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Original poster

…to think a multivitamin may have cured my crippling driving anxiety?

84 replies

ReallyAVitamin · 20/12/2025 23:38

Okay, the backstory is (and I’ve posted about this issue a couple of times previous under different UNs because it’s honestly been so debilitating)

I am late 30s, have loved cars and been driving since I was 17. Have driven the length and breadth of the country, would just leave the house, with no destination, on my days off and see where the road took me…. Basically I loved driving and I loved cars.

About 2.5 years ago I developed totally unexpected, sudden and crippling driving anxiety. Disaster, I’m a single Mum working in sales.

Have been trying to medicate with propranolol which helps a bit, but not enough for the level of anxiety I had. Have looked into hypnotism, taken online CBT, listened to driving anxiety specific hypnotism audio going to bed. Nothing has helped, and my world has gotten smaller.

But… I started taking a cheap multivitamin from Lidl about 3 weeks ago, and for the last week, I’m actually looking forward to getting in the car because the anxiety is 90% reduced. I’m actually going out of my way a little to test the specific anxieties I’ve had.

I’ve have a pretty good diet, breakfast, lunch and dinner all homemade. I think it’s pretty balanced. But the only thing I’ve changed in the last couple of weeks is this cheap multivitamin. Could it actually be possible my anxiety was down to a vitamin deficiency? It’s probably mad 😅

OP posts:
Baahbaahmutton · 22/12/2025 10:24

ReallyAVitamin · 22/12/2025 09:59

So eye opening! I mean, I’ve always valued a balanced diet, but if a vitamin deficiency has actually caused this huge manifestation of anxiety, there is obviously so much more I need to learn. I actually bought a book over the weekend, The Food Mood Connection by Dr Uma Naidoo… don’t know if it’s any good but I’m looking forward to getting stuck into it!

Show quote history

It is wuite interesting how medicine really separated mind and body, yet they are properly connected.
The issue nowadays is as pp said, our food is not as nutritious as it was long time ago.
Plus anything like digestive issues can mess up absorption of vitamins and minerals.
So multivitamins are nowadays quite important.
That's not to say good diet isn't.

Genevieva · 22/12/2025 10:02

Maybe you had a vitamin deficiency.

Original poster
ReallyAVitamin · 22/12/2025 09:59

Baahbaahmutton · 22/12/2025 08:54

Totally. I got lucky with gp once who did the tests before deciding whether to give me anti depressants. Which I did not need because it was physical.
Read some articles on what deficiencies can cause. It's very eye opening!

Show quote history

So eye opening! I mean, I’ve always valued a balanced diet, but if a vitamin deficiency has actually caused this huge manifestation of anxiety, there is obviously so much more I need to learn. I actually bought a book over the weekend, The Food Mood Connection by Dr Uma Naidoo… don’t know if it’s any good but I’m looking forward to getting stuck into it!

OP posts:
Original poster
ReallyAVitamin · 22/12/2025 09:56

RedToothBrush · 22/12/2025 08:56

Does it matter? You feel better.

Well yes, it matters to me. This came on so suddenly, and I’ve had such a difficult 2.5years trying to navigate it and understand why this issue was happening. It’s affected my parenting, my career and my sense of self worth…. Not being able to drive to the next town over without shaking and sweating made me feel useless and embarrassed. The contraction of my world has led to really negative mental health.

So I want to understand how it happened, and how to prevent it happening in the future.

Id also like to have this conversation here on a public board, so that if some poor soul is facing the same issues in the future, they may find this and have something they can check first and foremost to resolve the issue.

OP posts:
RedToothBrush · 22/12/2025 08:56

Does it matter? You feel better.

Baahbaahmutton · 22/12/2025 08:54

ReallyAVitamin · 22/12/2025 08:47

Honestly, the whole thing has blown me away. I’ve spent the weekend driving from town to town where I live, and really enjoying it, for the first time in over 2 years. I genuinely hope that if someone is facing the same difficulties that they find this thread and check for any vitamin deficiency first and foremost.

Totally. I got lucky with gp once who did the tests before deciding whether to give me anti depressants. Which I did not need because it was physical.
Read some articles on what deficiencies can cause. It's very eye opening!

Baahbaahmutton · 22/12/2025 08:52

ReallyAVitamin · 22/12/2025 08:48

Do I even want to know what this was???

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No. I think it was "day drinkies" post

Original poster
ReallyAVitamin · 22/12/2025 08:48

Baahbaahmutton · 21/12/2025 14:35

What the actual f😂

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Do I even want to know what this was???

