Just have to brag about this- I DID IT!!!

[FrancisSeaton]

Since going through the menopause I've been suffering some weird irrational fears. One such fear is motorway driving. I have always really enjoyed it before and been fully confident, I've been really glad for the freedom it's given me and made many journeys long and short on the motorways.
Anyway that all changed a year or two ago and I've suffered from a serious of crippling panic attacks, some which have made me have to pull over on the motorway. I've even had to extend the journey by another day as I just couldn't find it in me to get back on.
Anyway last week I did a three hour journey. On the way was fine drove the whole way on the motorway. On the way back I did however lose a bit of my nerve and drove the last hour back on the a roads but I DID IT!
I was listening to a hypnosis podcast on Spotify for a few weeks before hand and can't say if that's what did it for definite but if anyone else struggles it's definitely worth a try- it's called driving anxiety hypnosis and it's by a guy called Adam Cox

Well done!

Well done Op.

I don’t struggle with that myself but I do know what you mean about irrational fears and the menopause.

Maybe your thread could also be a bragging time for others going through similar.

Hopefully, you’ve cracked motorway driving now.

Well done

That's incredible, well done OP. Hopefully this is a new beginning for you and will open up your horizons.

I too dislike motorway driving, as it's monotonous and can be scary. I much prefer taking the A roads.

Well done!! I have this so given me hope 👍🏻

Well done! It's a great achievement, motorway driving can be stressful.

Well done - that's amazing! 💪🏼

You rock - well done!!!

Congratulations! (This is the rare thread that deserves those Facebook clicky fireworks.)

Relish your re-found freedoms!

Yes ! It would be great to hear other peoples wins! The menopause is just awful

Try the podcast on Spotify

I can’t find that podcast, but I think it might help my OH

when did you listen to it? Is it like before bed etc?

Well done, must feel incredible. I had my first panic attack motorway driving (I'm peri menopause). I've driven M25 for 2 hours in rush hour traffic since and used mediation before the drive to cope.

I now think that my eyesight (declining) and anxeity made the attack happen. It came from nowhere and was very frightening.

My friend had to give up the job she loved as it involved motorway driving.

Well done on a positive outcome and for sharing. Brag away.

Yay for you, that's fantastic! 😍It's Lovely to hear a menopausal success story. I'm crashing into that phase myself and whilst motorway driving isn't one of my personal nemeses, I have others I'm battling, so this gives me hope!

Motorway driving is my irrational fear. I used to have a company car and drove thousands of miles each year all around the UK, but now I get sweaty palms and just don’t feel safe. Weird how your mind plays these mean tricks on you. I’ll have a look for the podcast, thanks.

Well bloody done!!!!

Fantastic news! Well done you little rock star

I have never driven on one despite driving for nearly forty years. It's not the driving on it that freaks me, it's the getting onto it in the first place, those slip roads feel so short, and my cars never had the umph to get me out of trouble :/

Congratulations OP!
I too am post menopausal and whilst it hasn't given me panic attacks I have developed a sudden fear of slipping, falling and breaking a hip, going into hospital and wasting away before I've even had chance to start drawing my old age pension! It's made me a lot more cautious.
My small victory is after 7 years of living in this house I have finally forced myself to climb the rickety wobbly ladder into the loft and OMG I now have what feels like a whole new floor in my house (it's in 2 sections). We don't want or need a full blown loft conversion but I have great plans for this space once I've evicted all the spiders and junk!

well done

I’m really struggling with driving these days, I’ve never been on the motorway but even highways/dual carriageways etc give me the dread now. Along with big islands, blue signs, bridges. It’s really hugely affecting my life. I use hypno for other things but I tried a driving one and I couldn’t imagine/visualise not feeling anxious as the hypno requested. You’ve inspired me to try again.
(also will chalk this up on my ever increasing list of possible perimenopause symptoms)

You brag away, Be pleased with your triumph.
In the UK we don't enjoy or celebrate our successes enough.

Well done! It’s not easy to beat a fear like that.

Testosterone plummets in menopause. I have really noticed the difference in how cautious I have become. I don't walk on country paths alone any more because I have seen lone men and gangs of youths walking that I don't like the look of. I avoid big dogs now. If I see someone with a huge fighting dog, I do a 180 and head the other way. I don;t eve care if they see me do it. I know why testosterone reduction causes this but I hate it. Well done on your motorways driving.

Interesting @Farahpascalmoges I hadn’t read that about the link between falling testosterone and meno anxiety. I guess I thought it was a more general connection to falling oestrogen.

Congratulations! This side of menopause isn't discussed enough, and I've known a lot of women silently suffering with new fears- my mum for one became severely agorophobic during the first stage of her menopause.

Good for you OP, enjoy your driving and freedom again!

Good for you!