Hi Everyone!

[debbiemeza]

Hi All!

I'm so glad for this website. Thank you Rich!

Here's a bit of info about me. My name is Debbie and I'm 54 years old. I have had freeway phobia for about 7 years now. I always worked close to home and didn't really have to get on the freeway much. I lived in Orange County, CA for many years and one day my boss said I needed to drive to San Diego. I thought nothing of it, but as I was driving and came closer to the OC Airport on the wonderful 405 Freeway (not!) I had a horrible feeling that came over me...dizzy, sweating, out of control, etc. Nothing like that had ever happened to me. Fortunately, I was able to get over to the far right lane as cars were passing me at very high speeds. I really thought I was losing my mind for sure. It was horrible to say the least!

Anyway, I have been on the freeway maybe 3 times since then, and although I was able to drive it, I still had the scarey feeling. Thank goodness for my wonderful husband. We have recently moved out to the Inland Empire, and if it wasn't for him, I would never see my family in the OC. He drives me there all the time. But I want to be independent again! I want to get into my car, get on the freeway and go! I'm just too scared and I hate it.

Although I feel bad for anyone who has this problem, I am glad to have this forum to discuss it, and maybe get through it. Thanks again Rich for putting this website together. I know it will help many of us with this terrible phobia.

Debbie

[drsusieq]

Welcome aboard! We will conquer this together. My story is very similar.

[Lupe]

Hi Debbie,

Welcome.

I'm originally from the L.A. area, Whittier, and I really struggled driving around last year when down for vacation. My husband did all the driving but he would had to leave me because he went with our eldest for a Scout camp on Catalina, fortunately, my friend was with me and I was able to drive most of the way to Altadena, we had to pull over for a snack and I asked her to take over (she didn't know about my phobia). By the end of the week I had to drive by myself with my 3 younger kids (5 & 6 at the time) from Diamond Bar to Long Beach and must have looked at the map 30 times making sure I wasn't going to drive over any water.

I sang, prayed and kept looking at the clock because I knew it would take me 45 minutes, (I had Googled the time.) It was tough. Man, once I arrived at the Long Beach port I didn't move, even though I would have loved to have gone to check out the Queen Mary, but I was not going to get back in that car.

We'll get through this. Finding a safe place sounds easy enough but it's not, it took me weeks to find mine.

Warmly,
Lupe