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Subscribe to RSSEvery day drivers use bridges to connect to them to their homes, jobs and beyond. But for some people, driving over a bridge causes a panic attack. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports on an anxiety disorder known as bridge phobia.
Crossing that bridge when you come to it is terrifying when you have a fear of bridges.
Known as gephyrophobia (pronounced jeff-i-ro-fo-bia), people with an intense fear of driving over a bridge -- or for some, the mere thought or anticipation of it -- brings on a panic attack. Their hearts race and palms sweat, and they may also have trouble breathing and feel light-headed.
If driving, their hands death-grip the steering wheel. They worry about losing control of the car and veering off the bridge, or of becoming so freaked out that they stop traffic with no shoulder of the road to pull into.
Gephyrophobes are "not worried about the bridge collapsing, they're worried about themselves collapsing," says Jean Ratner, a social worker who directs the Center for Travel Anxiety in Bethesda, Md. She says a bridge phobia may stem from a fear of heights, and what's at the root of the problem is being scared of having a panic attack and not being able to manage it.
This anxiety disorder usually has a sudden onset and tends to strike extremely good drivers, suggests Ratner. It often catches a person by surprise because this was someone who previously had no trouble crossing bridges. Then one day, a panicky feeling occurs on a tall bridge, typically on the first half of it as the car is climbing up the arch.
Both the length and the height of the bridge can freak out sufferers, who may drive miles out of the way to find an alternative route or make excuses for their travel-related anxieties. A dread of bridges is more likely when the person is doing the driving, but may also occur as a passenger.
Although less common than a fear of flying, bridge phobia is treatable in 6 to 9 months, suggests Ratner. She starts with office-based sessions to develop relaxation strategies that target the symptoms of panic, such as a slower breathing pattern and looking straight ahead. Then these behavioral methods might be practiced in a car on local roads.
Next Ratner might accompany that person while they walk across a bridge. Very gradually, the person works up to walking halfway across alone.
As a person slowly builds up more courage, then Ratner will discuss driving over a small bridge in a car with her sitting in the front seat. Then they may attempt a bigger bridge together. The next session may find Ratner in the back seat, then eventually to her in a separate car trailing behind the fearful driver.
Some people may take a mild tranquilizer to help them get over their bridge jitters, or carry it in a purse or wallet in case of panic.
Of the phobias she treats, Ratner says this is a hard one. With a fear of flying, people realize they're not piloting the plane. But with a fear of bridges, the driver is in charge and that person often feels an incredible sense of responsibility especially if other family members are depending on this individual to transport them safely.
Some bridges have drive-over services for the skittish. Nervous motorists can arrange to have someone else shuttle your car while you close your eyes or cower in the back seat. Some places charge for the service while others do it for free.
If drive-over services helps people get where they want to go, Ratner says she's very open them. But working with a therapist who treats phobias can be a bridge to getting over these fears for good.
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The skyway bridge across the mouth of Tampa bay is pretty scary. It's tall and as you approach the top of the rise, it looks like you're going over a cliff... Doesn't stop me though!
Boy, can I relate, however with a caveat. I'm only phobic when I am driving over bridges that have very low sides and are really, really high, i.e., the San Mateo bridge over San Francisco Bay, where you drive straight up and can't see the downside. I just grip the wheel with my sweaty hands, look straight ahead and always stay in the middle or right hand lanes, irritating all those other drivers who are whizzing by on both sides or stuck behind me. Now a flat or slightly curved bridge with nice high railings aren't a problem at all. Nice to know there is a name for it besides scared sh&tless!!!!
While I have normal fear of heights and won'nt go near the edges of high places, it isn't necessarily the height of bridges that cause a sense of dread or panic. I've suffered more on long bridges that hug the water.
Also, my fear is relative to the strength and height of the side walls. Golden Gate doesn't bother me much, while the San Diego Bay Bridge, which only has short curved cement sides, makes me worry about getting in an accident that could launch my car over the side. It's not an irrational fear because that very scenario has happened.
