Panic Attacks While Driving - How to Keep Yourself Out of Danger

By Jonathan Masters Jonathan Masters
Level: Platinum

Jonathan Masters is a writer and former panic and anxiety sufferer. In 2008 he started his own business and very quickly began suffering from panic ...

There is never a good time to have a panic attack, but there is no worse time than in the car. Panic while driving has caused many people to give up driving all together and can even lead to severe cases of agoraphobia in which suffers refuse to leave their houses for years at a time. I want to help you avoid this by gaining confidence over your panic. As soon as you realize that you can handle any attack at any time, you can shed the fear of driving and even the agoraphobia that can follow it.

Now some of the most common methods for dealing with panic in the car are to call a friend or to sing along with the radio. I don't recommend these methods for two reasons.

They are distracting.They don't actually stop the panic.

I have three rules for dealing with panic attacks in the car. They are simple, but important to follow to keep yourself safe. Remember that the last place you want to be out of control is behind the wheel of a 2 ton vehicle.

Remove All Distractions - Turn off the radio complete, leave your cell phone where it is and get out of the fast lane of traffic. Do everything you can to minimize your incoming stimuli. The problem here is that all of the things taking up your attention are making your panic worse, so get rid of them before trying to deal with the attack itself. The minute you feel lightheaded and short of breath, start removing all distractions in preparation and do your best to create a calm environment.Talk Yourself Through It Positively - Talking yourself through a panic attack in the car isn't just about saying soothing things, it's about confidence. Speak slowly and calmly and remind yourself that this just a panic attack. It's nothing serious and it will be gone soon. Don't try to talk yourself out of panic, instead talk yourself through it. Remind yourself that you can handle what's happening and will not be distracted away from the task at hand. Often times just saying this out loud is enough to curb the feelings of panic completely. You see, the key here is that we're not saying things like "I can't do this right now," or "Oh, please don't do this again. Not right now!" Those imply weakness and imply that we can't handle the situation, which only makes your panic worse. Stay in control and tell yourself that while your body feels this way, you are only going to focus on driving. Tell yourself that it is okay to feel what you're feeling because you are fully in control of the situation.If All Else Fails, Pull Over - Should worse come to worse, pull over. Don't be a hero. For most people this type of focus and reassuring self talk can defuse their feelings of panic before it becomes too much to handle. If, however you find that your panic is too much and you do have to pull off to the side of the road, it may be time to find a stronger technique. My personal favorite is called the 21-7 technique, which was partially designed for driving anxiety but regardless, remember that the important thing is to listen to your body and stay safe when on the road.This article has been viewed 12 time(s).
Article Submitted On: November 15, 2010

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