Is it possible to have panic attacks over driving?

[catzies]

Last September, the boss moved the company 30 miles north to be closer to his house in Santa Barbara. None of the employees live up here (we're all from Ventura County), and we all have 30-mile plus commutes now. It used to be the reverse; our commutes were less than 10 miles one way, and his was 40 miles one way. He loves it. We hate it.

I hate driving. I really really do. I dread the drive so much, I wake up tense and with headaches that never go away. I used to never have road rage; now I get it every day.

The La Conchita mudslide really exacerbated it (it's 5 minutes away to the south). The drive to and from work last Monday, the first day the freeway was open, was so bad I woke up Tuesday morning and literally could not face the drive. I called in sick rather than deal with it.

The thought of driving to work every day in non-stop, bumper-to-bumper driving makes me dizzy and nauseated, even before I leave the house.

What do I do? Please don't say, "Get a new job," because I'm already working on it.

[pk_du]

1. Yes it is......I have a relative who had to stop because of them

He is in his sixties now but he hasnt driven in over 10 years.

[catzies]

6. But what did he do at the time? Meds? Meditate? Was he working?

I'm only 42.

[pk_du]

41. He was working...is now on meds and non-working

He has pretty severe case....cannot fly either but can , at a push , go by train.

It is treatable, so do seek professional help.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Can you alter your hours to avoid peak traffic temporarily?

Can any of your work be done at home? Longer days...4 day work week?

[catzies]

7. No. I'm the office manager. Have to be here every day.

Other employees don't. Just me.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

10. OK but what about changing the hours?

at least it gets you out of the worst traffic

[catzies]

18. The traffic is mostly because of lookie-loos at the mudslide right now

As a matter of fact, yesterday, some poor woman got killed because of gawkers. She was paying attention, but the guy behind her wasn't and slammed into her and she was sandwiched between the car in front and the car behind her.

[catzies]

16. The only altering I get is that I leave the house a little later.

At least I don't have to be here at 8 am.

[northernsoul]

3. very possible

I used to have fairly minor panic attacks when driving to a job out in the hinter-suburbs. There was something about that particular route and driving conditions that really threw me for a loop. I would imagine there's help available (I'd be wary to being medicated for it, though). I've found meditation to be useful in dealing with anxiety and stress in general, myself. I hope things improve for you, it's a miserable feeling having to dread your daily commute.

[Left Is Write]

4. Yes, I think it is.

Are the attacks debilitating and/or escalating? I would probably consider talking to my doctor about them.

[catzies]

8. It never happened before.

The mudslide just escalated it.

[Left Is Write]

15. I do sympathize with you.

I had a panic attack once (not over driving; it was something else), and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. My husband gets them occasionally, and he has a prescription he takes on an as-needed basis. His started occurring just before he was diagnosed with hyperthryroidism, but they come out of the blue with little to no warning.

I hope things get better for you.

[sniffa]

5. i feeL for you

i have some suggestions

- can you carpooL? wiLL that make it worse?

- cut someone off - demonstrate your power; that you're in controL.

- breath. take deep breaths. yawn a bunch.

[catzies]

12. Can't carpool at all.

I'm the farthest away. No one else who works here even lives close to me.

And they all have small kids, which means they have to be able to leave abruptly if there's an emergency.

[catmandu57]

9. How's the mass transit there?

When I lived in los angles the bus system would take me where ever I needed to go. It may be worth looking into.
After several wrecks and close calls I don't like riding with other people, I grip the armrest and use imaginary brakes all through the ride.

[catzies]

14. Mass transit?! Ha ha ha. There isn't any here.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

11. Is moving a possiblity? n/t

[catzies]

13. Santa Barbara is the least affordable place in the country right now.

And I'm not selling my house.

I'd rather get another job closer to home anyway, so selling my house just to be closer to this damn place is out of the question.

[paula777]

17. Catzies, I have the same exact problem .... I get panic attacks while

driving and I commute from West LA to Malibu (the dreaded PCH). The only thing that works for me is xanax. I hate taking any meds of any kind, but this is dibilitating and it's either take xanax or quit work. I don't know how it works, but it does. During the rainy days last week, I made it to work every day without a panic attack, if I hadn't taken a xanax, I would have called in sick every single day that it was raining.

[catzies]

20. Oh wow, so you know exactly what I'm talking about!

:hug:

My drive is Camarillo to Carpinteria. Completely 101-dependent.

I'm sorry it's debilitating for you and that's exactly how I feel right now.

Xanax, huh? Doesn't it mess with your short-term memory?

[paula777]

25. No, it doesn't. It doesn't really seem to do anything but stop

the adrenaline rush that comes with anxiety and panic attacks. No side effects what-so ever. I even asked my doctor if they had any and he said no. Talk to your doctor.... they might work for you. Good luck and I do hope you find another job close to home). I am looking as well. Something that will keep me off of the terrifying freeways!

