Women with anxiety disorders

[Lilbit]

Hi I just wanted to see if anyone on here has an anxiety disorders. Im not looking for a therapist (I have one). I just wanted to see if anyone suffers from a form anxiety while driving? Im trying to overcome this and haven't been persistent with it. Not much to do here unless you have money and right now im broke. Im set up to drive a mile further than I did to where I got comfortable driving to. Im trying to set goals for myself and one of them is to make it 20 minutes away by this summer. So far I've gone about 10 minutes away. Sorry Im rambling again, i guess Im just looking for someone that can relate to me.

[chissus]

Originally Posted by Lilbit

Hi I just wanted to see if anyone on here has an anxiety disorders. Im not looking for a therapist (I have one). I just wanted to see if anyone suffers from a form anxiety while driving? Im trying to overcome this and haven't been persistent with it. Not much to do here unless you have money and right now im broke. Im set up to drive a mile further than I did to where I got comfortable driving to. Im trying to set goals for myself and one of them is to make it 20 minutes away by this summer. So far I've gone about 10 minutes away. Sorry Im rambling again, i guess Im just looking for someone that can relate to me.

Hi Lilbit, I hate driving. When I must do an errand if there are 3 mistakes that cause me anxiety I go home. I count other driver's mistakes not just mine in that too. I always drive with my right hand at my throat. Somehow I must find that self-comforting. I've never been in a major accident just a fender bender. Have you been in a major accident?

[Rebecca]

Hi Lilbit, I understand what you're talking about. I have an anxiety disorder and the panic attacks that go with it. I don't drive, I can't bring myself to. So, I have much respect for you for setting these goals.

oh, and I'm also a crazy cat lady

[Tinkerbell13]

Hi Lilbit, I have generalized anxiety disorder and driving on the highway scares the bejeezies out of me. I'm ok on surface streets (I live in a major city) where the speed limit is never about 35, but the highway? Forget it! People whizzing by at 100mph and texting! No way! If I have to do any highway driving at all I have to take meds beforehand and I'm still a nervous wreck the whole time. And if the drive is over an hour I typically won't do it.

[heartbeat]

I have GAD. I tend to feel anxious and self-conscious all the time whenever I am at outdoors, less so around strangers and more so around acquaintances like my boss and coworkers, because strangers I'll never see them again but acquaintances I'll see them every day and they also tend to judge me the hardest, and of course I'll often feel this way around my own family too because my family tend to be very judgemental of me.

The only people who doesn't make me feel this way are people who are non-judgemental and accepting of me and doesn't try to fix me in any ways. But such people literally doesn't exist in this world, so.....

[LucyVanPelt]

Welcome, heartbeat. I hope the internet has been a source of support for you. There are many people who use this as a way to cope. (((hugs)))

[chissus]

Originally Posted by Rebecca

Hi Lilbit, I understand what you're talking about. I have an anxiety disorder and the panic attacks that go with it. I don't drive, I can't bring myself to. So, I have much respect for you for setting these goals.

oh, and I'm also a crazy cat lady

Hi Rebecca, Panic attacks are the worst. I don't have them but I've read about them. When I have enough anxiety I immediately leave the situation. If I can't get away. like when one of my cats is dying, I eat until I feel sick. Feeling sick over-rides feeling anxious. What do you do to get out of a panic attack?

>^..^<

[chissus]

Originally Posted by heartbeat

I have GAD. I tend to feel anxious and self-conscious all the time whenever I am at outdoors, less so around strangers and more so around acquaintances like my boss and coworkers, because strangers I'll never see them again but acquaintances I'll see them every day and they also tend to judge me the hardest, and of course I'll often feel this way around my own family too because my family tend to be very judgemental of me.

The only people who doesn't make me feel this way are people who are non-judgemental and accepting of me and doesn't try to fix me in any ways. But such people literally doesn't exist in this world, so.....

I hate social occasions like dinners or holiday parties that I can't get out of. I always get drunk before I even leave my house to stop the anxiety. Self-medicate, they call it.

[victorious]

I used to have social anxiety with people I didn't know so I can relate to anxiety for sure. Unfortunately I can't relate to the driving anxiety but have a colleague who gets so anxious when driving especially when it rains and snows. Here it snows a lot so winter is tough for her. It gets to the point where she constantly tries to pawn off rides if snow is on the ground or the forecast calls for rain. She won't see anybody for it so I think the fact that you set goals is great and will help you cope with your anxiety. I used to take it one day at a time and I think that works in your situation too. Hope I've helped.

[Rebecca]

Originally Posted by chissus

Hi Rebecca, Panic attacks are the worst. I don't have them but I've read about them. When I have enough anxiety I immediately leave the situation. If I can't get away. like when one of my cats is dying, I eat until I feel sick. Feeling sick over-rides feeling anxious. What do you do to get out of a panic attack?

>^..^<

Sometimes exercising (yoga and meditation) through it helps but most of the time I just have to ride it out. They can last anywhere from 15 minutes to all day.

Has anyone found that their anxiety gets worse when they get hot?