Quote:
Originally Posted by anais_anais
Trail maybe you have tried these things but... just in case, since I have to drive a lot for my work (three and a half hours daily on average, sometimes four or five) I thought I might share a few tricks I have that help me feel safer...
I almost always have my gps on as a safety net, except for very short and familiar trips, so if I dissociate I won't be lost. It also helps me stay present to keep an eye on the screen. For the longer highway trips, no matter how many times I've done them, if I try to just drive by memory, pretty soon I am very far from where I started with no clue. I get frazzled and confused and then the near-accidents happen because I am distressed.
I also have music on-- hum along, keep the noisiness in my head at bay.
On extremely bad days I try to have something nutritious or low calorie to chew on, just another thing to keep me from disappearing, different flavors and textures. Jerky, a weirdly flavored gum, dried fruit, etc
If I do none of these things, before I know it- no idea where I am. It's crippling and I feel like I shouldn't be on the road. But in combination it works for me, and I somehow manage the massive drives ok.
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Thank you again! Your post hits home with me. I made the drive today and I was trying to be conscious of "changes" and I did feel/experience them. It was kind of weird that I was looking for them, with all that was on my mind. I DID feel it though.
Just being aware of it called my attention to it and I acknowledged it. That was really weird, but it calmed it.
I guess I'm thinking that if I can feel it coming, I can stop it. Maybe. If that makes sense. I just don't want to be a victim anymore. It really feels bad to be a victim of myself.
It happens to me so fluidly and I don't realize it until after the fact. Today was empowering that I felt and saw it.