Comments on: Driving Anxiety and Panic Attacks While Driving

By: Celdoubleu Bella

Celdoubleu Bella — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:46:07 +0000

I didn’t start driving until I was in my early 30′s, the first day of driving school I tried to put on my brakes right on the freeway, the instructor was so nice that his voice calmed me to drive on. Every now and then I get this overwhelming (the-plunging-feeling-you-get-on-that-drop-down-on-the-rollercoaster-kinda) feeling. I started breathing slowing through my mouth to stop it and it causes me to tear up really bad. Once the ‘feeling’ leaves I’m left having to use the bathroom and nervous. I hate it, and now I’m relocating to Texas from Michigan (1,354 miles). I’m going to do it, without medication, and without hypnosis, I refuse to live in fear!

By: nicol

nicol — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:08:03 +0000

I have been driving for 13 yrs. My job consist of driving all day trough out my country for long hours and for the last 6mths i began having attacks while diving. When it happens i find myself pulling my staring very hard to the left, causing me to now drive only on the left and at 60kms. Driving on other lanes and over taking increase the attacks.
Need help now so i dont have to be on medication and taking days away from my job to often…

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:13:29 +0000

I empathize with everyone’s posts here. I don’t understand what triggered my driving panic attacks that started 4 years ago. I was completely fine before then. I just had one today, and the onset is having these feelings of “what if” it strikes today. Sure enough, it happens, and the next fear is, now that I do not have control over my body, I hope I do not hurt anyone else on the road. I make my way through the next exit, and took side streets for miles to get home. I will try to use the techniques suggested here, and hope it helps me get over this for the rest of my life.

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:39:16 +0000

I had never had issues driving. Now I freak out whenever I drive roads that have imbankments. I shake, my hands sweat and I get dizzy. My parents live an hour from me and I must go through a few areas where there are imbankments. This fear is starting to infringe on the time I can see my family. I have got to get control of this. I use to drive this same road 3 days a week before I moved and did fine, so what the heck happened that screwed me up. I get less anxious if my husband goes with me, but sometimes he can’t go. I have been going anyway and each time the drive is fine, I just stay anxious and stressed the entire ride so I am totally exhausted when I get home.

By: Donna

Donna — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:22:52 +0000

I started having panic attacks at age 19. I’m in my 40′s now. I was on the usual meds Prozac and Xanax back then. FINALLY, in my 30′s I got control of this thing. Now, it is rearing its ugly head again and has been manifesting while I’m driving. I don’t want to have to back on medication. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one here going thru this but hate it!!! Hopefully we all will get better. It’s so debilitating.

By: tia

tia — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 03:15:27 +0000

my anxiety while driving started after i had my son..sort of due to my fear of dying in a car accident and leaving my son..have a fear of driving out in the country or anywhere that i think is “too far away from home”..i used to live in town, now i’m closer to the country which makes it harder to drive into town..counseling did help but i’m back to where i started because i stopped going..hopefully it will get better

By: Ryan H

Ryan H — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 16:06:40 +0000

I have had lots of panic attacks while i was driving earlier in the year. But for 3 months i had no problems with driving anywhere. Now the panic attacks are coming back, and the only way i can drive a long distance is have someone in the car with me. What’s happening to me?

By: Maureen

Maureen — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:14:29 +0000

I barely drive anymore; just local; never highways. ?I moved from an urban area to one that is wide open next to the highway leading to just about all I need to go to. I got so tense, so anxious to get off the road. Don’t know why. Also noticed before I retired that driving up to open areas (e.g., towards a beach), would make me anxious. Sure wish this didn’t happen.

By: a

Fri, 13 May 2011 20:25:10 +0000

I’ve never had a problem driving until recently I avoid highways when I get on them I get this “stuck” feeling because there’s only exits here and there.I only drive around town,it really sucks I don’t go out much because of this.I wish I could get over it or at the least have a reason for them.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:30:44 +0000

For some, this problem can be cured with therapy and talking yourself down. For others, it’s a chemical imbalance that can only be fixed with medication.

I have moderate-to-severe SA and Asperger’s. I had to give up my career as a driver. It stinks because I was making over 50k a year. Most professional drivers don’t have college degrees and a myriad of marketable skills. That’s generally why they choose to drive for a living (and because they love driving, which used to be me).

Can’t drive a truck on mood-altering drugs, so either way, I won’t be driving again. At least professionally.

One step forward, one step back. I think someone is trying to tell me something: Aim extremely low and maintain that pace until sweet relief comes to free me from this burden of a life.

Lower-class, here I come! Break out the section-8 housing, bus pass, and shorter lifespan.