Well I definitly can relate to all of you. I am 24 with 2 children, and just got my license in Dec of last year. I can honestly say it was the hardest thing I ever did. I use to want my husband to make me drive, but he never did. It was too easy to be able to get a ride here or there and not have to worry about taking myself. Of course I had no independence at all. I would get so scared even just sitting behind the wheel, I would fantasize about driving. It seemed like driving was always on my mind, and I knew I had to just do it. I read a book that I think really helped me. I think it was called the fear of driving. Well today I drive all the time, I still get nervous and there are certain situations I try to avoid, and things I am still working on. It just feels to good to be able to take my children places alone, or go shopping alone and leave alone. You truly feel like a woman.

Oh My GAWD!!!! I just started having panic attacks while I was driving in my car about two weeks ago while I was on holidays in the mountains. My boyfriend and I drove together and when it came time for me to drive I got in and freaked out. So far it's escalated and now I am trying to avoid driving anywhere (very bad), I even missed work yesterday because I was so anxious I couldn't get into my car. I haven't found anyways of coping yet, I am just trying to push myself to go small distances and I am waiting on my referral to a new therapist...hopefully soon. I seem to be okay when I am in residential areas..but still a little on the anxious side. It seems that the highways and busy roads bother me the most. I haven't had panic attacks in years, and never while I was driving..It just started after being Paxil free for a month (i thought it was going to be okay). Right now I have to drive to work and I have been anxious since last night...I am hoping it's going to be okay on the way there.

Morgaine, Welcome to the group. I can definately say that it has and still is helping me. I dont have insurance either and I have spent a ton of money going to different doctors getting all kinds of tests and trying different meds. I can relate to your driving fear. I have missed out on alot because of being afraid to drive. Whats bad is that there's no way in the world that i'd admit that to anyone other than my husband. I have used every excuse in the book to get rides and also to just plain keep from going places. This is bad because i have 2 kids and one is a teenager not yet old enough to drive. Needless to say she wants to go alot of places. I feel terrible because sometimesI just CANT take her. I do have periods of time however when i can go almost anywhere and never think about it, and i actually enjoy myself. Want to hear something crazy? I have been off work for 2 weeks now because business has been slow. You couldn't imagine how much anxiety i have been through because of this. I have worried so much about not making money. (My husband has agreat job so we are not going to starve to death) Anyway, i got a call this evening asking me if i wanted to come back tomorrow. I was given the option because i have seniority. If i wanted some more time off they can call someone else in. NOW the thought of RETURNING to work is making me panic! What am i supposed to do?!! I feel so crazy. I guess i will panic no matter what. I hate this. Try the panic program on the left of the screen. It helps. I've been coming to this site for several months now but i just started the program a few weeks ago and i can already see that it is helping me. I didnt mean for this post to turn out so long, sorry about that. Good luck to you and keep posting here,and let us know how you are doing. you are definately not alone. Samantha ;)

Hi Morgaine I also suffer from driving related anxiety. I just got my license on may 6 (i'm 18) and I am unable to drive on the highway and have difficulty even driving the backroads to work. In fact, I'm leaving my house in the next half hour to go to work and I'm literally shaking in my shoes. What I find really helps is to do a quiet meditation in the half hour before I have to go (i'm heading off to do that right now :) ) This generally will calm my entire body down and allow my mind to settle. Anticipatory anxiety seems to be the worst about driving. I try to remember that I am always in control of my emotions (even though sometimes I feel that couldn't be ****her from the truth) and can handle any situation that arises. I also listen to a Feng shui CD in my car. It is just a CD of soft, relaxing music and I concentrate on keeping my breathing deep and regular. I roll my window down and open my sunroof and just try to focus on the breeze on my face, lifting my hair and the soft music from the speakers. Keep in mind though, DO NOT CLOSE YOUR EYES in relaxation, lol! Some days are better than others and some days I have panic attacks while driving. When that happens, i sit in my seat and allow all the feelings that come with panic attacks (eg: pounding heart, hot face, feelings of doom) to be in my body. I try and take a step back and just observe that anxiety symptoms and not freak out because of them. Remember, panic cannot hurt you or make you go crazy. Just watch the symptoms and feel them abate as you sit in your seat, not freaking out, just allowing them to come. As you do this, the feelings of doom and the NEED TO ESCAPE RIGHT NOW will gradually go away and you are left to just observe your physical symptoms which also gradually disipate. I know this is all way harder than it sounds! I know because I still have bad dreams and anxiety about driving. But I'm telling myself that one I can overcome it! Oh! I almost forgot! I just recently started playing a game with myself in the car. I try and make the small of my back so relaxed that it soaks into the seat behind me. Ok, i know it sounds weird but it works. Try and see if you can have all your muscles relaxed for as long as the drive it. Feel your neck soft and you

Does anyone have driving related panic attacks? Last Saturday, I was out with a friend and experienced an attack. I had to pull over and have someone else come drive my car back to my house. Now... needless to say, I am somewhat afraid to drive. My weekend has just ended and I'm really not looking forward to either asking for a ride (considering I look perfectly capable of driving myself) or driving and chancing another attack. Does anyone have this problem? Have you found any good ways to cope with it? I just started the Panic Program, so I am still new and fumbling here for some hope. Also.. I constantly think maybe I have a brain tumor. My whole panic disorder started with one episode of dizzines. Now I have (without insurance)gone to doctors multiple times this month.. and I'm losing all of my money and sanity (it feels like) as I go along. I now think about having an MRI, but I'm not sure what to do. Has anyone been through similar situations? Morgaine