Panic
Attacks Driving
Panic
and anxiety attacks while driving
One
of the more common questions I am asked is how to cope
with anxiety while driving. Ranging from fear of being
caught in traffic to crossing waterway bridges‚ people
have many different fears in this area. Often the anxiety
stems from a fear of being trapped in the vehicle in gridlock
traffic or losing control of the vehicle and causing a
collision.
Needless
to say‚ even though they may have been battling with a
driving phobia for many years‚ almost all of the people
I have consulted with have not had their fears of a mishap
occur. Let’s look at the primary fear‚ that of having
an accident due to the distractions of possible panic
attacks while driving.
Panic
Attacks Driving
Most people will work themselves into a state of high
anxiety even before they have pulled out of their driveway
with imagined scenes of causing ten car collisions on
the highway because they “freaked out” and collided with
another vehicle. If you have such concerns‚ the first
important thing to begin with is a review of your driving
history. Have you been a reckless driver in the past?
Have you a history of bad driving? Most phobic drivers
in fact have clean driving records and have never even
been in a minor road incident. Anxious drivers are not
a deadly hazard on the road; in fact‚ they can be a lot
more vigilant than many ordinary drivers who after a long
day in the office are virtually asleep at the wheel.
Panic
Attacks Driving
As we discussed previously when looking at the biology
of anxiety‚ by virtue of his or her condition‚ an anxious
driver has a high level of sensory alertness. This level
of alertness keeps the driver aware of any potential hazards
and focused on the task of driving‚ not daydreaming‚ chatting‚
or rooting around in the glove compartment. This of course
is not to suggest that anxious driving is the ideal way
to commute (or being excessively worried about panic attacks
driving)‚ but I believe it is important to make this point
because so many chastise themselves for being anxious
in their cars.
If
you are generally a good driver‚ then before you set out
in your car take confidence in that and reaffirm that
fact to yourself. Acknowledging and reaffirming that you
are a capable driver will go some way toward alleviating
this concern.
Panic
Attacks Driving
The second major concern of most phobic drivers is the
fear of being trapped in the car in some manner. By this
I mean‚ being caught in traffic‚ on busy three–laned motorways‚
on long bridges‚ or even stopping at red lights. When
allowed to‚ the mind will run away with this fear and
will imagine all kinds of deadly scenarios where you might
feel cornered or trapped in your vehicle with no assistance
available should you experience a major panic attack driving.
The
important thing here is to curb these fears before they
take root by offering yourself viable solutions to any
of these scenarios and not letting your mind trick you
into believing there is a trap ahead. Give it some thought.
Is there really any situation‚ such as the ones described
above‚ where you truly are trapped with no means of escape?
No‚
of course there isn’t.
Eventually‚
traffic always moves; it does not remain grid locked forever.
There is flow‚ and there is always an exit. This may mean
having to figure the exit out for yourself‚ but never
let these thoughts corner you into thinking that there
is no escape. When you counteract these fears with logical
solutions‚ you undermine the control that fear holds over
you. You begin to see the bluff it is playing to keep
you petrified of what could potentially happen out there
in the traffic.
Your
mind may rebel and come up with the worst possible scenario
you may get “stuck in‚” but again‚ is this really the
terrifying trap you imagine it to be? Be careful not to
let these thoughts trap your thinking. Every minute of
the day‚ people’s cars break down in traffic. These drivers
have no option but to put on the hazard lights and leave
the vehicle. It’s not going anywhere. There you are‚ that
is an exit‚ albeit an extreme one; however‚ by using my
technique‚ it never needs to come to that. In fact‚ you
are going to learn how driving can actually be an enjoyable
experience once again.
Panic
Attacks Driving
To finish‚ I want to give you some affirmations you can
use while out driving. These can be repeated silently
or out loud and will help relax and center your mind‚
keeping you focused on driving well.
“I
am a competent driver and always arrive at my destination
safely.”
“I
am calm‚ alert‚ and in full control while driving.”
I
hope you have found something useful in this panic attacks
driving page.
The
“Panic Away” Program:
Proof At Last that Panic Attacks and Anxiety
Can be Eliminated For Good!
Article links (Summary)
Causes of panic
attacks discussed here
Public
Speaking and panic attacks discussed here
Agoraphobia
and panic attacks discussed here
Do you suffer panic
attacks driving?
Anxiety attack
symptoms discussed here
Panic attack symptoms
revealed here
Do you have Intrusive
Thoughts?
Do you suffer from anxious
thinking and intrusive thoughts?
Panic Attack Medication
discussed here
Generalized
Anxiety Disorder Discussed Here
Diet to
help Eliminate Anxiety Covered Here
Anxiety and
panic attack tips discussed here
Do you suffer from depersonalization?
Home
/ FAQ's / Contact
us /Affiliates
/ Testimonials
/ Order Now
Privacy
Policy /
Panic Attacks Resources
/ External Links
/ Site Map /
Terms Of Use
Site Design BBM Design. ©All
material is copyright protected 2007
All material provided on the web site is provided
for informational or educational purposes only.
No content is intended to be a substitute for professional
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your
physician regarding the applicability of any opinions
or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or
medical condition
