Hi Skinny, welcome
Kazzl is right, you need professional help and guidance. But please don't underestimate self help activities you can do at home.
I had a panic attack that initially was diagnosed as a heart attack. That was in 1987 at 31yo. I went off work and was under a therapist. At first I thought his advice and teachings were a waste of time and effort. He proved me wrong. He taught me-
1/ How to implement relaxation techniques. The one I still do today 29 years later is 'muscle tensioning exercises'. It simply involves lying down and tensioning muscles for 15 seconds at a time starting at your toes right up to your head/face, then tensioning all of them at once for 30 seconds. I do this before sleeping and it helps fall asleep.
2/ Being realistic. He used to question me constantly when I told him of a fear, any fear. "Are you being realistic"? and more often than not I wasn't, it was my imagination running my mind. In your case a fear of falling asleep is such a case....as yourself when sleepy in a car "Am I being realistic having a fear of sleeping now"? Reassure yourself that it is highly unlikely you'll wake up in an accident then nod off if you can.
3/ Accept that like many mental disorders it is a case of managing your illness rather than a full recovery. Accepting this allows you to occasionally feel that periods of nervousness is ok and you wont over react about it. Some levels of nervousness is normal, its the bodies way of protecting us from danger etc.
Children of anxious parents often grow up with similar disorders. To protect your child you need to do things like the above and, along with professional help which could involve medication, you'll make a gradual improvement.
Gradual is the word for it took me a total of 25 years to overcome my anxiety. It might not take you that long depending on your lifestyle. But it is a great feeling when you do make good improvement.
Tony WK
