I Feel Afraid to Drive Because of Schizoaffective Anxiety
I'm afraid to drive. My schizoaffective anxiety used to only make me afraid to drive in the snow, and then the rain. But now I feel anxious whenever I drive. Here’s how I’m coping.
Using Exposure Therapy to Cope with Being Afraid to Drive
Despite my schizoaffective anxiety, I take my car out nearly every day even though I'm afraid to drive. I’ve been trying to do this in the rain as an additional challenge. In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this is called exposure therapy. I’m making myself do the thing I’m afraid of doing.
It is helping. I am recognizing that I’m a good driver, even in less-than-perfect weather. I’m nervous when I drive in the rain, but I can still do it. It used to be that I would hear schizoaffective voices when I drove in even a shower. My voices didn’t tell me to do anything, so I could still concentrate on driving when I was hearing them. But I don’t hear voices anymore when I drive in the rain.
I suppose that, in a way, it’s good that I’m anxious about driving because it makes me a more careful driver. But my anxiety is so extreme it can trigger resistance to driving.
I'm Afraid of Driving in the Snow
Last winter was very snowy in Chicago, where I live. I was afraid to drive at all for months. Then, in the spring, when I tried to take out my car, it wouldn’t start. The battery died because my car had been idle for so long. So I had to get a new battery.
I take a drive to places I like at least once a week to keep the battery in good condition. This is a blessing in disguise because it forces me into driving exposure exercises. I just don’t need to drive to many places. My husband Tom drives everywhere when we go out, and most places I go to alone, like therapy, are more easily accessible by train. Tom and I live across the street from the train station.
I’m very nervous about driving in the snow next winter. I know I have to do it—the car battery will remain a good incentive. So we’ll see what happens.
I'm Afraid to Drive Long Distances
My general practitioner’s office is about a half-hour away. I’m very nervous about going to see him in August because of the drive. But I know it’s important to go for my annual checkup. It’s particularly important that I get bloodwork done because of all the psychiatric medication I’m on.
Last year, I took a cab. That’s always an option for this year—especially if it’s raining—but I really want to see if my exposure exercises will have paid off. And I know I’ll be so proud of myself if I’m able to drive to my appointment.
APA Reference
Caudy, E.
(2019, July 25). I Feel Afraid to Drive Because of Schizoaffective Anxiety, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 5 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/creativeschizophrenia/2019/7/i-feel-afraid-to-drive-because-of-schizoaffective-anxiety
Author: Elizabeth Caudy
I'm schizo affect and need to be seen at all time and I can't drive I wish they make cars for people like me I'm fine everywhere else I just need to go places and get back if they made cars that you can just put petals in and go and you can put address in and you can go or without petals we came in the womp along we should be able to go places in a save spaces and comfort zone vehicles like aliens can ride in vehicle in space we should be able to get around safe in a motor vehicle I mean I can probably drive a golf cart but I don't have a license just permit it really bad we're getting old and born differently and have birth conceptional problems they should make atomic cars for disability people and micro and all the cars like solar with a long distance availability because people be living in rural places and need to go to cities and back for food and do alot of traveling and vacation too why dont the president think like that we need the availability and convince of help and needs for our safeness I really want to drive but I either feel too sadated or I would need to twitch or flinch or it would come unexpectedly when I drive but I'm sane and I need a smart vehicle for my disability to drive me place what if i need to go alone I can make plans for stops to places on the way but i cant drive there's no need for licenses and stuff just a vehicle where you just need to stay coherent to operate no attention span too overactive to operate and no worries about safeness because you'll be inside maybe a round seat cushion for bipolar people security is best or a bed with blankets yeah wish that was us why can't the president let disable people have the best concern help for us and everyone else should have cheaper cars while these cars should be for special needs attention span people and elders
Hi everyone , I have a schizo affective partner who crashed the same car in one calendar year twice. We just replace the car. It was an economic burden to do so. My partner has a team of therapists behind her, but is not on any medication at this point. She stopped taking it she didn’t like the side effects. I am very concerned about her driving our brand new vehicle and that we owe thousands of dollars on, I would like to see her symptoms controlled better before we allow her to take our only vehicle out. When I reached out to her therapists with this concern they slapped us with a CPS case immediately . The case was ultimately found to be “unfounded“ however I feel so shocked and despondent after that experience that I am scrambling to know how to handle this. We have a five-year-old daughter and I cannot allow her to drive my daughter. I am struggling to know what to do.
Dear Bryon, Thank you for your comment. It definitely sounds like you're in a tough spot. Personally, I believe that schizoaffective disorder requires medical treatment and part of that treatment is medication. I understand not liking the side effects -- that is a very real and common concern, one that I struggle with myself -- but there are many medications out there and there may be medications your partner can try that don't have the kind of side effects that concern her. Communicating her specific concerns to her doctor may help.
As for the car, that's difficult. I might suggest you just be open about your concerns. Simply say something like, "Crashing our car twice in one year is a very big concern for me. You seem to have trouble driving and I think that has to do with not taking medication. I'm very concerned about what may happen in the future if you drive without medication. While I respect your decision not to take medication, there are consequences to that decision and one of the consequences I have to insist on is that you do not drive for the protection of yourself and our daughter. If it's important for you to drive, please reconsider taking medication. If it's important for you to stay off medication, then we will work around your driving."
Of course, that won't be an easy conversation to have, but for the safety of all involved, it's important, as you already know.
Maybe you can get some support for your decision with other family members? They may be able to help too.
I hope that helps. Thanks again, Elizabeth
I am not driving because of the medications I am on impair my ability to respond in a timely manner. I have had a couple of accidents and do not want to let that happen again.