[Guest]

I experience a lot of anxiety when driving with dp/dr. I don't always feel in control. Lately it is better but I am afraid I've become so immune to my dp/dr that I am still not with it. I fear that I shouldn't be driving. I sometimes worry that I am doing things wrong. I am always doubting my abilites, like if the light is green I wonder and freak out when I go through the intersection--what if that was a red light?!! I also worry when changing lanes, what if something is really in my blind spot and my eyes are playing tricks on me??? I am also paranoid of hitting pedestrians even when none are around. The only thing is that I haven't died in a car accident yet. I haven't come too close to an accident either. I feel like on the outside I am a good driver and others would probably say so too. That's becaue I am hyper sensitive to everyhthing I do. My dp/dr also affects other areas in a similar way, but driving is one thing I've noticed that causes excessive anxiety. Can anyone else relate?

 

[enngirl5]

I used to worry about all that stuff and literally would not drive a car alone for a year. But the more you get used to driving with dp the more you know you'll be safe. I have felt really spaced out driving before but made it home in one piece and I think my driving is probably just as good while panicking/feeling dp as when I feel normal. Look at it this way, most people are in a zone when they are driving anyway so feeling dp/dr while driving is not really any different.

 

[Guest]

Sometimes I'll get a little anxiety about being a horrible driver, but I've learned to not care since no one else can drive either. :lol: But seriously, las I just replied in another thread, I do feel very weird about driving, like it's not really me, like it can't really be me, like it's not really my car, etc. But I hadn't heard about dp before this evening, and I always just attributed it to the fact that I thought I would never in my entire life drive because I wasn't allowed to learn to drive growing up and through being poor and homeless, I never thought I'd get a car. Saturday is actually my 1st anniversary of being liscensed, and sometimes it just strikes me as so completely weird, but I just thought it was because I grew up being told I'm too stupid, irresponsible, ignorant, useless, helpless, etc. to do anything, so I just feel completely disconneconnected from reality when I drive much of the time, because this supposedly stupid, helpless, useless, idiot of a person that they think I am is driving this huge boat of a station wagon, it just can't possibly be me, not the person I was always told that I am, you know? But on the flip side, my car has become the love of my life, I live for that car and I can't function without it, it breaks down all the time and it tears me apart inside because I can't have any life or future without my own reliable transportation.

 

[Guest]

thanks for the input. enngirl, that's the way i see it too so thanks. ashes, i am sorry about all the crap you put up with waht people have told you and stuff. i can relate to the whole thing about wondering how you ended up with a car and such. just keep believing what you know is the truth about yourself. and i am so glad you love your car. we always need things in life, little things, that we can hold onto even if it does feel as if we're dreaming.