Learning to drive again?

[[Ka...]]

How have you lovely folks dealt with driving during withdrawl? This has been the absolute hardest thing for me to battle during withdrawl as I live in Los Angeles. I used to love driving and drove to LA when I first got here from Chicago with no problems. Now I get nervous and fidgety in my seat and get so nervous that I avoid it. What did you guys do to get your driving skills back? Forcing yourself to just do it, scared? Or did you wait until you were 100% healed? Thank you in advance for the advice, no one else seems to get it!

[[pi...]]

This was a big challenge for me.  I never had any issues like this before withdrawal and the panic and anxiety while driving were very difficult for me to handle. I started by just driving around my neighborhood. Next, I went to the closest grocery store, which was very close. Stopping at traffic lights brought more panic so I did a lot of self talk and deep breathing. I tried to remind myself to float around the anxiety and just let it be there.

 

I also congratulated myself when I went further, out of my comfort zone.  My Success Story is titled, "Driving in the left Lane", because I always drove in the right lane so I could bale out when necessary, and it was necessary more than a few times.

 

Little by little I was able to do more, go farther until it got to the point where I just got in the car without a care in the world.  It will happen for you as well, just give it time.

 

pianogirl 

[[Ch...]]

I've always loved to drive… I grew up in the Bay Area and drove to Tahoe, Monterey, San Francisco, Santa Cruz…loved the fast, twisty turns of the mountains.  During my taper I became unwilling to drive anywhere…or even ride with anyone, which induced huge anxiety…25mph felt like 90mph. 

 

These days I regularly (and with joy) drive 4 to 6 hours by myself to the ocean or the mountains, through snow, ice, rain, you name it…no fear, no anxiety, no trepidation. 

 

This will happen for you, too.  But it will happen in its own time, so don't push it.  Our bodies and brains are in fight-or-flight for awhile and tell us to hunker down and protect ourselves from stimulation and stress.

 

 

[[Ka...]]

I feel so grateful reading these responses. I'm filled with hope and gratitude hearing your shares. This has made me hopeful that someday (hopefully soon!) I can drive without panic and hop back on the freeway without panicking and driving with my flashers on going 20mph haha.

[[Ch...]]

Looking at your signature, it could be any time now that you start to see changes for the better.

It is a process… start slow, work up and before you know it, you're 'you' again.