Why I am scared to drive on the freeway?

Question

I am almost 30 years old and have been avoiding the freeway for about 2001. I used to drive 30 minutes to work one-way on a very busy freeway. I did that for almost 2 years. Then all the sudden I started to get nervous. That would pass and then come again like a week later. Before I knew it I was literally sweating and realized I was having a panic attack. I continued to drive on the freeway and the panic attacks would come and go. I'd be able to drive down to a certain part of the freeway but when it started to curve I got nervous and would stop right in the fast lane and put on my hazards an pray that nobody hit me from behind. A couple of months later I was taking backroads everywhere, and today that is the case. I've tried to get on the freeway and go one exit but I get nervous. I now realize that it's a mental thing because I am scared to drive down certain streets (if it looks like a highway). If the car curves I get nervous. It takes me all day to get ...

To where I'm going sometimes. I have tried over and over and over to get back on the freeway but I always end up pulling over to the shoulder and turning on my hazard lights and speeding off the exit once I have a chance. The sad thing is if there was not one car on the freeway I still couldn't drive on it. In my mind I am thinking I am in a car and there is a lot of space around me and I feel that the car is going to get out of control. I think "what if a tire blows" or "what if I gain too much speed and get nervous, I am going to crash". I feel like the entire world is closing down on me when I'm on the freeway. I drove freeway from the time I graduated highschool in 1995, well a little before that, until 2001. I did have one bad accident where a semi totaled my car but I walked away without a scratch. It took two weeks after that and I was back on the freeway again.

Any suggestions as to what is going on? I am afraid to get anxiety medicine but maybe I need some.

Answer 1

It sounds like you have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). You should have been treated at the time that you were in the accident with the semi. Even though you didn't get a scratch, your confidence was shattered.

I suggest you speak to a psychologist. Your recovery is going to take a while. When you are ready, with the psychologists approval, you need to take some serious driver training. Not parallel parking BS, I'm talking about defensive driving, emergency maneuvers and skid schools.

Once you have faced that old fear and built some new driving confidence, you will have a better understanding what went wrong the last time and how to avoid that situation in the future.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Seek help dude. You are experiencing anxiety attacks, and you realize it, now it's time to do something about it. Everything nowdays is highways or freeways, you need to be able to cope. See a medical doctor or a head banger and try to get it together. Good luck, I feel for you man.

Answer 3

I have similar, but not as extreme, cases. You should talk to your doctor about it, perhaps an anti anxiety med or even just plain old therapy will help you.

Answer 4

You were traumatized by the car wreck! You need to get a good therapist, to help you overcome that trauma!

Answer 5

Either you do drugs,or you are starting to realize your mortality.People drive like idiots on the highways,and it might be possible you are afraid of high speed impact,as the rest of us "normal" people are.I hope this helps,if not,try this question under "psychology".Good luck.

Answer 6

I think you should stop driving if you are scared. WALK, TAKE THE BUS/TAXI, GET CARPOOLED, OR RIDE A BIKE in minor streets WHICH IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA!!

30 minutes drive...if you gonna have to drive then FREE YOURSELF!! ITS a FREEWAY and its FUN to go fast!! -__-

Answer 7

I think you need to get laid.