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for 21 år siden 0 +0 / -0 200

Ann, I totally understand what you mean, the baby steps didn't work for me for the driving thing, as I couldn't get in the car and just drive to the end of the street and then go back home. I had to go to work and drive all night long, sometimes over 150 miles a night. This was a big problem for me, it's getting better now, I don't dread driving like I did a few weeks ago. In fact I drove for 13 hours the other day delivering stupid pizzas and only got anxy twice and it wasn't that bad. Just a couple months ago if I knew that I was scheduled for a double shift later in the week, I would panic about it the whole week, just thinking about it. Changing my thoughts and not letting them creep into my mind uncontrolled has helped me a great deal. Also started Lexapro a couple months ago and that has helped me to be able to concentrate on changing my thoughts a lot. It doesn't take all the anx away, but just enough to allow my brain to concentrate on changing the thoughts. Email me if you like lilgoatfarm@yahoo.com.

for 21 år siden 0 +0 / -0 1521

Ann, The basic idea is to keep your exposure work separate from times when you "have to" drive. So, set aside time to do exposure to the car and driving in addition to times when you "have to."

for 21 år siden 0 +0 / -0 131

Hi Melanie, Yes, I have done the Panic Program last year. I wasnt over panic attacks but was managing them the best I could. Anyway, I feel like I have gone back to the beginning again. The symptoms have come back with a vengence, and I feel like I am on that vicious circle again. What I want advise on is I have to face my fear every day due to going to work, driving, shopping etc. The panic program says that you need to break the steps down into manageable baby steps. My problem is not that I cant break them down as I have to drive to school, go to work etc. All I want to know is how do I cope with the overwhelming feelings I get when I do these things. Please dont tell me that I have to do it in baby steps as I cannot do this!

for 21 år siden 0 +0 / -0 1521

Ann, You are totally making sense! I know that I asked you in my first post, but have you tried our Panic Program? It is recommended that you take your time. However, it is up to you what speed you want to take each step. Does this help? Let me know if you need me to walk you through the program. Take care, Melanie

for 21 år siden 0 +0 / -0 131

Hi Melanie, My problem is the fact that I cannot do exposure work in baby steps as I have to face the fear straight on. I have to take the kids to school, drive to work, shopping etc. The fear does overwhelm me at times, but I cannot break the exposure into baby steps. I was just looking for advise on how I can overcome these feelings when I am out without me feeling as if I am going back to square one every time I leave the house. Sorry if I am not making sense.

for 21 år siden 0 +0 / -0 1521

Ann, Have you tried our Online Panic Program? Our program tells you to take your time as you move forward. Each session is based on the previous session, so we strongly advise that you work slowly through the program and not jump ahead. It is best to be ready to move forward. If one rushes then a set back may be the end result. Hope this helps? Melanie

for 21 år siden 0 +0 / -0 131

Hi I have just read in an book, that you should only do things in baby steps as full exposure can be so overwhelming that you feel worse than ever. Please can someone please advise me how to do this then, if I HAVE to do things which cannot be done in baby steps. Maybe someone from the support team. Thanks

for 21 år siden 0 +0 / -0 30

Ann and Hopeful I have the fear of the fear whilst highway driving as well. Oh boy, don't let me see the road winding ahead, then I think: "I'll get so scared when I get there and I will feel so trapped and it will cause me to hit on the breaks and that unsettled feeling of unreality, being numb and tingling hands will take possession of me." Until over a year ago, i loved driving too. It was a matter of :"get in the car, go from point A to B and back, no matter what the road was like, whether I've driven it before or not" Now it is a completely different story, it now is: "going from A to B, so many bumps in the road, might get trucks, fso many downhills, oh I'll get scared here and there etc..." However, challenging my thoughts does help. In the beginning I did not notice the difference, but as time went on (I've just completed week 6 of the programme) I found it easier to challenge the thoughts. Of course I still avoid in certain situations, but it helps. The hardest thing to accept is the fact that it will not be the same again. I just cling to the hope beating this disease. Someone posted a note the other day saying that anxiety, the illness should not be entertained with compassion. And that is my new motto. It is a destructive monster which took away my freedom, therefore I will fight it back and regain my independence - ie driving from A to B without thinking about the bumps and feelings. Let's work together on fighting the fear of the fear ;o))

for 21 år siden 0 +0 / -0 131

Hi Hopeful. I fear the fear as well. What is so annoying is the fact that I used to love driving. Just jumping into the car and off I'd go. Not a care in the world. Now I dread it. I keep at it though, because if I avoid it, then it is beating me. Thank you so much for the tips and advice. It is nice to know that I am not alone. Take care and once again thank you.

for 21 år siden 0 +0 / -0 200

I know what you mean, you're not sounding garbled at all! My current fear is of driving also, and since I have to drive 600 miles a week at my job, I can't take the baby steps either! I've got to do it! The thing that has helped me the most is trying to change my thoughts. That's really been hard for me and I've had to work at it, but really it is the way out of this. Logically I can tell myself that I drive thousands of miles and I don't have a panic attack. What bothers me the most is thinking that I will be afraid while driving. I'm fearing a feeling! How stupid! I'm afraid that I will be afraid! I'm not scared of crashing or anything like that, I'm just afraid of the fear I might feel! When I say it like that to myself, it sounds so dumb, that I can almost laugh about it. When I start to be afraid while driving I do anything to change that thought. Change the radio station, move around in my seat, memorize license plates, try to guess the make and model of the cars coming at you, look at a house and try to imagine the people who live there and what they are doing. Anything to occupy your mind. Sing out loud! Put a big stupid smile on your face and make the other drivers wonder what you are smiling about. It's hard to be afraid when you are making a huge smile, try it! Remember that panic will try to get to us with the things that we can't avoid, like driving. It's not going to try and scare you with something that you can get around, it's going to hit you with something that you have to do. Why should it make you afraid of hieghts, which you don't have to do everyday when it can get into your daily life so much easier with a fear of driving? I hope this helps you in some way, just wanted you to know that I understand this problem all too well!

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exposure work