Anxiety around driving

[Dannysbabe]

Does anyone else on here who drives get anxious before and or while driving? I have by some miracle got myself a boyfriend but he lives a forty minute drive away, he mostly comes over to mine but the last couple of times I've been due to go to his I've had such bad anxiety its given me a bad stomach and I've needed the loo etc (sorry). I was going to go over his this afternoon and I took two Immodium several hours before I was due to leave but I still got a bit of an attack, so he's coming over here later. Thankfully he is understanding but I don't want this to continue and I certainly don't want to risk losing him over something like this. Has anyone had a problem with driving but overcome it? If so, how? I'm not on any medication for anxiety but think I need something but don't know what, help!

[Paul180884]

I pushed myself to meet my ex at a services, was the first difficult place i had to drive because i had to drive through Liverpool to get there, once i did it i didn't find it a problem.

I think i was more nervous about meeting her, so the driving took second place. After that i could drive all the way to leeds which is about 70 miles no problem.

[Rocket Spud]

I've never had trouble driving. Even at high anxiety levels i.e. After a alcohol soaked weekend, driving back south (south) from Manchester (the first weekend after passing)

Have you had any bad experiences? Maybe it's that you don't drive that often. If thats the case just get out there and practise and you'll soon lose that anxiety. Make light of it and suggest that you meet at some romantic place.. a mcdonald's perhaps.. and drive back with him.

Drive carefully. Know where your going/prepare. Don't ever be intimidated by the impatient arsehole behind you if you need to slow down and consider your next move. Don't be afraid to pull into somewhere to rest/recoup your composure.

Your in control. If your weren't you wouldn't have been granted a licence

[Dannysbabe]

Thanks for the replies. Its funny because when I first started driving I loved it and did for about ten years, but then I had a break of about three years and when I went back to driving again I found that I had lost my confidence really. I'm usually ok just pootling around my home town if I have someone with me but anything more than that is very anxiety provoking. I explained to my boyfriend and he's been brilliant about it, he understands as apparently he had similar problems in the past, so no worries about him leaving me because of this. I have driven to his house twice already I think without quite so much trouble as this, so its odd it should start now. I am also doing regular relaxation exercises to try and keep me calm in general in the hope it will help in this situation too.

Its very annoying though as its just another restriction that anxiety is placing on my life I did recently find a packet of beta blockers that were prescribed for me some years ago, so I'll try one tomorrow when I don't have to go out and see if I get any bad reaction (I think that maybe why I stopped taking them).

[Last Chance Undies]

Originally Posted by Rocket Spud

I've never had trouble driving. Even at high anxiety levels i.e. After a alcohol soaked weekend, driving back south (south) from Manchester (the first weekend after passing)

I'd have left that bit out Spud...

[Ubyse]

Originally Posted by Dannysbabe

I did recently find a packet of beta blockers that were prescribed for me some years ago, so I'll try one tomorrow when I don't have to go out and see if I get any bad reaction (I think that maybe why I stopped taking them).

I'm not a Dr, but taking medication that has been laying around for years doesn't seem like the best idea to me.

[Last Chance Undies]

Originally Posted by Ubyse

I'm not a Dr, but taking medication that has been laying around for years doesn't seem like the best idea to me.

No because after the expiry date..

1. They may no longer be SAFE.
2. They may no longer be effective.

Bad idea to be taking these. You shouldn't keep these in the house. Take them to a chemist who will get rid of them for you.

[Rocket Spud]

Originally Posted by Last Chance Undies

I'd have left that bit out Spud...

..... .. what did i say ??

.. Back to the topic.. (just assuming that he lives with others) Has this anything to do with meeting other people??

[Dannysbabe]

Originally Posted by Ubyse

I'm not a Dr, but taking medication that has been laying around for years doesn't seem like the best idea to me.

That's what I originally thought but I asked my GP and she said it was ok!

He lives on his own so thats not a problem, it really is the driving I'm afraid

[socialanxietyjohn]

Originally Posted by Rocket Spud

I've never had trouble driving. Even at high anxiety levels i.e. After a alcohol soaked weekend, driving back south (south) from Manchester (the first weekend after passing)

Have you had any bad experiences? Maybe it's that you don't drive that often. If thats the case just get out there and practise and you'll soon lose that anxiety. Make light of it and suggest that you meet at some romantic place.. a mcdonald's perhaps.. and drive back with him.

Drive carefully. Know where your going/prepare. Don't ever be intimidated by the impatient arsehole behind you if you need to slow down and consider your next move. Don't be afraid to pull into somewhere to rest/recoup your composure.

Your in control. If your weren't you wouldn't have been granted a licence

He's obsessed with drink driving

[Rocket Spud]

Originally Posted by socialanxietyjohn

He's obsessed with drink driving

Leave it, mate. I was refering to the drive home the morning after i.e. driving with a hangover

[Ubyse]

Below is a rough guide to MORNING AFTER DRINK DRIVING.
4% beers and ciders - average strength beers and ciders are two-hour pints. Each pint takes at least two hours to leave your blood stream from when you stop drinking.5.5% beers and ciders - stronger beers and ciders are three-hour pints.

If you drink four pints of strong lager you should not drive for at least 13 hours from finishing your last pint. If you finish at midnight, you probably aren't safe until after 1pm the next day. It doesn't matter what mixer you use. The alcohol takes the same amount of time to leave your system whether your vodka's just on ice or in a large glass of orange juice. Pub measures vary - 25ml (one unit) used to be standard, but 35ml is now more common. A 25ml shot - is a one-hour drink. ***8232; A 35ml shot - is a one and a half-hour drink. ***8232;A 70ml double - is a three-hour drink.If you are pouring spirits yourself, you'll probably pour generous doubles, triples or more. Take this into account when calculating your hours.
Drink four 70ml doubles and you should not drive for 13 hours - that's 1pm the next day if you drank your last double at midnight. 250ml - 330ml bottles of 5.5% beer - bottles of this size and strength are two-hour bottles. Large 550ml bottles of beer - are three-hour bottles. 275ml - 330ml alcopops - are a two-hour drink.
Drink five large bottles of beer and you should not drive for at least 16 hours. That's 4pm the following day if you finish drinking at midnight. There are several different wine glass sizes and wine comes in different strengths - from 12%-15%. A 250ml glass of 15% wine - is a four-hour drink.Drink a bottle of 15% wine - just three 250ml glasses - and you can't drive for 13 hours - 1pm the next day if you finish at midnight.
Men v. Women - it takes exactly the same amount of time for women to lose alcohol from their blood stream as men. Their livers work at the same speed.
3%-4% cans - are a two-hour drink.5%-5.5% cans - are a two and a half-hour drink.
Super strength cans - can be a whopping 7.5% or even up to 9%. A 7.5% can is a three and a half-hour drink. A 9% can is a four-hour drink.Drink five super-strength cans and you should not drive for about 21 hours - almost a full day later.

http://www.thestepasideconsultancy.c...k-driving.html