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anxiety

Pitbullloverx1 profile image
15 Replies

hello I’m new here!

My anxiety/panic attacks are triggered by being home alone and driving alone. Anyone else struggle with this? I’ve been dealing with anxiety for over 10 years and sometimes I get it randomly, but it’s more so caused by being home alone and driving alone. I panic when I am and have to have someone come over or come get me. Looking for people who can relate and what helped you

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Pitbullloverx1 profile image
Pitbullloverx1
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15 Replies
EndUser13 profile image
EndUser13

Welcome to the forum 🙂

I stopped driving shortly after I started having panic attacks because I felt it was unsafe to me and others on the road. I've always had a strange sort of phobia about cars in general, so I can relate with that.

Pitbullloverx1 profile image
Pitbullloverx1 in reply toEndUser13

do you still struggle with it?

EndUser13 profile image
EndUser13 in reply toPitbullloverx1

Every time I get in a car! I have accepted that it is something I may never shake, but I still make an effort :)

Pitbullloverx1 profile image
Pitbullloverx1 in reply toEndUser13

I struggle to put myself in those situations to work through them

Doglover51 profile image
Doglover51

I understand your driving anxiety. I have recently been getting driving anxiety. I find talking to myself helps!

Dell12345 profile image
Dell12345

Hi, I totally understand, anxiety sucks, know that it will get better though. I thought it never would, but with the right medication, and slow exposure it does get much better x

Pitbullloverx1 profile image
Pitbullloverx1 in reply toDell12345

yeah I think I also need to find the right medication for myself as well. I’ve been on ssri but was suggested that I try snri. I just hate switching meds as that causes anxiety too and if I will have a negative reaction to it

Dell12345 profile image
Dell12345 in reply toPitbullloverx1

Yeah switching is really rubbish. I'm on an SNRI, venlafaxine, seems to work well for me. I've tried a few different ones and had some weird side effects but they weren't bad and stopped as soon as I reduced the dose or stopped taking the medication. Don't be worried about trying a new medication (easy to say I know) 🙂 x

Pitbullloverx1 profile image
Pitbullloverx1 in reply toDell12345

yeah it was suggested I try and snri as that may be better than an ssri

designguy profile image
designguy

I suggest you check out the DARE Anxiety book and youtube videos for how to deal with anxiety and heal. They even have a video about driving anxiety and how to overcome it.

Montana136 profile image
Montana136

Hi Pitbull lover. I relate to you I have anxiety being alone in my house sometimes I've had to rush out the front door to look and see that they're really exists a community out there. I spend a lot of time isolating because of depression and anxiety and I can tell you it is not a good coping mechanism to isolate yourself. A year ago I could not go to the store grocery store pharmacy Home Depot alone. I had to have a companion. I did eventually one day not have someone to go with me and I went alone. It was difficult I found it hard but I did my task and came home as fast as possible. Just so happens that in doing that and then having to do it a couple more times is what kind of initiated my reemergence into trying not to isolate myself so much. It takes a long time it's a hard process I just kept breathing calmly silently reassuring myself sometimes taking Xanax which was prescribed to me. And sometimes even just accepting the anxiety and going through it helped. There are a lot of techniques. I relate I've been there and I've gotten better a little by little and still getting better. You can do it too always around if you need to talk to me. Take care of yourself hope something I said was helpful to you being in this community has been a great benefit to me the last month and a half. I hope you find relief take care of yourself be well. ❤️🌈🌻✌️

Pitbullloverx1 profile image
Pitbullloverx1 in reply toMontana136

thank you so much. It’s nice to find others who can relate. I have family who live 7 houses down from me and if they aren’t home I go into a panic and it’s so scary for me to just sit there with those feelings so I call someone to get me.

Good_for_us profile image
Good_for_us

Hi there, sorry to hear you have this. I deal with the same thing, and for even longer- like 20 years. I can drive to work, basic everyday stuff, but not on freeways (unless someone is with me). I need to have my cellphone with me or I can’t go, because calling someone (if necessary) helps me to calm down and not get a major panic attack. I don’t really have issues when I am home. This is PTSD, years after I was in a very traumatic car accident. I’ve tried tons of different therapies. I don’t want to take any benzos - I already take too many rx’s, like for depression, and also, don’t want to take anything that will impair my driving, especially after what I’ve been thru.

It does help some to distract myself with other thoughts, and try to notice things with my senses when I’m driving, so that I feel ‘in my body’ and not feel those ‘out of body’ sensations that can lead to anxiety, then panic. Wishing you all the luck in getting better! 💗

Pitbullloverx1 profile image
Pitbullloverx1

amen to that. I know I couldn’t have gotten this far without God. The devil has such a strong hold on me with this. I e been battling to overcome this so so long

Pitbullloverx1 profile image
Pitbullloverx1

yes it is. I can’t, but God can. It’s been really really hard though.

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