OP posts:
Original poster
ReallyAVitamin · 22/12/2025 08:47

Honestly, the whole thing has blown me away. I’ve spent the weekend driving from town to town where I live, and really enjoying it, for the first time in over 2 years. I genuinely hope that if someone is facing the same difficulties that they find this thread and check for any vitamin deficiency first and foremost.

OP posts:
Baahbaahmutton · 21/12/2025 14:35

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

What the actual f😂

RosaMundi27 · 21/12/2025 14:26

Could be a B12 defiency, one of the symptoms is anxiety and irritability as it helpt to make serotonin.
Great to hear that the anxiety has stopped regardless.

TempNameForObviousReasons · 21/12/2025 14:20

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Baahbaahmutton · 21/12/2025 12:33

Low vitamin D makes my life feel like Final Destination so yes. It may well be that.
I always say that octors should do blood panels for anyone with MH issues even if it looks like it's not physical. Vit D was also connected with hightened suicidal thoughts and so on.

ThatGreenFawn · 21/12/2025 12:30

When my b12 is low I get very anxious, its the only time it ever happens and is one of the first signs for me that my levels are dipping again.

Sonolanona · 21/12/2025 11:07

Might well be the vitamin.
I suffered years of horrible myoclonic jerks ..not just at night when going to sleep but whenever relaxing. Eventually saw a neuro who sent me for all sorts of tests, but also put me on vit B12 and D3
Bloody cured! I still can't believe that after all my years of sleepless nights all it took was a vitamin! Vit B and D are so important, and I assumed I was getting enough in my diet...obviously not!

Ohthatsabitshit · 21/12/2025 00:37

Yes. If I’m tired or get a lurgy it returns (I wonder if my BP goes up in those cases) but otherwise it’s not an issue anymore really. I too love driving and the anxiety was not in line with who I think of myself as.

Original poster
ReallyAVitamin · 21/12/2025 00:08

Ohthatsabitshit · 21/12/2025 00:00

I had a similar experience with anxiety in the car that resolved when my blood pressure which unbeknownst to me was very high, was treated. It’s quite extraordinary how different my experience is now.

And are you happy to drive anywhere and everywhere now? I can’t tell you how much I hope this might actually be manageable now, it’s been really hard the last couple of years. I’ve felt so inadequate as a person.

OP posts:
Original poster
ReallyAVitamin · 21/12/2025 00:06

NearlyMonday · 21/12/2025 00:01

Propranolol really helped me

Oh, don’t get me wrong, it definitely helped a little with the physical symptoms, sweaty palms and racing heart. But it wasn’t a ‘cure’ for me, my mind was still racing. I think I’ve genuinely had quite a severe case of driving phobia/anxiety.

For someone with a lesser level of anxiety, propranolol is definitely something that could help.

OP posts:
ThatHazelSnail · 21/12/2025 00:03

Anxiety and depression can also be a symptom of low iron/ferritin or B12.

Original poster
ReallyAVitamin · 21/12/2025 00:03

Hello39 · 21/12/2025 00:00

Our food isn't as nutritious as it should be, even if you have an optimal diet (who does).

And we are supposed to take vit D in winter
in Ireland either way.

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I know, and I do actually have my bloods done every year but they just tell me I’m fine mostly. They did recommend a Vit D supplement years ago (8?) but have said everything looks fine since.

I was shocked when I had my DC and they were basically prescribed Vit D supplements from birth due to our lack of sun 🙈

OP posts:
NearlyMonday · 21/12/2025 00:01

Propranolol really helped me

Ohthatsabitshit · 21/12/2025 00:00

I had a similar experience with anxiety in the car that resolved when my blood pressure which unbeknownst to me was very high, was treated. It’s quite extraordinary how different my experience is now.

Hello39 · 21/12/2025 00:00

ReallyAVitamin · 20/12/2025 23:57

Maybe my diet isn’t as balanced as I thought.

Show quote history

Our food isn't as nutritious as it should be, even if you have an optimal diet (who does).

And we are supposed to take vit D in winter
in Ireland either way.

Hello39 · 20/12/2025 23:58

I think it was on mumsnet a poster said their psychiatrist said for mental health issues to first check for deficiencies in 3 vitamins/minerals - I think 2 were vit D and zinc and I can't remember the other.
Great you are feeling better

Original poster
ReallyAVitamin · 20/12/2025 23:57

NeverDropYourMooncup · 20/12/2025 23:54

Don't knock it if it works. But a lot of vitamin deficiencies do have anxiety as symptoms - magnesium and vitamin D, for example.

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Maybe my diet isn’t as balanced as I thought.

OP posts: