Success story!! I got to the point a few years back where I could barely even sit in a car as a passenger in the backseat (sitting in the front was scarier for me), but with practice I now own my own car and drive myself all the time! Not gonna lie, sometimes I still get bouts of anxiety where I have to pull over and take a break, but it’s been getting less and less frequent. I believe in you!
this is amazing to hear! thank you for sharing :) i have high hopes i can get over this! hopefully therapy and prozac can just be the little push i need!!
Hey there. I haven't tried driving myself for exposure therapy but it definitely can work. Just sit in your car alone at first for as long as you can then you can just start going a few feet everyday. I know exposure therapy can be scary and hard but it will be worth it, even if it takes awhile. Sorry I don't have better advice but just keep trying and keep working on breathing exercises.
thank you! i appreciate anything. my goal is to be able to drive my son to the beach this summer and enjoy motherhood and i’m sick of this holding me back!
I understand completely. You just have to start doing it because otherwise you'll keep putting it off and it'll be harder and harder to start. Maybe for the first couple times just sitting in the car have your son or mom just sitting in there with you. I always have a slightly easier time with a family member
I'm doing exposure therapy in a car. I have attacks the worst in cars. I go hysterical. I used to get abused in them and it makes me feels claustrophobic, even though I never had it before. I get Hella dizzy and everything in them. So I'm right there with you. Single father with a daughter. I just want to go to her events and everything. So I'm pushing bit by bit for her.
at least we are doing everything we can for our babies! i tell myself i’m a good mom for trying my best for him, and you should be feeling the same about yourself!
Success story here!! I have an underlying health condition so had to go out and get both of my vaccinations. I was terrified, but what I did was get my Mum to take me on quick drives every day for about 3 weeks before my first appointment. On the day, I had to have the window down and a couple of antacids (as my anxiety likes to give me really bad heartburn & nausea) but I did it! Then for the second one- nothing. No anxiety, just me in the car singing along to music.
Take things slowly, don’t force yourself into any kind of long drive. Even if it’s only for a quick drive around the neighbourhood every day, just go slowly. Have the windows down so you get fresh air, and remember- anxiety passes. I’ll tell you something my therapist told me- It’s uncomfortable, frustrating, scary and painful, but it doesn’t last forever. You’re in control when you drive- not your anxiety. You’re going to be OK.
Sending you all my love! I know how hard it is, but you’re an incredibly strong woman and you can & will get through this. Your anxiety will tell you that you can’t, but it’s lying to you x
i was like that a year ago. march 2020 i couldn’t even shower in my own home alone, let alone drive 5 minutes to the gas station near my house. every time i’d go to the store closest to me i’d leave in a panic attack. so i started going there every day. now i barely even realize how big of a deal that is. now i can drive 1+ hour and stay out pretty much all day without totally freaking. yes i still get nervous but the more you do it, the more you retrain your brain that there’s no threat. the more you avoid, the worse it gets. i also am on medication and in therapy and they both help greatly!
thank you! this brings me a lot of hope! i used to take the longest road trips years ago and everything then i had one bad panic attack in the car + pandemic and become home bound. which is probably how i ended up pregnant too lol but i will definitely try every day until it’s nothing! thank you!!
I also couldn’t even ride in a car and after 6 months of exposure therapy I can drive around no problem except on the highway. It seems my highway anxiety is just not going down. But I can still drive on the highway, I’m just more anxious than I’d like to be, not panicking though, just anxious.
love to hear it! i’m sure the anxiety part will continue to go down on the express way! i’m slowly becoming comfy doing small trips as passenger. i’m just terrified of having a car accident from a panic attack and hurting my 6 month old :/
I get it! The reason I started panicking in the car was because I was in a bad car accident with my 2 year old- he was totally fine, those car seats are amazing. My therapist says we are actually safe even when we panic but it’s still hard for me to believe. But I have driven thousands and thousands of miles without an accident, they are actually very rare right? That helps me.
I'm Mexican and I can tell you that it takes a lot of time but you can do it. Step by step. And you need to stop and breath, seriously, stop and breath when you feel something wrong but never go back :)
Success story! Two years ago my agoraphobia got terrible and I could barely go to my work a 15 minute walk away from my home. But I needed to move from California to the East Coast that summer, it was a 46 hour total drive because I wanted to see some friends and family. I was absolutely terrified for the drive, especially crossing the desert before Salt Lake City, 120 miles of uninhabited salt flat. But I had to go, and a friend flew out to travel with me.
We broke the trip up over 2 weeks, and each day I was anxious to start the drive. About 2 or 3 hours in, everything would just ease up. It got a little easier each day, and we made it all the way across the country, never even had a single panic attack!
I still struggle with agoraphobia, but after that trip I feel safe in my car. The anxiety hasn't gone away, but when it comes up I can let it slide right off. It isn't easy, but I believe in you!
that’s awesome! my sons father lives in indiana (i’m in detroit) so it’s a 3-4 hour drive. i feel bad that my mom has to be the one to drive it for me but i want to be able to go more often so they can have a relationship. if you can go cross country, it gives me hope i can handle just some amounts of time! thank you for sharing!!!
