Has anyone developed a phobia (driving, etc.) or get panic attacks from fear?

Wish I could edit... I mean 'has' anyone developed a phobia...?

Paranoia, seemingly for things that never bothered you before, can be a sign of burnout. If the alarm clock goes off and your heart skips a beat, your muscles jolt and your stomach flips, you're close. If you are hyperalert in a place where you were OK before, like behind the wheel, you are close. Easy to anger and ready to attack? You have met your limit. Spend an hour with the patient and suddenly have diarrhea? It's time to quit, shed the burden, save yourself.

What PS. said that's true, sounds like burn out to me, I know cause I have it too! Trying to be gentle with me for now, prayer non judgmental of myself especially. Care takers have a had time caring for their own needs after having spent so many years thinking about and caring for others. At some point I decided if I don't say no more for now, get off the cross, no more sacrificial lamb, I will be the incapacitated person. I felt myself headed that way many times dealing with my folks. They are safe now, now I'm going to do something good for me because I deserve to have a good life at 58. My folks are 88 and 90 if they make it to September this year they've had a great life. H2H, take care of you please enjoy your life you deserve joy, peace, and love too!

When Mom got sick and had to go to the hospital as an emergency, and I had to deal with that and Dad with ALZ for the first time by myself I was a nut case. We'd visit Mom, get dad home and taken care of, bathed and to bed.. and I would just sit .... they didn;t even have a computer! Once I got things straightened out for her to come to rehab by where I live, and dad moved here and a caregiver set up I was better (a little) . Lists saved my sanity! And so did good friends who came from my hometown to help out that week. Hang in there!

Heart, in years gone by I could happily drive to Timbuktu. For the years my mother lived alone she'd never cook and even at Christmas I'd have to spend evenings cooking (I worked full time) then truck it 200 miles to eat at her kitchen table and listen to her kvetching. Due to stress, I had a blackout a couple of months ago doing 85 miles an hour in my truck. It just lasted a few seconds so no harm done, but it was terrifying and a wake up call. After that I was afraid to get behind the wheel and didn't go out for two weeks. I live in the country so the house is always well stocked.

After two weeks I drove the back roads into the village for groceries. Two weeks after that I (gulp) drive to a small town 12km away for groceries. Now I feel I can go wherever I please - today a big town an hour away for stuff.

As you know, I've had a lifetime of h**l from my N mother, "Mommie Dearest" who is now in a nursing home. Changing my phone number and visiting infrequently is all that is saving me. Frankly, I've been quite ill all winter, light headed, skin lesions, boils, diarrhea and sleeping a lot but so long as I stay away from her I'm slowly recovering. Any time I visit I have to be prepared to feel quite ill for the next 48 hours.

It's her birthday on Wednesday (88) bit I plan to take my dogs to the dog park on Tuesday and drop in on the way back. Flowers, a card and a ton of chocolates and cookies (which she seems to live on) should ensure I can get in and out unscathed. We do what we must.

Heart2Heart, welcome to the club. When it comes to driving, do you find you do better if it is snowing or raining? It helps me because the snow/rain is a good distraction. The more snow the better for me :)

After 5 years of "Driving Miss Daisy & My Dad", I now want to quit driving all together, and trying to get my parents to understand as it fall on deaf ears. I will plow through my panic to take them to doctor appointments but I find the next day I am really exhausted.

I know all this is stress related and my resentment that I can't retire and do what my parents did when they were my age and retired. My panic has expanded to other areas of my life besides just driving.

My doctor is working with me trying to relieve the stress. We are working on many different things, hopefully one will be a winner.

My best of luck to you.

Thank you all for responding... It feels comforting not to 'feel' alone and know that we are supporting each other. I'm reading a book called 'The God of Driving' by Amy Fine Collins... just getting into it... at least it's a distraction (of sorts)... Let me know how you're all doing... Have a beautiful day and take care of your selves.... Blessings

Not phobia, but if something has happened, such as I am driving with a client, and they start to get out of the car due to cognitive impairment, it does cause the immediate reaction, panic. I wouldn't say so much phobia. Is there more detail to this.