It is called disassociation and is one of the symptoms we all share. It happens with time in a sense. You are not present any more either because your thoughts have drawn you in. You have engaged the thoughts and you have lost touch with current reality.

To come back watch something closely. Traffic signals would be a good start. Just joking but notice the layers of sound around you. Turn the stereo on so loud it makes you be present. It works.

If you come back to the present moment disassociation can not happen there.

Hope that helps

Heck I remember how that felt not so long ago. One anxiety attack in a left hand turn lane in an intersection had me mapping my destination so I could do all right turns...yes, it can be done! ha.And did you know it IS possible to clean out your glove box at a stop light???And if p[ossible, I'd charge right on thru those "orange" lights just to keep from being stuck on red. I was a basket case, to say the least. I did the pull overs on the freeway, the turn back around, "who needs groceries" thing. Can you believe I used to take my dog on short jaunts, like she could over the wheel??? ha.Crazy shit there!...I take antidepressants, so it's helped. Good thing because in my job I have to drive a ways. I learned breathing exercises because anxiety has ya breathing too fast. And too much oxygen will get your head in a fog, that heart pounding, that pressure in your head, etc, etc, etc. I also chew gum. For me, it's giving me a distraction, especially when I'm having to unstick it from my dental work. duh..Today, I can drive like no one's business. I know I can do my breathing exercises if necessary, pull on over the side of the road , chew my gum like a fricken cow, and I aint gonna go nutso.

believe,

I can relate! I always loved driving. I never really liked driving at night, as there are lots of deer out here, but I loved to drive. I even used to ask my hubby if I could drive all weekend to do our fun stufff and errands!

ALL of the sudden, I am scared to death to drive. I have to take a xanax before I leave to go anywhere alone. I feel like I am going to get lost, yet I have lived here 10 years. I feel scared! I even pulled over last weekend and let my hubby drive the rest of the way home!

What can we do about it? I don't know. My doc suggested that I keep driving the route that bugs me the most, but it is not helping! I already told my hubby I WILL NOT drive alone anymore unless I HAVE TO!

Hello there,
I too used to be absolutely petrified to drive however then gradually the more I did it and put on classical music and very deliberately relaxed my shoulders, the anxiety reduced. Avoidance of activities is the worst for someone who is prone to anxiety. Stay very present and focus on one thing at a time- hopefully this will help you.
I am fine driving now. Don't give up.
:)

I know the feeling I got into a mino accident and I'm not driving as much. I don't like being on the road knowing I'm surrounded my idiots it scares the shit outaa me

I recently moved to Florida from New York City after 21 years, having to get behind a wheel which I did before I moved to NYC is making me crazy. I drove the other day to a garage sale with my brother and I was ok driving around the neighborhood where the sale was but once I got back onto the main road I felt awful, I took some Propolanol which I take for anxiety at job interviews,etc. but it didn't help me at all which surprised me, I still felt out of it and dizzy and my brother had to take over. I had this problem before I moved to New York, wish they subways down here.

I can relate. It is just your brain playing tricks. You are not your brain.

I can remember getting home from work and having no idea how I got there-does that make sense? Like I did not remember the streets, or anything.

I can also remember days that I would think things like "what if a nuclear explosion took place right now while I am sitting here in my car?"

I was blessed with an active imagination. I am creative in my work and have good talent. However, it can backfire on me when I get nervous or worry about things I have no control over.

My advice is to keep driving. The more you expose yourself to your fear, even if baby steps, the less intense your fear will be and it will fade. If you make it to destination, then self talk very positively. "I did this and I can continue to do this".

i am sorry for your feeling this way. i get this too and i have not been able to drive in 7 years now. except 2 times.

I have this problem as well. How I am working on it is that I make myself drive to places that I know the way to so I don't lose the ability to go there. I don't want to let myself become phobic of these areas.

If you have become phobic to these areas due to anxiety and panic attacks that is ok. These will still good starting points to start driving again.

I know this one thing I am doing is not good for my waistline,but it is good for my driving phobia. I will stop and have a ice cream and sit in the parking lot where I have been previously uncomfortable. Or mayybe a burrito if there is a mexican restaurant that is situated in an uncomfortable area for me. Pretty soon I associate these places with comfort food and they seem more pleasant to visit.

I am overweight, but I really have not gained much weight by doing this.

I know it is silly, but I am replacing scary bad thoughts with really pleasant ones. Soon, once I practice it more, I will replace food with pleasant thoughts and imaginary sounds and warm breezes from the beakh scenes I will be able to conjure up.

this is very common in people, especially women, even if they don't have anxiety. i was terrible. meds do help, if you are on the right ones, isn't that always the answer. but i do and did take xanax before i drove on the freeway. i was so scared to do that and i was on other meds. but had to drive the free way cuz my sister quit so all of a sudden, here i am having to do the one thing i would never do, that is why i got the job. my sister drove. i know people say xanax is addicting , but i have been using them, as my mom and sister for over 20 yrs, when needed, with our reg anti-meds and others. neither of us take more now, than we have yrs. ago. there are just some things that will bother a person, or you want to make sure you have a back-up. and yes zanax is my back-up. i found out that zanax if you have anxiety , will go to the broblem. but if you use it like i know some do, for an activity drug, it is so different. i wish we could all try all the different drugs to find the right one for us, which i think there is, but are we ready to take the weight gain, labido problem or other side effects. to me and others, it isn't worth it so, we use what helps us, not like something that would make us feel great, but things in life are choices, we have to make, cuz we are the ones that have to suffer the consiquenses. my dr. knows me and we decide together what is right for me. oh i don't need zanax to drive anymore. cuz i realized i can do it. it. good luck . there is help out there for us.

Driving for me is a big deal and to think I worked 19 years as a bus driver!!!

I do not overly push myself but I will not stop, Costco is a mile away and I will drive there walk around and come home just to make my self get out.

Weird thing is that when I drive my Mom to an appointment it is easier with her in the car. Fortunately all Dr. and stores I shop at are close and I stay off the freeway if at all possible.

Baby steps for me has kept me going....and not pushing beyond what my limits were.

I like the idea of stopping for ice cream, someone else said play the music really loud, I'll try both of these.

I find that the anxiety is worse if someone else is in the car. I have no problem with driving if I'm not around other cars.

Driving is stress as it reqires the brain to make millions of new computations not required in a home.

Stress fuels anxiety so if you are on or over the threshold driving can make it worse and the faster you drive and the more traffic the more stress

i so relate to this, when i have my attacks i cant stand sitting at a red light they may only be for aw short time but wow when having an attack them red lights sure seen very long...and i have to talk myself out of the attack an know it will pass but at times i cant,

totally understand your anxieties