I have heard that fear of driving, flying, etc. can be cured through hypnotisim. (sp?) You may want to check in to that.

Good luck.

I am able to drive but I live in a very small town. I noticed driving on the freeway or in unfamiliar territory is a trigger for me and I believe it is because I have trouble focusing on everything around me at once. As a survivor with PTSD I feel panicked if I don't know what's going on at all times since I am always looking out for things around me. This is called hypervigilance and is a symptom of PTSD. I think driving just screws with us cause we can't focus on everything all at once and operate a large machine like that.

I have complex PTSD and have no problem driving. It just depends what caused your PTSD. I have been in accidents before (not as the driver but as the passenger) and some really close calls where I could have died and the car nearly rolled over due to someone coming in our oncoming lane to pass another vehicle but not passing and coming straight at us until we had to drive into the ditch and jumped over a drainage canal to avoid a head on collision. But I have absolutely no fear of driving. I've driven across country alone several times. I love to go driving and listening to music.

I do have a fear of flying and will be flying in 2 months (to Europe - long flight). It will be my first time flying in over 15 yrs. I have no idea what caused this fear, probably watching a movie or something about a plane accident as a kid. I used to fly all over as we moved all over the world growing up. My dad had a pilots license and we had a small Cessna airplane at one point. I used to go up flying w/ my dad and take over the controls. But then suddenly one day I was afraid of flying. But I'm going to London and Paris in 2 months and I looked into taking the Queen Mary 2 but it was 8 days ONE WAY! So I don't have enough vacation time for that. So flying it is.

I know that exposure therapy works for fears like driving and flying. You might want to look for a therapist who can do this.

I've had my driver's licence since I was 18. Before my traumatic event in 1999, I drove all over the place. I was only afraid when weather conditions were really bad. Since the trauma, I was nervous driving, but I lived in places where the traffic was never too bad.
I had a bad accident in 2004. I fell asleep at the wheel on the way home from work. I wasn't really hurt physically although later on my doctor thought I had suffered a concussion. I was really scared to drive after the accident. I couldn't take my hands off the wheel to turn on the heat or do anything.
I got Rocky certified as my service dog, so now he goes with me when I go anywhere.
I am glad I don't live anywhere near Atlanta. That is the worst place I have ever driven in. Don't beat yourself up for not being able to drive in Atlanta.

I'm not supposed to drive, the Dr. doesn't want me too. I do drive to the drug store -less than 3 miles and the Dr. appts. are not too far.
I have noticed that I am not as aware as I used to be. i get distracted.. this is small town that is growing but there are no bus'..

driving is one of my number one triggers, both as a passenger and a driver. i used to feel extremely unsafe in my car, constantly swerving out of the way, afraid that things on the side of the road were going to explode, or that my car itself would explode. i would drive down imaginary "center lines" as i was taught to in the military.

i eventually crashed my car due to having a hallucination/flashback so i decided to stop driving and use public transportation. as a passenger i generally white-knuckle it if i have to and suppress my natural urge to "warn" the driver of their impending doom. there are very few instances where i feel as unsafe as i do while driving or in a vehicle.

for me, driving is one of those direct triggers like a gun or a raised fist. for some people i would say it might be a trigger because it can feel like you are not in control of the situation. that is one of the things that also bothered me. it felt as if i were at the "mercy" of all the drivers around me, that i could not control their actions.

Interesting replies, everyone.

Definitely identify with the driving terrors. However, driving is not a trigger. But if I am already in a PTSD replapse/trigger or whatever we want to call it this morning, driving is impossible. If I have to get into the car and go somewhere--no public transportation or humans to help me here--I shake worse than a tree in a hurricane. It can be impossible at such times without extra medication. And then that is dangerous because the worst driving I have ever witnessed is here. UNREAL.

BTW, there is a really good book about fear of flying. That's for anyone but thought about it reading AgentSmith's reply.

I have an emergency doc appointment shortly. But I think you can look it up on Amazon or library. Author is Dr. Albert Forgione.

I knew him very well over two decades ago when I was still "normal" and safe back in Boston. He is the only good professional I have ever met in the field of mental health. I have only one copy here--otherwise, AgentSmith, would have been glad to mail you one. (Loaned my extra to someone a long time ago--never got it back.)

Okay, I now have to DRIVE to my doc's and hope will not shake too much.

Driving is highly over-rated and should be left to the professionals. With the price of gas, who cares if I never drive again?

Hi, I don't have a problem of driving. My problem is I get lost. I will be driving along and nothing seems familiar.

I do this in the daytime. I never drive anymore at night.