Panic Attacks and Driving?

Question

The last couple months ive had severe panic attacks, im on zoloft now and im on the road to recovery feeling alot better than i did, but i still fear driving. I dont know y but all these crazy thought get in my head when i drive like i cant breath enough and im far away from help and it turns into a panic attack and i freak out. how can i over come this? Has anyone else experienced this also, only while driving alone, im fine if im with someone.

Answer 1

I wouldn't mention that to the driver's license renewal people if your license needs to be renewed while you are still concerned. They ask specifically about issues like that which could interfere with your ability to drive safely and could deny a license.

Try practicing more local driving on roads in your neighborhood that are close to your home until you get your dosage optimized. Also see if you can volunteer for any local organizations that drive old people to supermarkets or doctor's appointments so that you are on the road with someone else more often.

Answer 2

Jen, I had trouble with panic attacks for years - starting when I was a small kid. There are many things you can do to prevent them, and a couple of things to do when they come on. First, prevention. Avoid sugar, alcohol, cigarettes, chocolate, and anything with caffeine. These are stimulants that can falsely trigger that "fight or flight" response you are getting when you are having a panic attack. Absolutely void drugs. Exercise, stay fit, and avoid the above items. When you begin having an attack, distract yourself if possible - turn on the radio, think about what you have to pick-up at the store, etc. Get your mind going in a different direction. Sometimes I would have to pull off the road and find a convenience store. Just getting out of my car and walking into the store helped because I didn't want people to see me gasping for air and get them all panicky. The best thing I have found is Vit.C - especially orange juice. If I start having an attack, I drink a glass of OJ and within seconds I am fine. Just to be on the safe side, have your blood sugar checked for diabetes or hypoglycemia. Have your thyroid checked. These two things, and possibly more, can cause panic attacks. I didn't realize I was diabetic until I would eat something, and a couple of hours later I was in a full blown panic attack because my blood sugar had plumeted really fast. A quick glass of OJ set me straight.

Driving alone was also one of my triggers and I don' know why. Maybe there's no explanation. Maybe it's from a previous life if there was previous life. It's something you have to work through and try to find a solution to so you can function.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

It seems that you are a young driver, without much positive experience. Driving with a -relaxed, yet cautious- adult in the passenger seat for a few months longer may be just what you need to gain confidence. Sticking to slower residential streets or country roads can take some of the pressure off of you until you become more confident. Tense drivers are not very safe drivers. When you do get tense or anxious, or your pulse goes too fast then you need to take a break - for your own safety as well as other people's. So, pull off the road, or into a parking lot. Actually get out of your car and walk around until you are back in control and less tense or anxious. When you do start your car again, your entire attention needs to be on the road, and not on how you're feeling. The good thing is, with practice and positive experiences you will likely find the panic fades away. Safety has got to be your 1st goal.

Answer 5

A couple of years ago I had a panic attack whilst driving. My baby daughter was in the car with me. I thought I was having a heart attack. All I could think was, breathe deep and calm, open a window and find a safe place to stop.
When I told the doctor, he said I did the best thing. I have been on a mild form of Prozac since then and never had another.

Answer 6

I get anxious sometimes until I figure out what is causing it, I then determine to do some thing positive to affect a change in my thinking and behaviors or in my situations and circumstances and I stay away from drugs and do not want any medication or drugs pushed on me thank you. Our world is so fast paced today and so pressured that one can not help but have stress and anxiety. I have only had one panic attack that has made me pull over to the side of the road and that was about twenty something years ago when I was being forced into "treatment" and acting out from this assault on me and I had a memory return that maybe would have been better left in the past? This was when I still did not understand these false diagnoses and how they use them to coercively and forcibly treat people, and they are not helpful. I had to get away from them to get my life back together, and stop doing what I had to do to talk to one of these people, be so called sick and stay sick and become disabled by this group of people, once I did these things and was away from these situations and people that were so called "treating" me things started changing in a more positive direction for me, I started listening to others that had faced diversity in life and figured out how to use life events in a positive way to benfefit themselves and get ahead, and I started to feel and do much better in life and my friends changed and some better people started to respect and encourage me. I became a "citizen" of the United States and not a patient of the state.

Answer 7

Hi there, I just laugh about my past 3 years of panic now. I was not able to go anywhere without carrying xanax. Fear of having another attack was the most important subject of my days.When i first found joe barry's web site i started to cry because of my happiness.

Free audio to end anxiety and panic attacks fast?

Answer 8

Hi,
There is this guide by anxiety expert Joe Barry , he has taught thousands of people to be panic free without any medication using a revolutionary new technique, http://www.panicaway.co.nr , its really a great guide , it should help you get rid of panic attacks forever in a few days

Hope this helps you and wish you the best of health

Answer 9

Try deep breathing techniques until you can safely pull over and get yourself together and continue on.If zoloft doesn't work try another medication of the same ilk.The main thing is to get off the road as soon as possible to get yourself together.This will pass with deep breathing.In the meantime get some counselling to try to find out what is behind all of this anxiety and work toward trying to eliminate whatever it is that is causing the stress.All the best to you and remember you will get better.Be proactive in helping yourself ,sad to say but a lot of people don't understand this problem.You can do it I did.One other thing ,do not go off these meds without your Dr's help,ever.

Answer 10

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