When taking the Great American Road trip several years ago, I threatened to wear a life-vest and have a "window" breaker thing on hand as we crossed the bad bridges. Interestingly enough, driving from California to NH via the south and from NH back to CA the northern route, there wasn't one bridge that made me "freeze." I really enjoyed the Lake Pontchartrain bridge in Louisiana, not too high, nice guard rails, beautiful view. Glad to know there are others who have the same issues. I will however continue to drive 50 miles to avoid that damn San Mateo bridge. It is fearsome.
I accidentally drove over the Skyway bridge (Tampa Bay area) once when I was new to the area. I have always had a fear of bridges and have had a glass breaking tool in my glove box since I first got my license. It did not reassure me! I started having a panic attack. My hearing went out (only heard a buzzing) then my peripheral vision was gone. My fear of driving over the side was nearly a self-fulfilling prophecy. I had to drive slowly on the interior lane singing "99 bottles of beer on the wall" to try to stay conscious. Very scary!!!
I can't say I've ever experienced a panic attack from driving over a bridge, but I have had panic attacks, and it's no fun. In an attempt to help myself as well as others I started a blog on Panic Attacks, from the perspective of a doctor that has experienced them. It's only a week old, but feel free to check it out and continue the discussion... www.imnotaloneblog.com
Those with phobias should find an NLP practitioner familiar with the Fast Phobia Cure. Those who wish to see what the process is like can find numerous examples on YouTube.
it may not even really be the phobia that's the cause. I never had any fear of driving but when I started having severe panic attacks, one of the big triggers for me was any perceived danger while driving. And once I'd had a panic attack on a certain spot on the freeway, such as an interchange, coming up on that interchange would sometimes cause a panic attack just from being worried about a panic attack.
They're terrifying, really. I'd have trouble breathing, feel like my car was about to careen off the road for no good reason, I felt out of body, like I had no control. I didn't even have the presence of mind to safely pull off the road, all I could do was take my foot off the gas and try to talk myself out of it. Singing sometimes would help too. I realize what a danger I was.
I was later diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and started some meds...after about 3 months they gradually faded to where they didn't really happen anymore but sometimes if my car makes a weird noise or I come up on a trigger spot while driving I can still feel the fear creep up in my chest. It's not near as intense as it used to be though.
describes me to a tee! I have reoccurring nightmares about bridges. Once when I was driving over the Ben Franklin Bridge from Philadelphia into New Jersey I had a panic attack, had to roll down the drivers side window and force myself to breathe deeply just to get to the other side. Small bridges are not a big deal but I am terrified of expansion bridges as well as bridges that are miles long!
I've been scared of bridges for decades - never heard of anyone else being the same, tho! I was ok until I moved to a small island with a 400 metre bridge the only link to the mainland. It was a white knuckle ride I only made on my own a few times. On moving to Bristol UK I avoided the Clifton suspension bridge for 15 years, although I have managed to walk over it once, in full panic mode I only held it together because both my children were with me. I feel as if the bridge will fall apart or tip over, and I will be thrown far below. I once had to drive across the old Severn Bridge, as I HAD to get to the passport office in Newport in a hurry. I was so scared I decided to drive back the long way, via Gloucestershire, but I hit such thick fog it took me hours, scaring me even more than the bridge! I think that was the turning point for me, and although I do still get very nervous and panicky, I know I can now get across any bridge.
I have always been afraid of bridges ~ I can remember the terror a certain bridge caused when I was just a little kid.
Even a picture of a bridge can bring on anxiety ~ the one with this article did. When Robin Williams has a panic attack while driving on the bridge in "Father's Day", I panic right along with him. I once took the wrong lane in Duluth MN and ended up on the old bridge instead of the Bong bridge. I literally thought I would die in the middle of the bloody thing. As far as I can tell, 3 factors affect the degree of terror : length, height, and age of bridge.
Interestingly, I love Grand Coulee Dam and can spend hours up there.
I have never had a fear of driving over any bridge until one day I had to drive over the "Dane Point" bridge in Jacksonville, Fla. There was a very high wind that day also. I thought I was going to freeze up!
