Coping With Panic Attacks while Driving

You may have been driving for decades and never had a problem and then it happens without any advance warning. You begin feeling dizzy, find it difficult to breathe and you’re filled with dread which becomes even worse once you think of the possibility of losing control of the vehicle. You may be having a panic attack and after having this happen to you, you might fear driving again.

You might be told you need to overcome your fear of driving by confronting it head on and driving more. Of course, this only works if driving was the trigger for your panic attack in the first place; if it wasn’t it doesn’t matter how much you drive – it’s not going to help. However, a panic attack can happen anytime, anywhere and come without warning. What should you do if you have panic attacks while driving? If you know how to handle the situation, then you’ll be more at ease behind the wheel.

If it’s never happened to you before, you may not recognize the shakes, clammy palms and increasing dread and fear as a panic attack. You might have been worrying about the driving conditions, a breakdown, traffic or even something unrelated to driving.

At the onset of a panic attack while you are driving your car, pull over. During a panic attack, it seems that all cars are racing towards you. That is just your imagination or ugly intrusive thoughts going haywire. Sit up straight, take a deep breath, and regulate your breathing until you are relaxed. Breathing in through your noise and exhaling through your mouth can lessen the attack.

A panic attack may last for anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes, so take all the time you need to calm down. If you have some water handy, have a drink. Dehydration can cause or exacerbate panic attacks. If you’ve been prescribed medication for your condition, take one of these pills and relax as you wait for the attack to end. It’s a good idea to keep a bottle of water in your car and a brown paper bag to breathe in. You’ll get over an attack quicker if you ride it out instead of trying to fight it.

With panic attacks as with any other condition, prevention is always better than a cure. You can help to prevent panic attacks by taking daily vitamin B complex supplements; ask your doctor what they recommend as a daily dosage.

Follow doctor’s orders. If you are signing up for therapeutic counselling, be consistent with your attendance. During those sessions, you can get help and be inspired by the stories of others trying to beat panic attacks.

If you tend to have panic attacks while driving, you should always have someone else with you when you drive. If your panic attacks are especially severe or frequent, you may even want to have them drive instead. Simply having another person there can greatly reduce the anxiety which often leads to panic attacks.