Hi Margaret: Driving by itself is a toughie for sure, never mind highway driving. I started with baby steps....driving around the block...making my comfort zone larger. Once I could drive around the block with no discomfort, I practised driving through downtown (that was very hard for me). I choose times when I knew it wouldn't be busy on the streets, evening or early morning on the weekend etc. Later when I began driving to work and back, some of the roads I took had speeds up to 80 km, it took me quite awhile to get comfortable with that. Once that got comfortable I was ready to try short trips out of the city, usually I had a friend accompany me..until I got comfortable with the highway speeds. What also helped motivate me to do this was necessity...I had to have a reason to push myself out of my comfort zone...like I mentioned earlier...going to work by bus would have taken me 2 hours, driving it was 35 minutes. A huge difference and more time to get ready and sleep. When I first started driving the biggest help was listening to my relaxation tapes as I drove, and practising my deep breathing to relax myself. I became very aware of where I was tense and forced myself to loosen that area of my body. I hope this was helpful. Fiestyfem

how long did it take to get to the point of driving on the freeway, I don't even know how to begin. I just can't imagine ever conquering this.

A gold star for you! As you say, there is no miracle cure, just persistent pushing forward. Well done.

Top work Fiestyfem! Baby steps as u say. The sooner u face your fear the sooner it will go away. Well done!

I still have a hard time with highway driving as well but I can do it...if I'm motivated enough...like for a job interview in a city, 1 hour and 1/2 away. Or going to pick up a boyfriend in a city 2 hours away. I took my cell phone, self help tapes and music tapes and really practised self talk. I told myself that driving down a divided highway was safer then the city. I tried to figure out what exactly I was scared of...open spaces, long distances with no signs of civilizaiton on the side of the road...I wasn't sure. I reassured myself with the fact that other people were on the road with me so I wasn't as alone as I felt. I did feel anxiety at the start of the trip but got calm as the trip progressed. Going ahead of time with a friend and seeing exactly where to turn off to get into the city, finding the place I was being interviewed at and where to park, then after how to get out of the city to come back home...all that really helped. I also drove one of the ways there with my friend...for the job interview trip. I couldn't find a soul to do the drive out with me on the day of the interview so I had to do it alone and I was tired of letting my fear dictate what I could or couldn't do so I did it. I feel more confidence each time I challenge my fear and I win...even if I did feel anxious or have heart palpitations while doing it..it's still a victory and if I had to do it over and over again, it would get easier. I drove home from work, in the city, through rush hour traffic, daily, it was a long 45 minute drive. FOLKS! This was after 2 car accidents with my car totalled (not my fault) and being too afraid to drive for a 7 year period. I felt being a non driver was a luxury I could no longer afford when my new job was 2 hours away by bus. Driving was the only solution and I counted myself lucky to have a car to drive, in a city where it gets to -20 and colder in the winter. I had to work financially and for my mental health...I get to depressed being at home longer then 3 months and the fear of being housebound, like I was for 9 months in the being of my battle with panic attacks, creeps in. I even had a minor car accident over that year and 8 months I was doing that 45 minute drive, it was on the way home, in rush hour and it w