I can't drive anymore

[Twinkletoes]

Hi everyone.

I passed my driving test last year, in September after spending many years learning and then giving up again - over and over again.  Since then, somehow, I actually got confident and really loved driving - it was great...

Then the last week or so, it's vanished!! Gone! I now feel like I've gone right back to the very beginning again. Suddenly I feel like I can't concentrate at all, I feel like I am stupid and like I am a bag of nerves.

Yesterday I got in the car and within minutes I had to pull over where I burst into tears. My OH told me that I was doing absolutely fine but that I was rushing a little - I just kept saying over and over again "why has this happened??"

It seems to have come at a time where my mind is very consumed with therapy thoughts and I've been feeling rather sad - maybe there is a link.

Could this be an inner critic thing or what? Whatever it is, I HATE it.

[Eyessoblue]

Hi yes I think it could be, I often have things that I normally enjoy then suddenly find 'for whatever reason' I'm no longer confident at doing them, I definitely think it's that inner critic talking, I especially find it harder if I've been talking about something that has 'triggered' me in to an unhelpful way of thinking, for instance, last week I felt ok then had a session of cbt with my therapist and came out of there feeling like I wanted my life to end there and then, I drunk a huge amount of wine had a binge eating session and cancelled all my plans for the rest of the week because I felt I couldn't cope with them or cope with talking to anyone, my inner critic was talking and telling me I was not capable of doing anything and I might as well crawl into a ball and stay there for the rest of the week and that's pretty much what I did and felt angry and resentful towards myself. It did pass and as of yesterday I'm feeling ok, but have a session of cbt on Thursday and already the inner critic is telling me I won't be able to cope with it, I've been given some self soothing advise and I'm trying to talk to myself 'nicely ' and tell my inner critic that actually I'm not this weak  person who couldn't do or say anything right but I am capable of things. I find myself having an inward head battle with myself and critic, which is definitely worse when I'm feeling sad or anxious, so I guess this probably was the same for you. It's horrible feeling like that, I'm reading lots of self help books at the moment which do seem to help me and trying to take time out for me in the hope that it passes quickly.

[Blueberry]

Hi Twinkletoes,
That sounds a bit like me forgetting how to use technical equipment or even how to do something on the computer. One week I can do it, the following week I have no idea how I accessed a particular type of document or whatever. There are also very basic types of electronic or even just electrical equipment which I've been shown how to use (usually even practised with) and when I go to use them, I can't. I just feel blocked.

Driving was really difficult for me too, I had to practise so much. I haven't driven for decades and I'm sure I never will again. Fortunately live in an area where that's not a big problem.

I don't really know what's behind it in my case. Just have a vague idea, don't know if it's an inner critic problem. It's sort of good to read that I'm not alone with this type of problem. Not that I wish on you though...