Driving related OCD?

pickychicky · Newbie User Joined: Aug 26, 2008 Posts: 1

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and was really wanting to see if there were other driving related OCD sufferers out there.

My OCD started about November of last year when I found out my husband was being unfaithful. Not sure why this caused me to do this. Doc says this may have triggered it. I have gotten to the point where I hate driving. I am scared to death that I will hit someone or something. It's awful. I retrace my route over and over. The slightest bump that I hit in the road I will have to turn around. It's gotten worse now that I am 3 months pregnant with no meds. I know I haven't hit anything but my mind is saying "what if" "what if". Thats not the only OCD realtion. I also have this thing where I am scared to death that I will say or type something bad. I'm talking mean or dirty. Also I check and recheck things over and over. I have to make sure everything is accounted for over and over at work. All this has made me one big scaredy cat. I have not asked my OB about safe meds during pregnancy yet. I know I will soon bc this is driving me insane. can ne one else relate? Or have been pregnant and can recommend safe meds that I can tell my OB about?

decadeOfSA · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:01 am Post subject:

You need some cognitive behavioral therapy. Relaxation exercise would proably help too. Meds would likely help, but since you are worried about taking them while pregnant, you might want to try some non drug therapy. Meds just mask the problem anyway. They don't get to the root of the matter. You need to take baby steps to gradually desensitize yourself to driving. After awhile, if you do it right, driving won't bother you at all.

Check out this thread/book:

http://www.socialphobiaworld.com/postt19365.html

chris87 · Advanced User Joined: Jul 09, 2008 Posts: 337

I have the same issue with driving. I get so nervous about it sometimes. Whenever I go somewhere, I have to do these annoying rituals, because I feel like they'll prevent me from getting into an accident (silly, I know). I didn't get my license until I was 18, and I didn't start driving much until the age of 20 (which is how old I am now). Between my SA and OCD, driving can be relatively stressful. I sometimes find it relaxing, but that's usually when there isn't much traffic. I live in NJ, and it seems like there's ALWAYS a ton of traffic. There are way too many people here.