Dames Point*
:)
In Sept 1989, a woman driving a Yugo was blown off the Mackinac Bridge in Northern Michigan. Her body was later found by divers in 150 of cold water, still in the car. The bridge is the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western hemisphere.
Unless you suffer from "panic disorder" you have NO clue how it feels.
It is like you are going to die and you cannot breathe and your heart pounds and your hands sweat. My legs go numb and my eyes hurt. It is terrible. Medication has helped. Learning relaxation modes has helped.
But the fact remains that sometimes I just panic. Bridges are terrible. I have to race over them and I NEVER drive on the interstate. Too much going on? Can't concentrate. Get dizzy and light headed then terrified.
Over the years I have found all the "back" ways to travel. But it held me back in my line of work. Promotions would have meant travel in areas I can't fathom driving to.
So IF YOU DON'T suffer from "panic disorder" never diss someone that does.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy isn't just for PTSD,it can also do wonders with helping people get on top of crippling phobias in a short time.
Be safe.
Huh! I have the exact sensation! I feel as thought the car is going to 'slide' off the bridge. I only get this sensation when I have to drive over the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville, WV. I HATE that bridge.
One time I was driving towards that bridge in the evening, in late winter. As soon as I hit the bridge, there was 0 visibility. It was as though I drove right into a cloud. The fog was soooo dense. At first I stopped. Then I thought about cars coming from behind me wouldn't be able to see me, so I forged on.
HATE that bridge!
I've had this phobia for years. I have no fear of heights, and I lover roller coasters. But for years I've had recurrent dreams where I'm driving and the bridge suddenly becomes like a roller coaster and I drive right off. It's not so bad if I'm a passenger, but horrible if I'm driving. Bridges that are wide open, and especially ones that have humps in the middle, are the worst. Old-fashioned, heavy steel construction bridges like the Queensborough bridge in NY aren't so bad, perhaps because I can't see much and it's harder to visualize driving off the bridge. Put me on something like the beautiful Ravenel bridge in Charleston and I'm a wreck. I've had to pull over and wait for the shaking and tears to stop after driving alone over the Tappan Zee bridge....
I have those same dreams of bridges turning into roller coasters. I've made a wrong turn, there's no way out and up, up and over I go. Terrible.
Wow! There's a name for it!!! I've suffered a fear of bridges since I was a kid!!! On top of that my dad would always scare the crap out of me when we'd be driving over the Peace Bridge into Canada - he'd tell me we were over the bridge so that I could get up off the floor in the back seat, only to find we'd be HALF WAY ACROSS, loved scaring me that way.........i wised up though and started to listen for how many "thuds" the car made (that sound scares me too!!!) before i'd even think about getting up, i knew how many needed to "thud" for us to be across!!!! When I moved to Florida it took me years to be able to not be afraid to drive over the bridge to go to the beach!!! Phew, conquered that bridge but the Grand Island bridges, STILL scare the heck out of me!!! First time I drove the Grand Island bridge, my best friend steered from the passenger seat, I closed my eyes and she told me to speed up or slow down, lol insane!!!! I drive over that bridge now and i have the death grip on the steering wheel!!! Don't think I'll ever NOT have anxiety when it comes to bridges, I've come to live with it!!!
My husband started having this problem about 10 years ago. Sometimes he is able to successfully drive across, but there have been times when he's pulled over before the bridge and asked me to drive for a while. The description of the symptoms is spot on - my husband gets really quiet, turns off the radio and starts gripping the steering wheel so hard it makes his hands hurt. If I talk at all, he asks me to be quiet. I would rather drive myself than to see him go through that kind of anxiety. The odd thing about it is that in all othe aspects, my husband is 100% well-adjusted grounded, sensible, and not at all prone to phobias or fears. But bridges really scare the hell out of him.
That is exactly me. Dunno where I got it from, but crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge scares the bejesus out of me.
long undiagnosed Lyme Disease, Babesia - and an inner ear disorder - were the causes of problems I used to have with bridges.
Google: vestibular symptoms and then also learn about tick-borne infections that can create panic due to adrenal dysfunction caused by infection and vestibular problems. Search "The Human Side of Lyme" and see site for ILADS.org
I've been a little nervous, but not to the point of being totally un-nerved ever since the first time I watched "The Mothman Prophecies".