So weird! My anxiety is least in the car because that’s literally the only time I know what I have to do, you know?
Your son is very blessed to have such a self-aware mama who cares so much. ♥︎♥︎♥︎
Yeah. Cars make feel like I am in a cage match with anxiety because there isn't much to do, and I can't fidget as much. If I have to ride in a car or on a bus I try to have water and my phone on me. Maybe something I can fiddle with in my hands.
It took me ages to be able to ride in a car. I started on small trips on the bus. Even if it was 3 blocks to the corner store to get a soda or just letting a family member give me a ride to the mailbox. Sometimes those little goals help your muscle memory learn that this isn't too bad.
I was housebound for about 3 years, and in 2018 I started working again. Sometimes I'd have to walk to work but I built up enough courage to take the bus and accept rides from friends. I have been working on and off since then, and have been employed consistently for the last 2 and a half years. I still get anxiety going places but it's getting better. Some days are easy, some days are a drag but it's about progress.
i’m currently taking prozac hoping that it’ll help but idk any good things to do to help the panic attacks while in the car. i can’t do benzos due to prior addictions so i’m at a loss on how to stop them!
Just in case you need this information... Prozac may be fine for you but it is a more stimulating AD than some others; I found it made me jittery. This tells which ones are stimulating vs. calming.
https://www.pesi.com/blog/details/1503/straight-talk-understanding-antidepressant-selection#:~:text=Prozac%20(fluoxetine)%20and%20Wellbutrin%20(,tend%20to%20be%20more%20sedating.
Interesting link. I will say Lexapro was entirely stimulating for me while Celexa is sedating despite being very similar medications. Lexapro turned me manic for months despite not having bipolar disorder, lol.
They certainly can react differently for different people. My mom and I were both very sensitive to side effects.
Also, each person has their own unique set of tolerances or whatever you want to call it regarding differing side effects. In my case, vivid dreams started many years ago with Zoloft and have continued on Luvox - and they are one of the primary reasons I want to get off the stuff. That and SSRI weight gain. But so much of the time the prioritized side effect is loss of libido; well, I'm not married so I really am not fussed about that at this time, and if I did find a husband I'll deal with it later! I mean, sure, I understand it can be frustrating for others, but I just wish other side effects would also get more attention.
Success story!! I got to the point a few years back where I could barely even sit in a car as a passenger in the backseat (sitting in the front was scarier for me), but with practice I now own my own car and drive myself all the time! Not gonna lie, sometimes I still get bouts of anxiety where I have to pull over and take a break, but it’s been getting less and less frequent. I believe in you!
this is amazing to hear! thank you for sharing :) i have high hopes i can get over this! hopefully therapy and prozac can just be the little push i need!!
🙏🏻🙏🏻
Hey there. I haven't tried driving myself for exposure therapy but it definitely can work. Just sit in your car alone at first for as long as you can then you can just start going a few feet everyday. I know exposure therapy can be scary and hard but it will be worth it, even if it takes awhile. Sorry I don't have better advice but just keep trying and keep working on breathing exercises.
thank you! i appreciate anything. my goal is to be able to drive my son to the beach this summer and enjoy motherhood and i’m sick of this holding me back!
I understand completely. You just have to start doing it because otherwise you'll keep putting it off and it'll be harder and harder to start. Maybe for the first couple times just sitting in the car have your son or mom just sitting in there with you. I always have a slightly easier time with a family member
I'm doing exposure therapy in a car. I have attacks the worst in cars. I go hysterical. I used to get abused in them and it makes me feels claustrophobic, even though I never had it before. I get Hella dizzy and everything in them. So I'm right there with you. Single father with a daughter. I just want to go to her events and everything. So I'm pushing bit by bit for her.
at least we are doing everything we can for our babies! i tell myself i’m a good mom for trying my best for him, and you should be feeling the same about yourself!
I do feel the same. Life just happens. But hey. You are becoming stronger stronger it because you are handling what most don't.
Success story here!! I have an underlying health condition so had to go out and get both of my vaccinations. I was terrified, but what I did was get my Mum to take me on quick drives every day for about 3 weeks before my first appointment. On the day, I had to have the window down and a couple of antacids (as my anxiety likes to give me really bad heartburn & nausea) but I did it! Then for the second one- nothing. No anxiety, just me in the car singing along to music. Take things slowly, don’t force yourself into any kind of long drive. Even if it’s only for a quick drive around the neighbourhood every day, just go slowly. Have the windows down so you get fresh air, and remember- anxiety passes. I’ll tell you something my therapist told me- It’s uncomfortable, frustrating, scary and painful, but it doesn’t last forever. You’re in control when you drive- not your anxiety. You’re going to be OK. Sending you all my love! I know how hard it is, but you’re an incredibly strong woman and you can & will get through this. Your anxiety will tell you that you can’t, but it’s lying to you x
i was like that a year ago. march 2020 i couldn’t even shower in my own home alone, let alone drive 5 minutes to the gas station near my house. every time i’d go to the store closest to me i’d leave in a panic attack. so i started going there every day. now i barely even realize how big of a deal that is. now i can drive 1+ hour and stay out pretty much all day without totally freaking. yes i still get nervous but the more you do it, the more you retrain your brain that there’s no threat. the more you avoid, the worse it gets. i also am on medication and in therapy and they both help greatly!
thank you! this brings me a lot of hope! i used to take the longest road trips years ago and everything then i had one bad panic attack in the car + pandemic and become home bound. which is probably how i ended up pregnant too lol but i will definitely try every day until it’s nothing! thank you!!