[Nikia]

35. Unfortunately Xanax does have side effects

My bottle even has a drowsiness/dizziness lable on it. It can mess with your mind too, which is why some people take it recreationally. It does not effect everyone the same way and some people might not have noticable side effects at a low dose. If you do get a prescription, take it for the first time when you don't be doing anything that you need to be 100% alert for. If it doesn't seem to affect you too much, practice driving around the neighborhood on it to see if it impairs your driving.
I have Xanax to take in emergencies (panic attacks) and I personally would never take it just before driving in bad traffic. It does make me sleepy and a little weird. Almost anything that can make me drowsy though does so it might not for you.
Beta blockers are also sometimes prescribed for situational anxiety. They block the action of adrenaline on your heart. They do make some people sleepy also, but it is less likely for younger people being treated for anxiety (as opposed to older people for high blood pressure). This is one of the few prescription drugs where drowsiness is a none rare side effect that doesn't make me drowsy.

[paula777]

37. Wow, it doesn't make me sleepy when I'm driving at all

It does make me sleepy if I take it at night though. Also, it has never made me dizzy either. Whew, I would be lost with out it

[msgadget]

19. I'm so sorry

Is there mass transit or someone you can ride to work with? Okay, don't smirk or snort, but have you tried sumbliminal or relaxation tapes in the car? Hey, desperate times and all that...

[Hell Hath No Fury]

21. Driving a vehicle is one of the most common phobias...

but what you express sounds less like a specific phobia and more of a very real stress response to what sounds like shit commute conditions.

Living in San Francisco, I understand completely. I cannot -- will not -- tolerate that kind of traffic, I find it a total waste of my life and unnecessary stressor. (I have had panic disorder wiyh agoraphobia for over ten years and traffic really pushes my stress buttons.)

Learning some cognitive behavioral techniques could be very helpful to you -- tools that can help you handle the commute with less stress.

If you are not careful, it could turn into a genuine phobia situation, so take care of it before it gets there.

On edit: A panic attack is a sudden increase of anxiety that peaks within ten minutes and then is relieved. You can have a series of panic attacks, one after another. Regular anxiety or high anxiety is a consistant state of anxious arousal. Anticipatory anxiety is an anxious state that you can experience in the lead-up to an event you are dreading -- kind of sounds like what you are dealing with. It's important you know the difference so you can be clear about what is going on with you.

[catzies]

22. Wow, that is very helpful. I'm going to pay close attention to what

I am going through when the feelings come up and try to get clear on what's going on.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

28. That's a great idea..

to deconstruct what you are experiencing when it is going on.

Examine what thoughts are going through your head when you are anxious. Are they overly focused on a future event? Are you anticipating how shitty the drive is going to be? Are you worried that you will get stuck in the traffic and have no way to exit?

Are you overly aware of the physical symptoms your body is going through? Does the nausea and dizziness freak you out and make you fear something worse is going to happen?

Isolating just what it is that bothers you the most will help you find the tools that will work the best.

How is your breathing? Is it rapid and shallow? Or do you breath deeply and too often? Hyperventilation can cause dizziness and tingling of your body, and can be caused by both of the breathing styles I mentioned. One of the best and easiest breathing techniques I learned was in an agoraphobia class I took. It can stop a panic attack dead or calm down anxiety within a few minutes. Practice this technique when you are NOT stressed so that it becomes totally automatic for you when you need it. Breath in normally for a slow count of three -- then breath out slowly to a count of three -- then hold your breath for a slow count of seven. This cuts the amount of carbon dioxide in your system (which increases when you breath too quickly/deeply/shallowly) and signals the parasympathetic nervous system to release calming chemicals. This really works well -- I have stopped massive panic attacks with the technique.


You may find that a combination of relaxing music, good breathing, and maybe a morning snack of an Odwalla B Monster (a smoothie with high B vitamins that actually calms you down after you drink it) may be all you need to tackle this problem. (I would certainly increase your intake of the B vitamins during this period.)

Other things you may look into are getting a regular massage, exploring hypnosis or biofeedback (great for stress), getting a relaxation tape for the car, or taking a cognitive behavior class.

[KT2000]

23. Another tip

would be to get an air cleaner to put in your car. They can be plugged into the cigarette lighter and you put it on the seat next to you so the clean air is directed at your face.

A contributing factor to stress in driving is the fact that you are breathing diesel fumes and all those things in car exhaust. Bumper to bumper traffic makes the air quality pretty awful. Some people are more sensitive than others to the effects of some of those chemicals that could include asthma symptoms, increased heart-rate, increased blood pressure etc.

It may not solve your problem but may help until you find another job or something.

PS - what a selfish boss

[catzies]

26. I'm hardly in any smog, being that I'm literally feet from the ocean.

But you do have a good point.

I have one of the most scenic drives around here, but I hardly notice it.

Santa Barbara is a very nice town, but since I hate the drive so much I never come up here on my weekends. It's the last thing I want to do.

[KT2000]

24. something else

would be to avoid using scented products such as perfumes, hair care products and air fresheners in the car. Many of these have neurotoxins in them.

