Anixety while driving!

[MikeDewar]

Anybody else get crazy anxiety while driving? I have never been in serious accidents or think about being in one, but when I'm driving it triggers my anxiety. Especially at red lights where I feel trapped and helpless! My breathing becomes really shallow and I feel like I'm going to stop breathing and my head is spinning! Any good advice on this issue?! Thanks

[embrace123]

Yessss I have it bad while being in the passenger seat I feel close in and my breathing gets weird also . And when somebody has the heater on makes it worse.

[gaza514]

Anybody else get crazy anxiety while driving? I have never been in serious accidents or think about being in one, but when I'm driving it triggers my anxiety. Especially at red lights where I feel trapped and helpless! My breathing becomes really shallow and I feel like I'm going to stop breathing and my head is spinning! Any good advice on this issue?! Thanks

Same with me I stopped leaving altogether n it sucks

[onebreathatatime]

Anybody else get crazy anxiety while driving? I have never been in serious accidents or think about being in one, but when I'm driving it triggers my anxiety. Especially at red lights where I feel trapped and helpless! My breathing becomes really shallow and I feel like I'm going to stop breathing and my head is spinning! Any good advice on this issue?! Thanks

I am the same way... I feel better though when I am driving compared to others. When I am the passenger I start get the altered breathing and my head starts feeling really "off". It is very frustrating but I keep putting myself through it in hope's I will start to believe it's okay and nothing will happen.

[JLBnole68]

Oh heck yes. There have been times when I thought I was going to die at a red light. Or stopped in any traffic. I've actually had to pull into a parking lot, get out of the car, walk around and call someone on my cell to talk me down. It hasn't been as bad recently because I started to do a few things to relax. I usually pop in some jazz CDs, something very mellow like Miles Davis, but not so mellow I fall asleep. That would be bad. Or I listen to the local NPR station, especially if it's a talk program or news segment. They usually have very soothing radio voices. It sounds weird, but I feel like someone's in the car having a conversation and I don't feel alone. Crazy, I know. I've also found the books on CD are pretty relaxing if you have a narrator with a good voice. Nothing too suspenseful, though. The idea is to distract your anxiety by keeping your mind occupied while lowering your blood pressure. Best done with something that's soothing but not depressing. Seriously, it's helped me keep those "oh God I'm having a heart attack" thoughts from escalating. I always keep a bottle or glass of cold water in the console, too. It helps to have a cold drink when you feel the anxiety coming on. I try to keep the car at a pleasant temp as well. If it gets too hot, that can sometimes trigger that smothery feeling. Anyway, hope some of these suggestions help. They've helped me quite a bit.

[vic]

Anybody else get crazy anxiety while driving? I have never been in serious accidents or think about being in one, but when I'm driving it triggers my anxiety. Especially at red lights where I feel trapped and helpless! My breathing becomes really shallow and I feel like I'm going to stop breathing and my head is spinning! Any good advice on this issue?! Thanks I get the same and I think it's because I've had panic attacks while driving nd get scared of aving another and I tend to hold my breath too :( but I always take a bottle of water with me put sum gud tunes on or a cd by Louise hay how to heal your life a really gud buy nd cheap off ebay she's got such a lovely soothing voice too which helps calm ur nerves

[chuckie99c]

I feel the same but even worse at night. I hate night driving and as I wear glasses the glare also adds to it. I don't like driving alone either. I am the worse passenger and hold onto the belt and shout out if my partner drives too close. My partner is a driving instructor and a very good driver. I just freak out completely - not good :(

[FedUp]

I too get anxiety while driving. I am okay if someone is with me because I know that if I need them to they can take over driving for me. I hate red lights and stop signs. Seems to be the worse part of driving. I worry that I am going to pass out. Never have and probably never will but that is why I get so anxious. I talk to myself about anything. I will tell myself that the symptoms can't hurt me, I will talk about what my plans are when I get back home to my "safe place", I will tell myself a joke...anything to make it through.

[littleone123]

I Hate and I mean absolutely HATE being stuck in traffic as I can get so anxious. Also hate driving in snow. And iv come to the conclusion that it's because I'm out of control and can't escape.

But never had panic attack other than that.