Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 Hello Diane, I suffered from this type of phobia for many years, not knowing why. I sought treatment, both medically and psychologically. I had counseling, cognitive therapy, and a last resort, medication. This lasted for years until I sought an " internal " counselor. There were some things in my life I could not control, and some fears I could not face. As I came to terms with my worst enemy, " ME " , I began to slowly let go of these fears. I don't know the exact moment when I lost my fear of freeways; but it happened around the time I began to meditate and seek a closer relationship with God. When I surrendered all my power, power was given back to me I guess. When I gave up the " driver's seat " , and allowed God to take control of the wheel, I was able to drive freely. I do not do this always, of course, and can suffer the consequences when I don't; but at least I have found this solution that works better than all those I previously sought....... Blessings to you. Relaxation techniques help........I have to catch myself tensing up, and release my muscles, stopping the adrenal surges..........It is possible to erase the old tapes placed by our fathers and mothers who unwittingly installed fears into us, and tape over them, a new way of life, our own based on our experiences and beliefs, not those of parents or others. I keep you in my thoughts.. Julie --- On Sat, 11/7/09, Diane Baugh <cdgbdronningen wrote: Diane Baugh <cdgbdronningen Phobia Saturday, November 7, 2009, 7:53 PM  Dear Chrism: Thank you for the enlightenment re " Seeing the Unseen " . Now something about a serious weakness I have had for many years that doesn't seem to resolve: I have a freeway phobia. When I was learning to drive, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 Dear and Julie: Thank you both for your caring response to my issue. Chrism, I will do as you suggest, the bare-bones, so to speak, approach! Julie it is clear to me that you have suffered in the same way. I feel such shame in regard to this issue! I have felt absolutely helpless to regain control of my physical responses, especially the muscle tightening and adrenal rush you wrote of. I think part of the problem is that my Dad had a heart attack when we were far from home, and he insisted on still driving us back, even with severe chest pain. I was terrified he was going to die at the wheel, and we wouldn't make it home. (I have a harder time driving home on the freeway than leaving home and going somewhere else.) Bless you Julie for taking the time to post your experience; I am very appreciative! Respect, Honor, Gratitude and Love to both of you from Diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 I also have a phobia of riding on the freeway. I was in an accident a few years ago that was tragic. To this day I am white knuckled as my husband drives. Especially when it hits 75mph as the freeways in Az do. I have found it easier when I do deep breathing. I practice surrender and know that I alone can't always be in control of everything. As time passes, I find it easier and easier to be in the position. Just take slow deep breaths and you will start to feel the pressure leave you. Panic attacks usually last about 15-20 minutes and the more you practice, the easier it will be, and the shorter the duration they last. Just give it time and face your fear. Work on it slowly. Start in the slow lanes and progress as you feel necessary. The only way to beat your fears is to face them... because ultimately fear is the worst imagined outcome and not what is real. Stay focused in the present moment and you will do better. Can't say I am there all the way yet, but as I said, it gets better =) Best of luck to you! , Diane Baugh <cdgbdronningen wrote: > > Dear Chrism: Thank you for the enlightenment re " Seeing the Unseen " . Now something about a serious weakness I have had for many years that doesn't seem to resolve: I have a freeway phobia. When I was le Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 9, 2009 Report Share Posted November 9, 2009 My phobia concerns water tanks and holes in floors, e.g., floor drains in basements. I was a teenager before I could bear to look into a toilet tank. I never went near the cow tank in the barn on the farm where I grew up, and I steared clear of the wells. Floor drains were fine so long as the grate stayed over them. In our barn there was just a hole in the cement floor where my dad poured water when washing things. I was careful around that hole and never looked down into it. This was all manageable until this spring when my property started having drainage issues relating to something a neighbor did to ease excessive water on his property. Starting after the winter thaw and spring rains I had several inches of water in my basement. I had to have it drained and an emergenecy sump pump put in until this issue is resolved. That required cutting a hole in my basement floor and keeping an eye on the water level in that hole as well as coming up the floor drains. My worst nightmare! Especially when I would have to go down in the middle of the night to check on things. This required a lot of deep breathing over the months, and during storms that would drop three inches of rain in 90 minutes, I'd start shaking with fear--there was no one else to pass it off to. On two occasions I took a stool over the hole and sat watching it (trying to make friends?). After seven months of this I'm happy to say that floor drains are not a problem anymore, and sometimes I go over to the hole in the floor and stare down into it just to see how I feel while doing it (sometimes there's water in it, sometimes it's dry). The hole in my basement floor will eventually be filled in again and cemented over, because tomorrow they are starting digging to reconnect my property's drainage tile to the county tile. It has also been an on-going exercise in forgiveness, as I recall my neighbor saying last summer, " Well, what I'm going to do to fix my problem might not be so good for you. " Carolyn , Now something about a serious weakness I have had for many years that doesn't seem to resolve... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.