Anxiety when Driving

Hi, have been diagnosed with DID, but does anxiety come with it? I really dont want to drive lately and I have to drive everyday for work. I keep getting really anxious when driving and its getting worse. Have my psych appt tomorrow.
Anyone else get anxiety like this. I cant handle it anymore.

I have DDNOS and I get horrible anxiety while driving. Sometimes flashes of rage as well. Not sure why though. Don't know if this helps any.

Sorry you're struggling so much with this. I hope your psych is able to help. Hang in there...

Brandic

**may trigger**
Yup, but I was in a car crash when 2yrs. old, her story goes: a man was trying to get into a head on collision, she would swerve from one side of the rode to the other, and he kept on getting in her lane. He supposedly hit the car, the car rolled, and he came back, said sorry to mom, that all he wanted was the insurance, and drove off, never to be seen or heard from again, she then got my sister and I out of the car and sent us off to get help. I do remember the week after the crash, heard the crash story every year for my whole life. (I used to believe it, but now I think it was a lie.)
Also, mom liked to use her car as a 'weapon.' She never killed anyone with it, (well she did talk about running two people over before I was born, but they were 'trying to attack her'), but I never saw anyone die, just scared.
I get anxiety when I get in the car, just the whole driving aspect, or even when DH drives, people get to close blah, blah, or I blank out on how to drive, which then causes anxiety.

I get terrible anxiety sometimes when I'm driving. I have to drive on the freeway every single day to pick my son up from school and take him to school before I start work. It's such a big responsibility to drive. I sometimes can't feel my hands on the steering wheel so I grip it super hard but nothing changes which only adds to my anxiety. What's wrong with me thats making me feel like this? I get scared that it's something that will makes me lose conciousness while I'm driving and my anxiety yet again gets even worse. It's a cycle I'm working on and the fear has decreased somewhat but it still happens.

Ashley

This problem comes up frequently. Here are a couple of old threads about it:

DID Forum: Driving
DID Forum: Safety plans

Not being able to feel the steering wheel in your hands is a symptom of depersonalization. Your hands and probably your feet too are numb. They still work normally though, so clenching is not necessary. Grounding exercises help to stop the numbing.

For a time I was extremely anxious about driving; I knew I was so foggy that I was not safe driving. At its worst for about 2 months I had someone drive me to therapy sessions. Ask your spouse (if your spouse can take a sick day from work), a family member or friend or just an acquaintance, a volunteer service organization. The driver does not need to wait for you; they can go to a cafe for a snack or shopping or something. Many people will be happy to drive you if you pay for their gas and they can do some personal errand in the neighborhood.

Love the links, thank you Una+!