anxiety people...please buy some!! It may take awhile for the stuff to build up in your system..but please research "St. Johns Wort for anxiety".
2. Chamomille Tea (very calming)
3. LAVENDER TEA!!
4. KAVA tea ---please research this wonderful herb!
5.GINGER TEA (ginger is great for the body and keeps body in ph balance) make sure you can find a 100% ginger tea with nothing else added. This is great for immune system as well.
6. ESSENTIAL OILS!!! Ones like: Frankinscense, Mhyrr, Lavender, Chamomile ROMAN, Bergamot, and Lemon are GREAT to put on pulse points to help ease anxiety (they must be used with a carrier oil) PLEASE RESEARCH ESSENTIAL OILS FOR ANXIETY!!
Overall, again I MUST stress more about Natural Calm Magnesium. The bottle is about $25 but trust me..one bottle lasts me about 6 months!! You only take up to two tsp a day!! I drink one tsp 1 HOUR before I drive anywhere (to help it build up and I feel relaxed very quickly) and I drink in a huge water bottle the second tsp mixed while I am driving and back. PLEASE I hope this helps anyone!!
Overall, Please dont depend on Pharma. They might help short term but remember- Pharma drugs do NOT CREATE CURES-THEY ONLY CREATE CUSTOMERS!!!
Please try to eat as alkaline as possible!! Research "acidic/alkaline diet"!!
Please know that I am NOT a doctor, and I too always loved driving, and has never had an issue with driving far away or anywhere-unTIL I had a full blown panic attack in the car (it actually "oddly" happened because I was listening to some VERY loud/dance/exciting music that got my heart pumping, and all of a sudden-BAM..the shakes, heart going like I was running, feeling faint, etc...)
Please read everything I'm going to tell you. I hope this helps anyone.
1. MOST of the people who have panic attacks are usually highly anxious people. I AM ONE. OR..most people who are like "us" are because ONE of their parents were anxious people. (ADHD like symtoms all their life), or the fact that whoever raised you- taught you to "fear" the world (my mother had always been that way).
2. MOST people like "us" are not understanding that ANY chemical imbalance/illness/emotions are usually TWO things. 1. DIET 2.LIFE
MOST people are not eating good enough. You eat two ways. Either #1. Acidic food (coffee, black tea, fried food, processed food, meat, dairy, alcohol, fake sugar (aspartame is the WORST- it is a neurotoxin-please RESEARCH IT), anything processed white flour/sugar, etc. #2. Alkaline food (organic, UNprocessed foods (unless made with natural ingrediants only as much as possible), leafy greens, VEGAN Plant based diet.
3. VITAMIN DEFICIENCIES!!! B-12 and MAGNESIUM CITRATE are the TWO **BIGGEST** "most important" minerals that we are depleted of the most because our SOILS ARE DEPLETED from too many farmers' chemicals and pesticides. I have read here people mention B-12 but NO ONE has yet mentioned MAGNESIUM CITRATE (oxide is not the best absorbtion)--and eating acidic causing foods DEPLETE or BLOCK both these important minerals from being absorbed right. ALSO IRON is a HUGE mineral we need to prevent anxiety!
4. When I mention "acidic foods" I am NOT talking about "lemons, limes, etc..."...some acidic foods turn ALKALINE after eating them-fruits and veggies are highly good for you, and so is ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR "With MOTHER" in it (the cheap bland acv is NOT the same). These things will help balance your Ph in your body.
HERE ARE THE MAIN THINGS (AND BRANDS) THAT WILL HELP YOU THE BEST:
1. Natural Calm Magnesium CITRATE (powder form-you drink it and you can mix it in any drink-but best with filtered water only since sugar and coffee DEPLETES and blocks magnesium citrate). This brand is the ONLY form of magnesium that has helped me!!! It tastes like Lemon flavored..it is NON GMO, completely organic...it is sold on Amazon (PLEASE READ THE REVIEWS)!! (it is also known to PREVENT heart attacks!!! for those who do have heart problems)
2. Organic Black strap molasses (MUST BE ORGANIC) the best brand i buy from (Amazon) is "Wholesome Sweetners" (ordering online is a anxiety person's best friend I will add so you spend less time driving to search for these excellent products that I myself TRUST).. Now even tho this stuff tastes bad...it is best to eat 2-3 tbsp on a slice of wholegrain bread with almond butter. That's the only way I can eat it now. But I swear, it calms me down. IRON is soooo important..esp this stuff eases menstural cramps too!!
