# Dp/dr while driving



## NotMyRealLife (May 5, 2015)

Hi everyone,

I have less and less dp/dr attacks, even to the point where I thought I was 'cured', but lately I'm taking driving lessons and now I suddenly get dp/dr attacks while I'm driving. I'm not only disappointed that I still get them, but I'm also worrying bc when I'm driving is the last situation where I want to have an attack. When I start dissociating, I feel like the hole situation is not real and just a dream, I try to get more consciousness again or to 'wake up' but I only get more nervous bc the feeling is so scary and all I want is to stop the car and get in a more calm situation so that ugly feeling can get away. But that's impossible while I'm driving, especially at huge speed, and I can't just tell it to my driving instructor bc I don't know what to explain again. And I don't want to quit just bc I have that stupid feeling again, I want to conquer it bc I don't want to run away from it for the rest of my life. I get it that I probably get attacks now bc driving, especially with a strange driving instructor, gives a lot of stress and I probably dissociate to cope with that stress. When I sometimes drive with my mom I never dissociate. But it is intended that I learn to drive with the riding school and do my driving exam with them, bc my mom doesn't know how to teach me good. This situation will go on still for a month, and then I have to do my driving exam. I'm pretty sure that I'll go dissociate during my exam, but then I'll never be able to pass it.

So I wonder if anyone has advice for this sort of situation, even if it's just to reduce stress or how to behave with dp/dr in dangerous situations like driving. Oh and I went to therapy and doctors and psychologists and all that before, but none of them helped, they didn't even understand what I had. I'm not a fan of medication either, I want to cope with dissociation all by myself for good, unless it's Xanax to reduce stress in really risky situations and I really have no other options. 
I hope someone can help.


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## 106473 (Feb 7, 2017)

Not a fan of medication but will use a Benzo... interesting. You only have this stance because you never found a medication you liked/worked I am guessing. If you were anti medication you would not be pro Xanax, considering for one it's highly addictive. Not saying this to I dunno argue for the use of a better term, It's like saying... I am anti drink, but when i do drink, i drink moonshine.

As to your question, i think you kinda know the deal, you are anxious with this other person in the car or the situation, more anxiety brings back the DP/DR you mention, you either have to find a way to cope/lower the anxiety/reduce your anxiety in general or medication, there really isn't much else to it.

You can do more dissociated than you think, I know that to be true, taking instructions though can be difficult so I get your worry.

Also if you haven't found a doctor that understood what you had, then you may as well count that as 0 doctors seen. My advice is get treated for anxiety and depression separately, one for each, see how you stand, or just anxiety if you don't have depression


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## HopingCat36 (Jun 17, 2017)

I thought I was the only one that gets those damn attacks! I sent you a message. My psychiatrist seems to think those are dissociative attacks due to anxiety. So You must be super anxious with the driving. I think you should take half Xanax before you go. It helps me when I have to go into the stores because the lights trigger those stupid attacks too.


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## NotMyRealLife (May 5, 2015)

CK1 said:


> Not a fan of medication but will use a Benzo... interesting. You only have this stance because you never found a medication you liked/worked I am guessing. If you were anti medication you would not be pro Xanax, considering for one it's highly addictive. Not saying this to I dunno argue for the use of a better term, It's like saying... I am anti drink, but when i do drink, i drink moonshine.
> 
> As to your question, i think you kinda know the deal, you are anxious with this other person in the car or the situation, more anxiety brings back the DP/DR you mention, you either have to find a way to cope/lower the anxiety/reduce your anxiety in general or medication, there really isn't much else to it.
> 
> ...





CK1 said:


> Not a fan of medication but will use a Benzo... interesting. You only have this stance because you never found a medication you liked/worked I am guessing. If you were anti medication you would not be pro Xanax, considering for one it's highly addictive. Not saying this to I dunno argue for the use of a better term, It's like saying... I am anti drink, but when i do drink, i drink moonshine. As to your question, i think you kinda know the deal, you are anxious with this other person in the car or the situation, more anxiety brings back the DP/DR you mention, you either have to find a way to cope/lower the anxiety/reduce your anxiety in general or medication, there really isn't much else to it. You can do more dissociated than you think, I know that to be true, taking instructions though can be difficult so I get your worry. Also if you haven't found a doctor that understood what you had, then you may as well count that as 0 doctors seen. My advice is get treated for anxiety and depression separately, one for each, see how you stand, or just anxiety if you don't have depression


What I meant with those Xanax is that only in really really risky situations I would take 1 Xanax for 1 exceptional time, just bc it works really fast to reduce anxiety. In my whole life I only took it one time in an airplane bc I never went on an airplane before and I was anxious enough even without dp/dr. I took other more, long term medication, and it helped a bit, but medication isn't going to take my dp/dr away, and actually I can cope with it without medication, as my dp/dr almost went away when I didn't take medication anymore.And for the doctors, I've been searching for professional help for 10 years, the first 3 years my doctor and psychiatrist and psychologist from that time thought it was just panick attacks, when I was a bit older I saw a documentary about dissociation, I told that to my psychiatrist and then finally she said that I might have that but she couldn't help me with it. Then she send me to a mental hospital, there again they just thought I had anxiety and when I explained that I had dp/dr they thought I was crazy and held me there for 6 months without doing anything. Then I went to several other psychiatrists, psychologists, but they all focused on other things bc they didn't understand my feelings. Then I went to hospital once again for 6 months without any results, they said I was just a broken hopeless case. Then I went into intensive trauma therapy but that only helps with anxiety from my past, not my current feelings. But none of them were like 'Oh dissociation yeah I know and I know what helps best for it.' None. Even my psychology teacher at school knew better what dissociation was, too bad she wasn't educated to be a therapist. I know I live in a small country and the mental health services here probably all suck, but I don't have money to go to real professionals in other countries. Besides, the negativity from doctors is even more bad for my mental health.


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## brizia2093 (Jan 10, 2017)

Damn that happens to me , when Im driving i get so nervous because I feel scare i might get a panic attacks there in the traffic. But I dissociate A LOT when Im drivig. Probably due to my anxiety levels going off the roof


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