Do you like to drive? Do you suffer from panic attacks? Do you want to stop panic attacks while driving? Thinking about it is your greatest problem.
You see if you continually focus on what may happen if you get a panic attack while driving you only provide fuel to your fears. Know that what you dread usually never happens at all. Driving is hard enough without worrying about something that may never happen.
Why Do You Fear A Panic Attack May Happen?
A panic attack can happen at any time. However, if you are always thinking about it, you will make the symptoms worse. You are keeping yourself anxious and fearful waiting for the worst to happen. You know that it is not a physical disease even if you find the physical symptoms distressing. It is an anxiety problem, and you can learn to control your thoughts.
Without treatment, your thoughts will accelerate out of control leading to a panic attack. It is like a self-fulfilling prophecy. So see a doctor, rule out any medical problems and get a diagnosis to see if there is a mental disorder. Always fearing a panic attack is not normal and can be stopped.
What Can You Do To Stop Panic Attacks?
You need to change your way of thinking. Easier said than done I know. The best thing is to control your breathing. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. It will be hard to do at first so practice this when you are calm. Make it a daily habit. Bad breathing can increase anxiety and stress levels.
Shallow, irregular breathing makes you tense and leads to a lack of oxygen in your body. You may have been doing it for years and not noticed. Start at home when you feel relaxed and make meditation a part of your life. You don’t want to add to the stress of driving, and it will take some time for you to get good at it.
Stop Fearing The Worst
Driving is stressful today. Motorways and Highways are jammed with traffic. Couple that with the bad and dangerous drivers and no wonder you feel panicked. However, we need a certain amount of stress to function well. Remember when you sat your driving test? I bet you were nervous, but that increased tension made you focus better during your test. And you did pass it and congratulated yourself for doing so.
So a little bit of anxiety is good. But if you worry and fear about situations that may never happen, that is not so good. There is no immediate cure for this but use the many relaxation techniques available to you on a daily basis. Make it a way of life for you.
Program your mind to expect the best always. You can do it, after all, you are an expert at fearing the worst. When you are driving, keep a little smile even if you have to force it. It is one of the best tips to reduce tension, and you won’t feel as stressed.
Fear of driving will lead to panic attack symptoms like a tight chest or pounding heart, so make sure to stay calm and practice deep breathing exercises.
Signs Of Panic Attack Symptoms While Driving
Panic attacks have many different symptoms, but most people experience the following:
- a feeling of impending doom and dread
- feelings of being unable to breathe
- tingling sensations
- heart racing
- sweating
- feeling faint
- nausea
- numbness and tingling
- dizziness
- trembling
- chest pain
- feeling like your heart is going to burst
- feeling shaky or shaky
Do Not Fool Yourself
Lots of people have a panic disorder; you are not alone. But you need to face it head-on. Do not use excuses and avoid driving in case you might damage your car. That is foolish, but people fear an attack while driving so much that they will do anything to avoid the experience. Is it dangerous to drive? Anything in life can be dangerous if you look for it. Sure anything can happen, and it does, but you have to look at it in perspective.
Things do go wrong but is there anywhere that is actually safe? If you worry about it and want to stop panic attacks while driving, then don’t drive. But that is extreme. You limit yourself, and the fear remains anyway. What is the worst that can happen? You get a panic attack while driving. So what. Say that out loud to yourself. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Find a safe place to pull in if you have to but don’t let the fear of having an attack stop you from driving.
Are Panic Attacks Common While Driving?
Panic attacks while driving are not that uncommon. Anybody can experience a panic attack while driving, but only a tiny percentage of people experience panic attacks while driving. Some people feel a panic attack while driving is not normal, but they are wrong. The biggest problem for people who suffer from panic attacks is their lack of knowledge about their disorder. This is why you have to learn more about panic attacks and how to cure them.
Typical Driving Habits When Stressed
Most people tense up when driving, and they don’t even realize it. If you are fearful of having a panic attack, you will suffer more. It is common after a long drive to feel stiff and d
rained of energy. You might be driving on an unfamiliar road, so your concentration level is heightened. Yes, it can be tiring, but you don’t have to end up feeling exhausted. Fears about crashing or dying are not rational, though.
If you are afraid of a panic attack while driving, you will be exhausted even before you set off. Look at drivers around you in a traffic jam. Hands gripping the steering wheel and head leaned forward. White knuckles from gripping the steering wheel with too much effort.
Blowing the horn in frustration. Shaking the head and generally being stressed out. Try to force a smile at this when you see it. Realize you are not alone in feeling tense and that the fear of having a panic attack while driving may never happen to you. Know that if it did you can cope and be able to stop panic attacks while driving. Maybe a lot better than the person stuck beside you in traffic.
Panic attacks while driving can affect you in various ways, from making you feel like you are going to crash to making you lose control of your car. Many factors determine what type of panic attack a person will have while driving. It is important to know that everyone experiences panic attacks differently. Some will get tunnel vision, some will have heart palpitations – some will have physical symptoms, and others will feel nervous but know they are OK.
Stop Panic Attacks While Driving And Enjoy Your Life
So maybe lots of people suffer panic attacks driving. But they can cope with it. You know in your heart that fearing it may happen only makes it worse for you. Fearing what may never happen is driving anxiety up in your system if you pardon the pun. That’s it; I hope you smiled there and saw how it lowers tension. Keep on smiling and enjoy your driving. Generally, panic attacks are triggered by negative self-talk and automatic thoughts that go through your mind. But what about when you do not have the time to think about these negative thoughts? Try this panic attack stopping technique.
One such method is to focus your attention on your breathing. Focus on the air moving in and out of your body. Inhale through your nose slowly to the count of five, hold it in for a count of five, and then exhale to the count of five. As you do this, let all other thoughts disappear from your mind. This technique is often highly effective at stopping a panic attack while driving. You will feel good about yourself and over time the fear of having a panic attack while driving will disappear in your rearview mirror.
