confused78
11-23-2013, 02:26 PM
Hi all,
I have found something really difficult in my relationship over the last 10 years.
The situation is now that my other half gets panic attacks along many local roads in my car and won't go on motorways at all. She will only go on A roads (single or dual carriageways) if she gets drunk first. She has resorted to drinking in order to go on holiday now and even do some local journeys. The drinking has at times been excessive as she desperately tries to block out the panic attacks.
The motorway issue seemed to occur about 4 years or so ago after we stopped at some motorway services.
Added complications include having to wait maybe 10 minutes or so before driving away and the issues are much worse after she has eaten. So for holiday journeys she has to just have light snacks, we can't eat at fast food places etc. on the way.
We can't go along a number of local roads now, having to take ridiculously long alternative routes and she has also developed a fear of bridges and tunnels. She won't go on a plane or boat either or a coach. She will go by bus or train but on a recent bus journey she panicked and had to jump off the bus.
Another way of dealing with going in the car is to listen to music through earpieces which doesn't make for much of an enjoyable journey for me either as I can't talk to her. She also can't go in other people's cars either, including family or friends or taxis. She needs to know that I will pull over if she ever needs me to, she needs to know she can stop at any time.
Originally she had OCD, she would need me to turn things off before going to bed and move things around. She would find it hard to leave shops or the house as she would have to move things around. She went and had CBT and took antidepressants for a while but then the OCD turned into panic attacks. The OCD is much less obvious as it was before.
I have many times been in the car with her and she has had the panic attacks which have included extreme cringing and convulsions, screaming and threats to jump out the car including opening the door whilst driving along.
I have requested she gets help from her local doctor but thought I'd ask on here if anyone has any ideas or similar experience?
I have found something really difficult in my relationship over the last 10 years.
The situation is now that my other half gets panic attacks along many local roads in my car and won't go on motorways at all. She will only go on A roads (single or dual carriageways) if she gets drunk first. She has resorted to drinking in order to go on holiday now and even do some local journeys. The drinking has at times been excessive as she desperately tries to block out the panic attacks.
The motorway issue seemed to occur about 4 years or so ago after we stopped at some motorway services.
Added complications include having to wait maybe 10 minutes or so before driving away and the issues are much worse after she has eaten. So for holiday journeys she has to just have light snacks, we can't eat at fast food places etc. on the way.
We can't go along a number of local roads now, having to take ridiculously long alternative routes and she has also developed a fear of bridges and tunnels. She won't go on a plane or boat either or a coach. She will go by bus or train but on a recent bus journey she panicked and had to jump off the bus.
Another way of dealing with going in the car is to listen to music through earpieces which doesn't make for much of an enjoyable journey for me either as I can't talk to her. She also can't go in other people's cars either, including family or friends or taxis. She needs to know that I will pull over if she ever needs me to, she needs to know she can stop at any time.
Originally she had OCD, she would need me to turn things off before going to bed and move things around. She would find it hard to leave shops or the house as she would have to move things around. She went and had CBT and took antidepressants for a while but then the OCD turned into panic attacks. The OCD is much less obvious as it was before.
I have many times been in the car with her and she has had the panic attacks which have included extreme cringing and convulsions, screaming and threats to jump out the car including opening the door whilst driving along.
I have requested she gets help from her local doctor but thought I'd ask on here if anyone has any ideas or similar experience?