Fear of motorways?

Freiheit

Am I alone? maybe it's the speed? the lack of control and that it might be many miles for an exit if I feel anxious? .

Have been travelling mostly by train due this fear.

star-pants

Do you drive? or is it even if you're a passenger you feel anxious / panicked on a motorway?

Freiheit

I don't drive now.....so im referring to as a passenger in cars or buses.....Im trying to expose myself to them........

mickdw

Far safer than any.other road as long as you keep your distance etc. All travelling the same direction so a high speed impact is unlikely.

star-pants

You could go on short trips, say from one exit to another, could only be 5 minutes on the M50 (if you're near it).
Obviously longer trips or some of the other motorways it might be a lot longer between exits and could seem a bit inescapable. But if you could go on the shorter ones, you might be able to get through the panic if it was only a few minutes.

Do you have someone who understands your anxiety that could bring you perhaps?

Moonbeam

I hate driving on motorways and will make my journey twice as long to avoid one.
I was fine with it until 3 boy racers scared the life out of me one night on the M7 racing around me,the M50 has always scared me with all the crazy drivers.
SO now except my own little bit of the M4 I can get terrified so jsut avoide them where possible.
I don't mind drivers I trust or buses on them though.

peppyG10

I've had a fear motorways/dual carriageways the past 20 years and have avoided Dublin city, pretty successfully, in that time. I am on meds for general anxiety disorder but have to go to UCD tomorrow for something I can't get out of. I hate trains and all public transport also so am driving. I'm coming from Kinnegad, is there any single lane carriageway all the way in to UCD?

Someone please reply, although I know I've left it too late.

mickdw

Perhaps get someone to drive you?

Fathom

Most phobias named. Name for this?

peppyG10

not sure what the name of it is but it's a combination of claustrophobia and agoraphobia. I've been on meds now for 13 years since I gave up alcohol to quell it. In my latest experience, I used 9mg of Lexaton and was okay but I can't do that everyday ... it look like I could be working there soon.

Any ideas?

(trains/getting iifts doesn't work either).

Fathom

Highway driving phobia. Anxiety disorder. No other name found.

Darkglasses

peppyG10 wrote: »

not sure what the name of it is but it's a combination of claustrophobia and agoraphobia. I've been on meds now for 13 years since I gave up alcohol to quell it. In my latest experience, I used 9mg of Lexaton and was okay but I can't do that everyday ... it look like I could be working there soon.

Any ideas?

(trains/getting iifts doesn't work either).

Probably too late a response, but perhaps someone on one of the Dublin regional forums or even the motoring forum could give you some advice about the quietest/alternative ways into UCD.

Moonbeam

Use google navigation and alternate routes.
It is possible but it takes ages.

Fathom

Jaye Wald and Steven Taylor "Preliminary Research on the Efficacy of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy to Treat Driving Phobia." Good read. Examines VRET.

peppyG10

I've tried a very short part the other day, from Kilcock to Maynooth, only 5 miles long. It was absolute torture and I thought i was going to ram the car into the side barrier or jump out and do something crazy. I went to the doctors and he gave me half tablets of quetiapine to take the night before. It knocked me straight to sleep(which was nice) and had no drowsiness the next day but it made the panic worse when I tried it again.

I'm kind of losing hope at this stage but am seeing another Doctor this Monday so maybe he'll have something. I have discovered this route on google maps but can't post link because I'm a new user, it's Kilcock->Celbridge->Ballyfermot->Closkeagh

but it adds on an hour to the journey. Any ideas?

Moonbeam

Did you come from kilcock on the motorway or past the uni ?
Avoiding motorways is always going to add time to a journey .

I have never tried that route .

peppyG10

Moonbeam wrote: »

Did you come from kilcock on the motorway or past the uni ?
Avoiding motorways is always going to add time to a journey .

I have never tried that route .

I come from outside the village so it's the route possible I can see.
I've read that 10% of population have some form of this phobia and thought I might meet another poster.
Btw the benzos are killing my memory, supposed to lead to dementia.

Moonbeam

I had to look up what lexaton was.
Do you take it just when you need it eg for driving?
If not you could talk to your doc about Xanax or similar for when you need it.
Were you ever able to drive on motorways?

peppyG10

Moonbeam wrote: »

I had to look up what lexaton was.
Do you take it just when you need it eg for driving?
If not you could talk to your doc about Xanax or similar for when you need it.
Were you ever able to drive on motorways?

I take lexaton(9mg) daily I'm afraid!

He gave me seroquel to try(which was a nightmare) & now I have Xanax to try tomorrow.

Nope, always avoided motorways but now I don't have much choice

blackbird 49

I would drive any road except the M50, maybe out of desperation I might, I even hate it when I'm the passenger

Landr

Theres an 6.30am bus that leaves edenderry and the last stop is UCD and gets you there at 8.20am

peppyG10

Landr wrote: »

Theres an 6.30am bus that leaves edenderry and the last stop is UCD and gets you there at 8.20am

Thanks; will look into it.

Lumi

peppyG10 wrote: »

I've read that 10% of population have some form of this phobia and thought I might meet another poster.

You're definitely not alone peppyG10. I'm fine on motorways but driving around/through town makes me so anxious that I now avoid it completely.
I came across this book - How to Overcome Fear of Driving: The Road to Driving Confidence & I'm hoping it will have some advice on how to begin dealing with the fear & anxiety.
I'll report back

dandyelevan

I drive a small van and totally avoid motorway because I haven't a clue which Toll Gate to drive up to or how much to pay!

con___manx1

Country roads are much more dangerous. I would be afraid driving on certain country roads but not on dual carrigways. 100/110 k in slow lane keep your distance from other cars and u will b grand.

Fathom

Lumi wrote: »

I came across this book - How to Overcome Fear of Driving: The Road to Driving Confidence

Good citation

peppyG10

Into week 3 of my daily commute to here. I can manage Kilcock to Liffey Valley(only just!!) and then take back roads to UCD. Have tried ucreax(horrible) and propranolol(a beta-blocker) since, both with no success. Not taking the M50(which I have built up in my head to be a massive task) adds nearly an hour onto my journey home.

I do like my new job but I don't think it's sustainable in the traffic jams home.

Fathom

Highways safer. Less accidents. Roads not. Feeling trapped problem. Psychology Today.

TallGlass

Would taking some driving lessons help with this problem? You don't have to be a learner driver to opt for lessons with a professional on best practices on the motorway.

emptynest

Sounds like Motorists Vestibular Disorientation Syndrome

magochre

emptynest wrote: »

Sounds like Motorists Vestibular Disorientation Syndrome

How do you treat this?

Recently I've been feeling an awful urge to veer left on motorway. Suffer with migraines and had a left eye cataract op. City/urban driving is fine, even country roads. Seems related to speed. Terrifying. I need to sort it.

Stopped using motorways till my eye was completely recovered and then two days ago I tried again, once I hit 80 km/p/hr on M50 it kicked in. I used to be fine but now I feel I'll cause an accident if I drive any motorway.