I'm having some anxiety issues....big ones.
 

I've found that driving is really difficult for me.

I can go around my area of town w/ no big problem but get me anywhere near a freeway or intense traffic and I'm melting down.

Even when I'm not the one driving!
My RAH is an offensive driver...a little more aggressive than I'm comfortable. I'm a defensive driver...always thinking "is that guy in the big truck an entitlement king? is he going to swerve into my lane w/ no warning?"

I realized yesterday that my anxiety has really escalated in the past few months...even WEEKS.
We took a day trip w/ the kids yesterday...about 100 miles and I was in tears by the time we got there.

I don't know what to do.
I'm realizing it IS a problem. I need to really get this under control because it's beginning to control where I'll go and really affecting my life and that of my kids.

We were supposed to go somewhere this week but didn't ...I told them it was too crowded but really...I was too afraid to drive.

We actually did go one place, there was NO parkiing, we would have had to go to a nearby (6 blocks away) parking garage...no way could I do that.
We ended up doing something totally different. Drive in a parking garage?! Just the idea of it had me close to tears. But it ruined my kids outting because I couldn't do it. :a108:

Have you considered going to your doctor? That's what I would do. I'll be praying for you, though. Gina

Please talk to your doctor.
There are many ways to deal with this kind of anxiety.
If you get it now, before it gets away from you it will be easier to handle.
But, you can get better.

Beth

One of my colleagues (a VERY high-powered, tough lawyer--think Marcia Clark-type) has a completely irrational, yet debilitating, phobia about driving over bridges. It doesn't matter whether she is driving or someone else is (though she can close her eyes if someone else is driving--not too workable a solution when she's behind the wheel). So phobias can affect ANYONE.

There are therapists who specialize in them. Try to get a referral to a good one. Phobias can be very treatable.

have you been drinking regularly? i had a similar issue a while back and the doctor told me i was stressed out (i was) and he thought it might be vertigo. i have been pretty good since but i noticed when i was binge drinking the anxiety would return days after i stopped drinking. only driving in the car i would feel uneasy. i am managing without any medication but i have also been sober. the doctor stressed to stay off alcohol even though he didn't know my binge drinking issues. i thought that was interesting. turn the radio off, breathe deep, and pray. that always relaxes me. remember, the more you try force yourself to feel in control, the more you will feel uneasy and out of control. control is an illusion most of the time. god bless

I sometimes wonder if it is related in some way to post traumatic stress disorder?

anxiety runs in my family. my mom was afraid to drive. i did well, until during my last marriage when my jerk of a husband would fall asleep at wheel, run off road, etc. he had sleep apnea, and would do nothing about it. I was terrified to ride with him. he screamed at me, a lot, when I would ask" are you awake? so, i stopped riding with him.

I proceeded to develop a fear of driving over a small bridge near my home, and fear of driving at all, really. i was already afraid of driving on freeways. i was even afraid when someone else drove. I would gasp audibly if they went a little faster than i liked around a corner , for instance. i would plead for them to slow down, and could not relax at all. impending doom, in my mind.

i had been in two wrecks about 10 years prior . one was pretty serious, a head on, in a whiteout fog. i was ok, but very bruised up, and lucky!
the next one was minor, but frightening nonetheless. i dont know if that had anything to do with my anxiety.

i went to the doctor, as my life was miserable from this fear. she gave me wellbutrin, and it helped me tremendously. i can drive over bridges, and can ride with people, without fear, if i trust their driving. i am doing ok, tho i still hate expressway driving and dont do it myself.

wellbutrin is good for anxiety, and depression. i have no side effects from it, tho i take a lower dose.
got rid of the jerk , and that helped a lot. he must have had at least 4 rear end collisions, totaled a vette, (said a deer jumped out), and sideswiped all our vehicles on mailboxes, the barn, the other cars, etc. tho he never admitted any of it.

hope this helps you,
chicory

I dont have any suggestions on how to cope with this problem but I just wanted to let you know that I have the exact same problem....driving terrifies me!

My husband is my eyes when driving, he is my co-pilot. Without him in the car I cant drive on my own. In reality I ought not to be driving at all. My driving is safe but I am soooo terrified that I am going to kill us all or somebody else that I have full blown panic attacks at the wheel. Not that high doses of tramadol help!

Unfortunately my husband cannot get on my insurance until november due to a 'drunk whilst in charge of a vehicle' misdemeanor nearly five years ago!

Roll on november.

Waiting on CBT to start, maybe that will help. You must consider going to see your doctor to see if there is anything they can do for you.

I know someone with a huge flying phobia. With therapy (no meds involved) she managed. She finally flied to Spain and is now having the time of her life.
You can do this :)

Hi,

I have a huge social phobia and also erethrophobia. It gets in the way of my everyday living. I cannot do 'f' all because of it. I understand the feelings are rotten.

My options for you would be to talk to your doctor - he may perscribe you medication but if you dont want to start meds then you maybe refered to a theripst/counsellor.

A theripst counsellor will work through why you are anxious, work on breathing techniques, visualization, positive self talk etc. Techniques to reduce the anxiety symptoms and work through the root cause of it. CBT is good for anxiety but there is other options you can take too.

Please dont let this develop further then it already is. Nip it in the bud. Dont let anxiety begin to control you and live in fear of those situations, because i know all to well have much anxiety can become a problem. I dont know if your fears/anxieties can esculate into further problems, but my advice to you would to seek help before it gets the chance to.

Best of Luck...