3.Vitamin B-12-even if you eat meat. (I am 100% vegan only now). But B-12 is highly for those with anxiety. RESEARCH. Again, maginesium CITRATE (like natural calm) works miraculously!!
4. Vitamin D deficiency (sorry about my spelling but I work from home and I am trying to type as much as possible to help eveyrone..so bare with me, as I don't have much time on my hands like I used to). THE SUN DOES NOT CAUSE CANCER...IT IS A MYTH!! Sunscreen BLOCKS Vitamin D aborbtion which causes mineral depletion and causes DEPRESSION. Please research (on you tube) How bad vitamin D is needed for everything (just like magnesium).
Other helpers:
1. St. Johns wort---I drink "Blues Away" Yogi Tea..but if you can find any teas made with this super miracle "herb" that is suppsoably the best for anxiety people...please buy some!! It may take awhile for the stuff to build up in your system..but please research "St. Johns Wort for anxiety".
2. Chamomille Tea (very calming)
3. LAVENDER TEA!!
4. KAVA tea ---please research this wonderful herb!
5.GINGER TEA (ginger is great for the body and keeps body in ph balance) make sure you can find a 100% ginger tea with nothing else added. This is great for immune system as well.
6. ESSENTIAL OILS!!! Ones like: Frankinscense, Mhyrr, Lavender, Chamomile ROMAN, Bergamot, and Lemon are GREAT to put on pulse points to help ease anxiety (they must be used with a carrier oil) PLEASE RESEARCH ESSENTIAL OILS FOR ANXIETY!!
Overall, again I MUST stress more about Natural Calm Magnesium. The bottle is about $25 but trust me..one bottle lasts me about 6 months!! You only take up to two tsp a day!! I drink one tsp 1 HOUR before I drive anywhere (to help it build up and I feel relaxed very quickly) and I drink in a huge water bottle the second tsp mixed while I am driving and back. PLEASE I hope this helps anyone!!
Overall, Please dont depend on Pharma. They might help short term but remember- Pharma drugs do NOT CREATE CURES-THEY ONLY CREATE CUSTOMERS!!!
Please try to eat as alkaline as possible!! Research "acidic/alkaline diet"!!
OMG! Thank you for these suggestions. I recently have been experiencing anxiety while driving. I drive for a living and just had to take a week off of work to get my mind straight. I have never experienced this before and this just came out of no where. I never felt comfortable driving on the freeway. Surface streets have never bothered me. Every time I get to a red light I freak out, I find myself avoiding the street lights that I know last long. This is ridiculous and I'm so embarrassed that I had to let my work know what is going on to take this week off.
Omg I'm not the only one - I loved driving and would be the main family driver on holidays across the US and every where else. I would be the one in the fast lane flashing the car in front to move over - road rage girl! I now have to force myself into my beautiful car just to get to work and home again at 40mph pulling over every couple of miles to calm myself down. I have bottles of lucozade in the car, at home and at work in the hope this will help. I try distraction, windows open, music on, I'm ok, you got there yesterday, you are nearly there etc etc. I now do online shopping as I don't feel "safe" anywhere other than home. Work is getting more difficult as I feel I might pass out or have a seizure in front of people so go to other rooms to avoid this. My head tingles, my jaw is tight, my stomach is bloated, back aches amongst other symptoms. I had a seizure last year at work (so embarrassing) and again 2 months ago whilst on my own (cutting my head pretty badly) both of which really freaked me out. I was a confident, healthy, strong person and cannot understand what happened - I just want to be me again. This is so debilitating and depressing. I am scared to death I will have a seizure or black out whilst driving, at a client meeting, at work or anywhere really I have a panic attack just thinking about it. I don't feel able to go shopping, hairdressers or anywhere other than push myself to go to work and get home again. I really want to get help but cannot even face going to the doctors. I don't know where to turn but will keep trying to "get a grip" as my husband says and sort myself out. Any suggestions how to find myself again would be much appreciated.
This is amazing. So many posts in here describing exactly what I'm going through. I've had anxiety for the last 6 years or so, but NEVER had a problem with driving... until a couple of weeks ago. I had one little anxiety attack in my car and now it happens all the time because I'm constantly thinking about it.
I have a friend with this same problem and sometimes she takes alternate routes to her destination-ones that aren't as congested- and it seems to help. Even though it may be a longer route it's worth it to her just to avoid the panic.