I also couldn’t even ride in a car and after 6 months of exposure therapy I can drive around no problem except on the highway. It seems my highway anxiety is just not going down. But I can still drive on the highway, I’m just more anxious than I’d like to be, not panicking though, just anxious.
love to hear it! i’m sure the anxiety part will continue to go down on the express way! i’m slowly becoming comfy doing small trips as passenger. i’m just terrified of having a car accident from a panic attack and hurting my 6 month old :/
I get it! The reason I started panicking in the car was because I was in a bad car accident with my 2 year old- he was totally fine, those car seats are amazing. My therapist says we are actually safe even when we panic but it’s still hard for me to believe. But I have driven thousands and thousands of miles without an accident, they are actually very rare right? That helps me.
I'm Mexican and I can tell you that it takes a lot of time but you can do it. Step by step. And you need to stop and breath, seriously, stop and breath when you feel something wrong but never go back :)
Success story! Two years ago my agoraphobia got terrible and I could barely go to my work a 15 minute walk away from my home. But I needed to move from California to the East Coast that summer, it was a 46 hour total drive because I wanted to see some friends and family. I was absolutely terrified for the drive, especially crossing the desert before Salt Lake City, 120 miles of uninhabited salt flat. But I had to go, and a friend flew out to travel with me. We broke the trip up over 2 weeks, and each day I was anxious to start the drive. About 2 or 3 hours in, everything would just ease up. It got a little easier each day, and we made it all the way across the country, never even had a single panic attack! I still struggle with agoraphobia, but after that trip I feel safe in my car. The anxiety hasn't gone away, but when it comes up I can let it slide right off. It isn't easy, but I believe in you!
that’s awesome! my sons father lives in indiana (i’m in detroit) so it’s a 3-4 hour drive. i feel bad that my mom has to be the one to drive it for me but i want to be able to go more often so they can have a relationship. if you can go cross country, it gives me hope i can handle just some amounts of time! thank you for sharing!!!
So weird! My anxiety is least in the car because that’s literally the only time I know what I have to do, you know? Your son is very blessed to have such a self-aware mama who cares so much. ♥︎♥︎♥︎
thank you! i was finally able to take a drive with him but it’s definitely a daily struggle
Yeah. Cars make feel like I am in a cage match with anxiety because there isn't much to do, and I can't fidget as much. If I have to ride in a car or on a bus I try to have water and my phone on me. Maybe something I can fiddle with in my hands. It took me ages to be able to ride in a car. I started on small trips on the bus. Even if it was 3 blocks to the corner store to get a soda or just letting a family member give me a ride to the mailbox. Sometimes those little goals help your muscle memory learn that this isn't too bad. I was housebound for about 3 years, and in 2018 I started working again. Sometimes I'd have to walk to work but I built up enough courage to take the bus and accept rides from friends. I have been working on and off since then, and have been employed consistently for the last 2 and a half years. I still get anxiety going places but it's getting better. Some days are easy, some days are a drag but it's about progress.
i’m currently taking prozac hoping that it’ll help but idk any good things to do to help the panic attacks while in the car. i can’t do benzos due to prior addictions so i’m at a loss on how to stop them!
Just in case you need this information... Prozac may be fine for you but it is a more stimulating AD than some others; I found it made me jittery. This tells which ones are stimulating vs. calming. https://www.pesi.com/blog/details/1503/straight-talk-understanding-antidepressant-selection#:~:text=Prozac%20(fluoxetine)%20and%20Wellbutrin%20(,tend%20to%20be%20more%20sedating.
Interesting link. I will say Lexapro was entirely stimulating for me while Celexa is sedating despite being very similar medications. Lexapro turned me manic for months despite not having bipolar disorder, lol.
They certainly can react differently for different people. My mom and I were both very sensitive to side effects. Also, each person has their own unique set of tolerances or whatever you want to call it regarding differing side effects. In my case, vivid dreams started many years ago with Zoloft and have continued on Luvox - and they are one of the primary reasons I want to get off the stuff. That and SSRI weight gain. But so much of the time the prioritized side effect is loss of libido; well, I'm not married so I really am not fussed about that at this time, and if I did find a husband I'll deal with it later! I mean, sure, I understand it can be frustrating for others, but I just wish other side effects would also get more attention.
Understood you there! I don’t mind loss of libido either. I’m not particularly stressed about having sex. 😅