12:04 p.m. - 2010-07-06
Panic attacks Driving - How to Handle a Panic Attack on the Road
Panic attacks in and of themselves are terrible experiences. Panic attacks driving can be a entirely new level of scary though. Your whole body is acting out and making it difficult to respond to your surroundings when you need to the most. It is far from a pleasant feeling, but there are precautions you can take to make the ordeal easier, should you run into it.
First, you should be aware of your general thoughts patterns and anxiety levels. Also take note of things or thoughts that often raise your anxiety level or lead to panic attacks driving. Simply becoming mindful of such factors can give you the heads up needed to get off the road safely before the worst of the attack comes.
Next, obviously, is getting off the road or stopping. If things get bad enough, don't be scared to use your emergency blinkers. Keep in mind that you aren't going to die from a panic attack or from embarassment, but you may from a car crash if you lose control.
After getting out of traffic and stopping, there's no difference from a regular panic attack. It's not pleasant, but the danger is over. If you can, aim to break the thought loop in your head. If you continue thinking about the same thing that worries you, it will build on itself and worsen. You are essentially revving up to a panic attack as your thoughts speed up and intensify. If you break the thought loop while it's gaining momentum, you'll find yourself surprised at the amount of control you have compared to what you expected.
Some recommend using soothing music as an aid. The world seems to tune out throughout the actual panic attack, so it may or may not help then, but afterwords it can do wonders to help you fall back into your regular rhythm.
If you have panic attacks driving, you may also want to keep a cell phone available as a sort of "safety blanket." Knowing you can have someone to talk to to calm you down, let know what has happened, or even rescue you helps tremendously. Even if you never actually use this option, it will make you feel better to know that it is available.
Discover How You Could Stop Your Panic Attacks Today
0 comments