This site has good infomration about what is really in those products:
http://www.fpinva.org/

[guitar man]

27. I hear ya

I have a 92 mile one-way commute. Our house is paid off and my wife works in Tulsa, so moving to Oklahoma City really isn't a good option.
I bought a car that I had wanted for a long time and really like to drive. That has made it better, but it is still a pain in the ass.

[catzies]

30. 92 MILES ONE WAY??????? I couldn't do that. 33 miles one way is bad enuf

And other Californians drive a LOT more than I do and probably think I'm a wimp.

[guitar man]

33. It really isn't that bad

all but 3.5 miles of it is a 75 mph toll road. Now, 33 miles in California, I bet that's brutal. I just spent a week out there and I don't see how anybody lives with that madhouse traffic out there.

[6th Borough]

29. Most definitely.

Sorry, I haven't read the previous responses to your question, but it is very possible. I suffer from GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) and often go into a trance-like state whilst driving.

However, the few people I know who have full-blown PAD usually have episodes wile driving. I have a family friend who needed to pull over and be rushed to a hospital as she was crossing a bridge.

(While I might not suffer from all-out panic attacks, I know how it feels; I went through a single episode while quitting Paxil...my god, it was a nightmare...good luck!)

[B Calm]

31. Try driving 3,000 mile a week. I use too, now you know why I

call myself B Calm...

[elcondor]

32. I empathize--I have the same problem

I'm only 20 but I don't think I'm ever going to be able to drive ... when I got my temps, I was just rendered incapacitated--even in an empty parking lot. I really wanted to learn (be independent and all that), but I just couldn't. I wish I could offer some advice on how to deal with it or work past it, but nothing I did helped, and I don't drive to this day. On the good side, I discovered just how wonderful riding a bike most places can be and that public transportation isn't that bad at all! ;-)

[GreenPartyVoter]

34. I fear driving so much that I never got my license *hugs*

------------------------------------
Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/

[tjdee]

36. I've been in three accidents that totalled my car each time, so yeah.

None of those times were my fault (except arguably the last. I don't feel it was.) Before I drove again, I would be *very* upset and stressed--

But each time I was driving within a day or two. Feeling stressed and upset. In my case, though, I think that's what prevented me from having that prolonged sense of dread before I get into a car. I don't like driving, but I listen to my cds and try to think about other things.

WHY do you dread driving? That may help you deal with it, if you know why you hate it so much. Is it a safety issue? An annoyance issue?

[catzies]

44. HHNF did a great job of deconstructing it upthread. It's situational

and it's in response to a sucky commute.

And in all honesty, I do not have the worst commute in California. I'd love to see a poll about that alone, sometime. So many of us. And we all drive. It's staggering.

[4_Legs_Good]

38. Where exactly is your commute?

I go from Lompoc to Goleta every day. 50 miles, and it's not bad at all. Almost no traffic. You go from Carpinteria to Goleta?

Solution is easy! Move to Lompoc!

My sister will not drive, fyi at all. It certainly is possible to have anxiety attacks from driving.

david

[catzies]

42. Een Lompoc right now is on the wrong side of a mudslide (Gaviota)

No, I come from Camarillo up to Carpinteria.

Lompoc to Goleta...you have my sympathies. :hug:

[Lisa]

39. yes

From what people have told me, it's possible to have them in just about any situation. (I had a particularly scary episode last year, and I was just sitting in an office.) My sympathies to you, because they really are awful -- rational thought just vanished when I was experiencing one.

Is there any particular time at which they start? That is, is it pretty much as soon as you get into the car, or after a few minutes of driving?

The reason I ask -- a medical researcher I know suggested that my episodes were due to lack of oxygen. I experienced dizziness, nausea, and heart-stopping fear. He believes that a lot of phobias reported these days (fear of flying, enclosed spaces, vehicles) may be based on real physiological responses to poor ventilation. And certainly, the building I was working in is notorious -- windowless offices, classrooms which are also windowless and packed with students -- and to cap it all off, they shut down the ventilation system to heat the place up faster, during the winter.

An earlier poster mentioned toxic fumes (from your vehicle or from surrounding traffic) -- this would be in a similar category. But my point is that there probably IS a real reason for it, and don't let them brush you off. I brought it up in a departmental meeting, and was greeted with stony faces (and one person suggesting I was "imagining things"). But afterwards, several people came to me in private and mentioned that they too were having problems. (Two pregnant women said that they'd had to take leaves of absence, on the advice of their physicians.) I hope that your co-workers will be gutsier and more supportive of you!

[meppie-meppie not]

40. definitely! visualization and various breathing and meditating techniques

can help.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

43. My mom suffered from them

She always let my dad do the driving, but eventually that became impractical when she got a life for herself beyond the home.

Dad made her even more nervous, as he lacked patience and tended to be verbally abusive. I gave her lessons when she was in her late 40s.
Her first lesson was spent sitting behind the wheel of the car, taking off the emergency brake, and letting the car roll forward about 3 feet. She was sweating and her heart was pounding afterward.

By the next week, she could drive in an abandoned parking lot without being afraid. Then I took her to a nearby park with one rarely travelled winding road, and she maneuvered the car slowly along the drive. It was a long, involved process, but she eventually managed to overcome her fear.