I am so glad to know that my fear of driving doesn't mean that I'm going insane. I actually need to take control of my phobia soon, and I could use support from this community. I'm 26, but I have been driving since I was 22...I started driving late because of my anxieties concerning driving, and I had to receive a few sessions of driving school just to pass the driving test (which I surprisingly passed on the first try). Most people who have been passengers when I drive have told me that I drive safe, but since my car accident in 2012, I have been afraid to drive on certain back roads, and highways for fear of making a mistake or being caught off guard by another driver. I am afraid of driving for many reasons: a lack of trust in myself, the fear that I will have a panic attack, get lost, or cause an accident etc. I need to gain control again over this soon because I am starting grad school, and I have a 1 1/2 commute which includes highways in order to get there. I will also have to drive possibly up to 100 miles one way for required fieldwork. Just the thought what I will have to do within only months from now is freaking me out, but I have to do this to better my life and career options. I have honestly tried to find closer schools in my area for the career I am interested in, but this weekend college was the closest place I could find. When I think about what I am willing to do to avoid long-distance driving or highways it is ridiculous, and it needs to stop. I will need all the support I can get, but again I'm glad that I'm not alone in this.
Just reading this now and unfortunately nothing to say that can fix this, but im only reading this post from so long ago because I experience the same EXACT feelings every day . Its a horrible feeling, I just try to prepare myself mentally everyday.. And my amazing boyfriend puts up with me with no questions asked, im so great full... Knowing your not alone helps a ton, good luck! We can get through this lol
I have the same problem. It started in 2009. I was driving and was in a traffic jam and had a panic attack. But it went away and I didn't have any problems again for a couple months. I am fine driving close to my house and I only work 10 minutes away. Driving to work never bothered me until now, it seems to get worse. I try tricking myself, wearing sunglasses and sunny days usually helps but I just want to be normal again. It affects my life as I have to plan out driving. I am glad I am not the only one and have been to a counselors. She said I was doing everything right but I just want to nbe normal again. I really feel better knowing that there are other people out there having the same issues. I get in my car everyday, its not enjoyable by any means, but I do it.
Boy I didnt realize when I looked up driving phobia,,that Im not alone...Ive had this problem for about 12 years...and I really havent found an answer..It seems as though doctors want to put you on medications right away...there are books out there claiming to help.(which Ive done both)..and still havent found an answer,.Im just soo curious on why this happens to people...I can see having issues if you've been in an accident...but in my case I havent...I don't know why this happened to me..I could drive anywhere until I was in my late 30's....and it just started to happen..no ryme or reason...Anxiety does run in my family...But Im the only one that has this particular problem...Its almost like a claustrophobic feeling...Well that is exactly how I feel...If I didnt get that dizziness feeling it wouldnt be so bad...But I do believe that if you get in you car and drive everyday...and talk to yourself while your driving...saying things like Feel the fear and do it anyway...Your Ok....Your driving fine...trust that the other car doesnt want to come in your lane..and won't...repeat and do this until its not scarey...My problem is I live in a small town...I dont have access to freeway driving..in which that is where I have alot of anxiety!!! How does someone like me work on driving on interestate when I dont get on one very often...If everyone would travel at 40 mph I wouldnt feel so afraid....LOL...I do find when I talk to myself when I feel the anxiety coming on it does help..Semi's scare the hell out of me...don't know why??? Driving at night another issue...And yes I do agree that negative thinking is a huge factor in all of this!!! Hopefully we all can continue to work on the things that could help...I don't think there is a magic wand...although I wish there was...I will continue to search for answers and techniques to help me and everyone with this problem....You'd think with sooo many people having this kind of issue there would be a clinic of some sort that didnt want to make a buck to help people get on with their lives...How sad that we have this stupid issue that keeps us from living a full life that we deserve...Im on a mission to get over this crap..and maybe I can help people through this terrible...frightening...thing called Panic!!!
I also have an issue driving. I was in a head on collision 4 years ago. The damage to my car was bad, I got off lucky to say the least. I did not cause the accident, just happened to be in the wrong place. I did not know I had an issue until the following year when the same type of snow fell and I cleaned off my car, and got on the highway. This is when the clenching of the wheel, hyperventilating and the full onset of complete fear struck. I am fine driving at any other time except winter and only on bad weather days. I also suffer from GAD, with everything that has happened - I understand why. This is the third time in my life I have suffered. This time working on my own has not worked so I am now getting drug free help. Pills do not help, it is how you talk to yourself that has to be fixed. I agree with the self challenges, they do work, but not overnight - have patience and keep up being positive, it's the negative thoughts that get in your way. Anxiety is stress, stress is there to tell you to relax ;slow down).. The drus I have tried in the past - they don't work, see a professional - write when your anxiety is high and bring it to your helper. Get reading material to help you. Hope this helps :)
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