What to Know If You Have Panic Attacks While Driving

How do you know if it’s a panic attack?

Panic attacks are a symptom of panic disorder, which belongs to the broader category of anxiety disorders. Panic attacks can also be a symptom of other anxiety disorders, though they are only listed in the criteria of panic disorder.

There’s no actual definition of anxiety attacks, so they are very subjective, but often, when someone says they’ve experienced an anxiety attack, they may have actually experienced a panic attack.

Panic attacks often involve primarily physical symptoms that can completely disrupt what you’re doing for a short period of time. They might make you feel detached or separate from yourself or the world around you.

Unlike anxiety, panic attacks often seem to happen for no apparent reason.

symptoms of a panic attack

• a sudden feeling of extreme fear
• pounding heart or very rapid heartbeat
• tingling and dizziness
• feeling like you might faint
• trouble breathing or a choking sensation
• nausea
• sweating and chills
• head, chest, or stomach pain
• feeling like you might lose control
• feeling like you’re going to die

Intense anxiety can involve some of the same symptoms, but they develop more slowly, last longer, and involve emotional symptoms as well, such as worry and nervousness. Anxiety often causes distress, but it doesn’t always completely overwhelm you.

What causes panic attacks while driving?

Sometimes, panic attacks happen with no clear cause. However, certain factors can make panic attacks more likely, such as:

• a family history of panic disorder
• significant stress or life changes
• a recent accident or trauma, even one that’s not related to driving

Panic attacks often stem from a fear of losing control. Feeling anxious, panicky, or stressed for any reason while driving doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll panic, but these factors can also increase the likelihood of an attack.

Panic attacks can also occur in response to fear or when you’re exposed to a trigger, such as an event, sight, smell, sound, or feeling that reminds you of your fear or of a time you had a panic attack.

If you have a phobia, you may be more likely to have a panic attack. This might occur with driving anxiety or a phobia of driving, or with things you might encounter while driving, such as bridges, tunnels, large bodies of water, or bees and other insects that you suspect could get inside your car.

How are panic attacks diagnosed?

To diagnose a panic attack, a mental health professional — such as a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist — will ask you to describe what you experienced, when it happened, what you were doing, and where you were.

To help identify panic attacks, mental health professionals compare the symptoms you describe to those listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR).

A panic attack itself isn’t a mental health condition, but it can happen as part of another condition, such as anxiety, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and panic disorder, to name a few.

If you have regular panic attacks, worry about having more, and change your daily life or behavior in order to avoid having them, you could have panic disorder. This condition is classified as an anxiety disorder in the DSM-5-TR.

Tips for coping with panic attacks

Panic attacks can cause intense fear and a range of physical symptoms. It’s not uncommon to feel like you could die, along with other unpleasant sensations.

If you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or can’t catch your breath, pull over and get out of your car if it is safe to do so. This can help you feel less panicked in the moment.

If it’s not safe or possible to pull over and exit your car, here are several tips to help you cope with panic attacks while driving:

Use safe distractions

If you’re accustomed to driving, listening to music, podcasts, or the radio while you drive can help you focus on something besides your stressful thoughts.

Try making a playlist of your favorite calming, relaxing songs or “chill” music. A lighthearted or humorous podcast or radio show can also help keep your mind off thoughts that might cause anxiety or stress.

Engage your senses

Take sour or spicy candies, gum, or something cold to drink with you when you drive. The cold liquid or sharp taste of the candy or gum can help you regain your senses and focus on something besides your panic.

Cool off

If you begin to feel dizzy, lightheaded, or sweaty, turn on the air conditioning or roll down your windows. The cool air on your face and hands can help ease your symptoms, and you may feel calmer.

Breathe

Try to take slow, deep breaths and focus on breathing in and out. Thinking about not being able to breathe can make it harder to catch your breath.

Remind yourself that the physical symptoms aren’t serious and will subside in a few minutes. As you breathe, focus on something else besides your fear as, such as a building in the distance or a sign to look for.

Keep driving if you can safely continue

Pushing through the fear that accompanies a panic attack can help you overcome it. This may help you feel more able to address a panic attack if you have another one.

Treating panic often involves the realization that however scary they seem, panic attacks don’t actually hurt you.

What’s the treatment for panic attacks while driving?

Many people who have a panic attack never have a second one.

If you do have more than one, you may want to reach out to a mental health professional. Therapy can help you learn how to manage panic attacks and address any underlying causes.

If you have repeated panic attacks, spend a lot of time worrying about having another panic attack, and begin to avoid work, school, or other places you’d usually go, you might have panic disorder.

About a third of people with panic disorder also develop agoraphobia. This condition involves an intense fear of having another panic attack and not being able to get away safely. These conditions can eventually affect your quality of life and make it difficult for you to even leave your house.

Therapy can help treat both panic disorder and agoraphobia. Common types of therapy include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): The primary treatment for panic disorder. Adding skills training could have even more benefits. A 2019 study looking at 100 people found evidence that people who received resilience and coping skills training in addition to standard CBT experienced greater resilience and improved quality of life.
• Exposure therapy: This can also help you manage panic attacks triggered by a phobia or other feared situation. Exposure therapy involves slowly exposing yourself to what you’re afraid of with the help of a therapist in order to reduce or eliminate panic attacks.

Medication

Some medications can help with panic attack symptoms, though they don’t address any underlying causes. Medications a psychiatrist might prescribe include:

• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
• benzodiazepines (for short-term treatment)

What’s the outlook if you have panic attacks?

Panic attacks and panic disorder generally improve with treatment, and a mental health professional can help you find the treatment that works best for you.

While you’re in therapy, try and keep doing things you’d normally do, including driving. Try driving short distances or on quiet roads where you can safely practice deep breathing or other relaxation techniques if you begin feeling panic symptoms.

It may also be helpful to take a trusted friend or family member with you when you drive.

The takeaway

Many people feel fearful or anxious when driving. If you find yourself feeling extreme fear and having physical symptoms, you may be having a panic attack.

If you’ve had a panic attack behind the wheel or worry about having one, consider talking with a therapist. Therapy can help prevent panic attacks while driving and help you develop strategies for coping with your fear of driving.