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10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 96

I worked a year on my driving phobia Cara, and then last week I got 2 small anxiety attacks and now I'm back to square 1 of not wanting to walk more than a block and not wanting to drive more than just in a small square around my neighbourhood. So much for the exposure therapy idea.

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11226

Great work Cara!

You are doing AMAZING!

I hope you take some time to be present to all your hard work and all the progress you have made.You deserve some celebrating. :)

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 169

Hi Ashley,

You are completely right...once you know the fear is just a fear and its all in your head, it has no hold on you. And driving has been better. I realized that all the fear I ever created was in my head...like the negative thoughts and the catastrophizing. I hope I can keep this up, also ACCEPTANCE is big thing for me. Once I accepted and fully understood what was happening I felt better. There are a few things I learnt during this setback:

1. I realized to help with not being afraid is to feel the FEAR, anxiety and panic. This helped me practice my coping skills and taught me that I was in control the whole time and the "bad" thoughts was keeping it alive.

2. I learnt that EVERY panic I ever had was brought on by my bad thinking and catastrophic thinking....IT was never real. "It was all in my head".

3. ACCEPTANCE, was the big thing for me. I finally accepted after a year of the doctors telling me I'm healthy...I finally accepted physically and mentally I am. Just thoughts have been disordered..."again it was all in my head".

ACCEPTed that I do get these attacks and their not dangerous, its my body trying to save me and my mind...and I have to turn off that alarm.

Your completely right Ashley, we will have setbacks. Although they can be a scary setback or an attack out of the blue, we all learn from that. And they more we feel it, the more we learn that its controllable.

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11226

It will get better Cara423. Anxiey is the most managable mental health issue out there. Stick with the program and stop focusing on the fear. Once the fear loses it's power it will go away. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. Fear is just a feeling and it always passes - it is uncomfortable but you are always in control.

Try thinking and doing what you used to do when you drove in addition to the exposure plan you are creating here. Play some nice music and try to focus on what you loved about driving not on the fear of a fear. Keep working at it and you will get it. We are right there with you - don't you forget that.

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 169

Hi Ashley,

I loved my drive before my panic attacks happen. I would blast my music and drive for hours with no anxiety. It all started when I started getting these panic attacks. Now when I'm driving, all I think about is what if I have another panic attack? panic attack is all thats in my head. I don't get them all the time. But for some reason driving brings them on.

I had one today and I drove through it....and managed it pretty well. But now I fear it again. I hate this feeling.

I really want to be anxious symptom free and not worry about this anxiety. How do I go about to be the care free person I was before? I feel anxious still after the attack....

Will it get worse or is this the worse it can get? Can it get better?????? I certainly hope so.

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11226

It can take time Cara. The hard work you are doing now will eventually pay off. Keep with the program and you will get there.

Have you ever drove and not been consumed with anxiety in the past? If so, this is great news! What did you do differently then? Consider the specifics - how were you able to cope then? What are you doing differently now?

Here to help :)

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 219

Cara,

I understand what you mean. Driving is a long time fear I avoided the most. If you're driving and want to scream and give up, Scream, I am doing this, smile and continue. There is no greater feeling than kicking anxiety into a far corner in your mind by kicking its butt with that statement. I know, because I've done it. It's no worse than someone who sings really loud while driving and for me it felt really good screaming it out loud.

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 169

Hi Ashley,

I love what you mentioned, how we can lead a normal life free from anxiety symptoms......This is where I want to be. How do I get there?

It feels like a struggle everyday....I'm driving everyday pushing myself to do it when inside I just want to scream and give up. Some drives are better than others, some days are better than others. but I really want to be free from anxiety symptoms and have my life back. Most of my days now I feel like I'm just living and floating in it.

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Cara

That is a very realistic starting goal. I say this because once you get there it will just continue to get better. But in fact why would being able to function not be a cure.

Far better to have to pull over than to not try. Good for you.

Why can't you forget, because it is in memory. The better question would be why go to that thought. Because you are conditioned to. It helps if you keep in mind that the past has no importance because it can't be changed but how you think about it can.

Davit

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 169

Cure to me is having the ability to manage the panic and make it go away quickly with no dwelling on the matter. Kind of like treating it like hiccups.

I managed to drive last night and this morning with no attacks. I had some nervousness and anxiety but told myself...what's the worse that can happen? I have to pull over? i've had these before I can do it again.....hopefully this works and gives me back the confidence I need back to drive.

I remember when driving used to be fun for me and now its like a scary dream....I worry about it all day if I have to drive....it really sucks.

Hopefully with constant driving I can get there....to drive with no thoughts of panic or anxiety...just drive and enjoy the drive.

Cured is where I want to be where I can treat my attacks like hiccups, use the CBT and make them go away or make them less scary. When I get there I will be very happy. Right now after an attack, I think about it for days dwelling and rethinking what happened....why can't I forget?

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