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Can I overcome my driving fears with GAD


Guest The fighter

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Guest The fighter

Yesterday was the first time I've actually felt like my life could end very soon. The thought was overwhelming. I felt sick, I just felt like no way out this time.

I've had my licence for 4 years. I've never been on a motorway.I drive normally on the streets,sometimes with great fear though.

I work for a small company in Somerset and I might have to travel up the motorway for an hour each day.

I'm just absolutely petrified beyond words.

Slip roads are my worst fear. What if no one let's me on. What if I judge the speeds wrong.. If I did I would die and I know it.

I kinda feel like I don't know what to do cause say I do 10 slip roads. I will still think but what of this happens next time cause jo situation is the same.

I'm starting to give up, I really am.

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Guest imalright

The only way to overcome this is by doing it :) if you do it a few times....brain starts to build a pathway and each time gets easier and easier. What about a motorway driving course? Or a few lessons with a friend/instructor to get you started? I use motorways a lot - you always get on....there have been times where I've had to go quite slow to join a motorway but with a signal on - people always let you on :)

If you think about it....when a driver on the motorway sees a person wanting to join, we tend to see it as our responsibility to make way to get them on. That's how I see it anyway :)x

After a few times of doing it, you'll wonder what you were worried about :)x

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I've had this one Fighter and it can be resolved.

I don't like motorways for all sorts of reasons....not OCD ones. They put my blood pressure up and other peoples driving often make my blood boil.

About 10 years ago I had a major panic attack on the motorway, it scared me witless and I stopped driving on them. It's difficult to drive along at 80 miles an hour mid panic.

Merging into the traffic on the slipway is a common fear. Try and remember a few points.....although it's ideal to be able to indicate and slip in, it isn't mandatory. It is a give-way and if it isn't safe to join, you could pause. You don't have to drive at 70/80 miles an hour.......you don't have to overtake everything. In the worst case scenario (although not ideal) you can slow down and get off at the next exit or stop on the hard shoulder....you are in control and it's worth remembering that.

I would try and practise....as imalright suggests it might be worth booking an odd motorway driving lesson although I appreciate that might make your feel even more worried and embarrassed. I would suggest taking a short trip on a Sunday evening around 8pm-ish when it's really quiet and just drive to the next turn off. If possible have someone with you who's a driver so that you know in the event of you having to stop, they can take over. That often brings the anxiety into controlable levels, you stay in charge. This may have become an OCD problem but is probably a mixture of GAD/phobia first so a mixture of approaches is acceptable

I drive on the motorways again every week......Do I like it? Not really.....am I in a state of panic? Not really.

Work out a controlled plan of attack and get out there and do it....because you can you know :)

Caramoole

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Guest The fighter

Thanks all for input. The thing is my mind is like damn I'm running out of slip road there's no big enough gap to merge in and I'm not allowed to stop on the slip road or go into the hard shoulder to carry it on.. This is where I think I could cause myself a fatality and others.

Not only that when I'm on the motorway and driving towards a slip road and i can't move over.What if I can't slow down for them or the slip road user judges it wrong... I'm so confused on what is right and wrong..

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Guest imalright

That will improve with confidence.

And....so what if you didn't get on a slip road and you had to stop until someone made way for you or there was a gap? That also happens sometimes if traffic is busy :) however, people always tend to allow others to join because it's in their interest to do so (for their own safety).

And you don't have to move over when someone is wanting to join a motorway - just slow down to let them join in front of you :) x

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And....so what if you didn't get on a slip road and you had to stop until someone made way for you or there was a gap? That also happens sometimes if traffic is busy :) however, people always tend to allow others to join because it's in their interest to do so (for their own safety).

And you don't have to move over when someone is wanting to join a motorway - just slow down to let them join in front of you :) x

:yes: Absolutely

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Guest lizinlondon

You guys are right. I need to try motorways again when I am better. I also had a panic attack the last time I used one. This is why I stopped. I will try some lessons too.

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Guest The fighter

I was driving today on a 40 mph carriageway and I couldn't judge the speed of the cars beside me.. how could I even possibly do that and predict they know my intentions of going in front of them.I only have a 1.0 litre car

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Guest imalright

Go for it, Liz! :)))

Well, thefighter, that's what a signal is for :) because drivers aren't psychic ;-) they need a clue that you intend to move in front of them. That's what a signal is for ;)x

Remember - it's in their best interest to let you in. They don't want someone crashing in to them!

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