Sorry to post in chat but I would like this chat to disappear from my history once I’ve got what I need from it.
I posted on here around two years ago because I overcame some driving anxiety I’d suffered with for most of a decade. I am now able to drive comfortably. I’m not even a bad driver. Not a particularly good parallel parker but hey ho.
I really struggle with long distances, particularly on the motorway or at high speed. It’s developed slowly over the last year or so, and comes in peaks and troughs - currently at a peak due to other external and non-controllable factors. I have violently intrusive thoughts about crashing the car and sometimes feel like there’s an invisible force with its hands on mine, gently pushing me to move the wheel. It’s very distressing and gives me some physical symptoms, mostly hiccoughs from excessive swallowing. I have absolutely no intention of actually doing it but I cannot stop thinking about it.
I haven’t been able to discuss with anyone. How can I tell my partner that I feel like I want to kill them when we drive together? I want to be able to drive long distances. It’s a normal thing to drive on the motorway.
I know and use some general anxiety relaxation techniques but they aren’t appropriate for driving - I can’t close my eyes for example.
Can anyone recommend any other techniques to overcome? I am willing and able to take this forward with a professional but I am due to do an hour and a half of driving this weekend and want something to get me through comfortably.