Articals, Panic Attacks while Driving

Experiencing extreme anxiety and fear while walking down the street is scary enough, what more, when you have panic attacks while driving?  That thought would make anyone not to go behind the wheels anymore.  Several road accidents have been attributed to a panic attack while driving.  Hence, these attacks must be taken seriously.


Panic attacks while driving are usually due to severe anxiety and fear.  Each scenario is strikingly different from one another.  Some people feel overly anxious when driving on a highway, whilst, others fear that their brakes will break, or they may be worried of being hit by another vehicle.  The fact is, some people’s fear go out of hand that they ended up having a panic attack.

There are some signs and symptoms that would let you know that you are heading to ‘panic attack’ way.  Sweating, fainting, headache, shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, chills, abdominal cramping, nausea, and tightness in the throat are just some the physical symptoms exhibited by panic sufferers.  Psychologically, they have distortion of reality, fear of losing control and mental confusion.
The panic attack can last as brief as 5 minutes or as long as an hour.  After the panic incident, sufferers feel often feel exhausted after having a panic attack while driving.
The key to control panic episodes is to understand the mechanism behind them.  Basically, they are the result of our body’s fight or flight response.  The brain sends a signal to the body about an impending danger; as a result, important parts of the body are activated.  The heart starts to pump faster, the muscles tense and breathing is fast in preparation for a battle.  However, there is no real threat at all.  As some would say, your mind is just playing tricks on you.
For those who experience panic attacks while driving, do not drive away from driving.  There are ways on how to stop a panic attack while driving. Here are some of them.
If you feel that you are about to panic, pull the car over.  This will lessen your anxiety, at the same time, allow you to control your feeling.
Accept that a panic attack is happening.  The sooner you recognized it, the sooner it will end.
Take a deep breath and fill your lungs with air.  By doing that, your body will start to relax.
Divert your thoughts.  Do not allow your brain to send threat messages to the body.  To do that, think of happy events that recently happened in your life.
These are just a few tips on how to stop a panic attack while driving from happening.  They do not treat your problem; better consult a specialist for a long term solution to your panic attacks.

Get this widget

Related Posts by Categories