Dear RonnieA~
I'm sorry to hear you have this continuing problem. I read your post from last year and wonder if the same worries are the ones you are finding hard to deal with - not being close to my 'safe place' and/or no quick escape if I start to panic. It does look like you have made a fair bit of progress already being able to drive in your own town, that's a real plus.
Also now you are worried about exposure treatment. Is this something your doctor plans to do?
If it is then you may not realize that only tiny steps are taken at any one time and really you are in control, not the therapist. If you start and find you are reacting more than you can stand, or feelings are spilling over beyond the session then you really should have a discussion with the therapist so what you do is bearable and practical - you are in charge after all.
I can understand the feeling of not being able to retreat or just stop when an attack starts. I find helpful breathing technique, breaking my thinking into other thoughts, knowing I've pulled through before and also if practical physically moving away from the spot where the attack started. I know not all of that is practical when driving.
I guess for me the one big help has been trying to change my lifestyle to reduce the amount of background stress, because by doing so my anxiety attacks are less frequent and not as great.
Mind you with a 4-week old that's not gong to be easy!
The sorts of things I mean are exercise, both general and at the start of anxious thoughts, trying to avoid stressors - like the news, people that I do not get on with and so on, getting the best sleep possible by using sleep hygiene (and unfortunately in my case medication).
Eating sensibly and not having too many stimulants like coffee -or alcohol - in excess. Most importantly taking times to do things I enjoy and take my mind away, I read a lot and also watch movies, spend time with my wife. Laughing and being silly.
I use the free app Smiling Mind, helps a lot but takes practice.
You might like to have a look at the thread:
Forums / Anxiety / SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING ANXIETY
which is long, but has a lot of useful tips in it
I do hope you come back and talk more
Croix
