Driving anxiety..

[Aperture]

Hey guys! I'm new to the forum, but I worry about something or other ever second of the day.

I haven't been to the doctors yet, I don't know what to say without being looked at strangely or mocked...

Anyway, I got my licence nearly two years ago, in October 2013. I only recently saved up the money to buy a car, and after having the initial anxiety about crashing and accidents, it's now leaned over to getting caught speeding or going through red lights...

I drove quite a distance today, to my nearest city and back, picked up a few friends etc. I was made aware of the existence of red light cameras on the way back home, as I saw the first one ever on my local main road. However, this has made me constantly worry about the fact that I may have been caught, and racked up enough points on my licence to get it revoked... Meaning I would lose my job. I've spent the evening now frantically Googling to find an answer, and crying into my pillow uncontrollably with my fiancé telling me I shouldn't worry!

Anyone else been in this situation?!

[JohnC]

Hi Aperture, welcome to the forum. You are just having some mild anxiety symptoms although they may not seem mild to you now. If you do go to the doctor just tell him/her what you just put in your post i guarantee you it won't be the first time he /she has had an anxiety case. Good luck

[anxietyauntie]

Hi Aperture,
I agree with John - if you do go to a dr, just explain it exactly as you did here. The chance of them not having had an anxiety case previously is incredibly low!
And remember, if they don't believe you, look at you strangely or mock you then you need a new doctor. They are there for you, not the other way around :)
Good Luck!

[av1988]

Hey guys! I'm new to the forum, but I worry about something or other ever second of the day.

I haven't been to the doctors yet, I don't know what to say without being looked at strangely or mocked...

Anyway, I got my licence nearly two years ago, in October 2013. I only recently saved up the money to buy a car, and after having the initial anxiety about crashing and accidents, it's now leaned over to getting caught speeding or going through red lights...

I drove quite a distance today, to my nearest city and back, picked up a few friends etc. I was made aware of the existence of red light cameras on the way back home, as I saw the first one ever on my local main road. However, this has made me constantly worry about the fact that I may have been caught, and racked up enough points on my licence to get it revoked... Meaning I would lose my job. I've spent the evening now frantically Googling to find an answer, and crying into my pillow uncontrollably with my fiancé telling me I shouldn't worry!

Anyone else been in this situation?!

I have that too. It's not crazy. When I told my doctor this, the way you did, he laughed and said "you think you're the only one?". He gave me long term and short term meds to help. The short term ones are "back pocket pills", like Xanax. In case I have a sudden panic attack. The long term pills help adjust my mind so I don't worry so much .

[bizcoach]

Please seek treatment. Driving is one of my great loves and is an anxiety release for me. Don't let one of our liberating pleasures slip away due to anxiety.
Paul
Ps I am heading out in my LOTUS sports car now to relieve some of the weeks stress.

[FrightenedDaisy]

I have been driving for twenty years! Literally. For my 9th birthday
I got a pickup truck. Recently, I have developed a crippling anxiety reaction to driving. This is so extremely frustrating for me. Not only because I've been driving forever but because driving used to be something I did to release stress thereby reducing my overall anxiety symptoms. It's gotten to such a point where even in the tiny town I live in, I can't drive without my fiancée with me and even then I'm pulling over often to let attacks run their course. He doesn't have a license so not driving isn't an option and knowing (or believing??) that he's only with me to see me back to some semblance of metal health doesn't help.

I know it's a crazy thought but I can't help thinking that my anxiety has outsmarted me and is now sabotaging the thing that kept it at bay!

Before this got so bad, I used to look at things while I was driving and mentally calculate my odds of surviving the crash. Like "if I went in that ditch I would hit that tree maybe roll probably die but my kids would live."

I HATE my defective brain!

[djluniz]

Next time don't have those pessimistic thoughts. Think positive and don't speed or run red lights. If it's your job, then why is this barely getting to you?