This is wild! I JUST started having this issue a few months ago. I've been driving for 30 years and I'm a great driver (albeit a bit fast) and never gave a second thought to over passes until I was driving my daughter and her fiance to a wedding venue in Austin and as we approached this massive overpass I had a complete panic attack... heart racing, blood pounding in my ears, palms sweating and I thought I was going to drive right off the edge. From that moment on every overpass makes me panic, the higher they are the worse it is. Being in DFW I don't have a choice but to go over many of them every day. But here's the deal, it started happening about 3 months into a very high dose steroid medication I was on that seemed to have "un-wired" a lot of things in my brain, as I've tapered off most of the symptoms have gone away and this one is getting better... It makes me wonder if other people "sudden onset" isn't due to a side effect of medications that doctors just don't know about...
I'm not a doctor,I'm a nurse but yes,we know very well about corticosteroids causing pretty much any neurological side effect including behavioral changes such as increased anxiety.The most common reason is the ever so slight intracrainal swelling,due to the increased fluid retention throughout our bodies that is often a side effect of corticosteriods.When slight fluid retention occurs inside our heads (intracranial) a slight bit more pressure pushes on our brains thus causing neurological changes including increased anxiety,aggression,insomnia, depression,forgetfulness,clumsiness,ect.
Your assessment was right on.
I was on steroids for six months, and shortly after coming off of them I found myself in a 'fog'. Never had an issue with a fear of heights before then, but shortly after it seemed to start. Used to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge all of the time without a problem, then suddenly bam. HIt me out of the blue. I pay the guys to take me across when I need to get across. It totally sucks.
When I was a kid in '67 I saw the Ohio bridge collapse on the news. Ever since then, I have not been a fan of bridges or heights.
my fear of bridges is exclusive to the san fran bay area. i grew up in florida and have crossed many bridges without a single fear. what causes my fear was watching the '89 world series in florida when the loma prieta earthquake happened. since seeing those images of the the collapsed deck of the bay bridge i have been terrified of crossing bridges in the bay area. i will only drive if i absolutely have too. luckily there are other alternatives to driving in this area. i know i can go anywhere else in this country and drive over a bridge with no problem. here i am constantly in fear of an earthquake happening while i am driving over a bridge and then part of the bridge collapsing. that is one reason why after having lived in the bay area for 16 years i have not once been on the bay bridge and probably never will. i also try to never go over the richmond bridge either although i have to when faced with no other choice and i dread it every time.
Those bridges with the metal grates on them just freak me out. The noise they make literally make it impossible for me to block out the fear and try to relax. I once stopped at the top of a bridge. My hubby thought I had really lost it. I have bent many, many rings also from the extreme tight grip I have on the steering wheel. But I am working on this. I don't want to be like this anymore. :)
So, if gephyrophobia is defined as a fear of suffering a panic attack on a bridge, what's the phobia of being on a bridge when it collapses, or another car hits you, or some other catastrophe happens? Because my fear is not of my panic attacks, it's the bridge crumbling under me or something similar.
Phobias can have different roots for different people. We all have our own experiences and points of view. Sometimes a clown is scary because it's difficult to see the real emotion of the person beneath the makeup, but sometimes it's scary because a clown kicked your dog at your fifth birthday party.
Wow. I think this is the very fist time EVER that I have read comments here when NO ONE berated anyone else!! I never liked bridges, but driving in WA state a couple years ago set the fear in. Driving to Niagara Falls last summer, I thought I was going to have to call a friend from out of state to get me so I wouldn't have to drive across the bridge again! While I certainly had the physical "symptoms" described in the article, I would not call it a phobia. Let's be careful not to self-diagnose.
I have had panic attacks since 8-1977. 21 years old. Just driving down the road and feeling came over me I can describe as hyperventilating. tingling in the arms, trouble swallowing. Heart beating fast with papulations. Before that day I had know problem going anywhere. I was a voluteer fire fighter. Had to give that up. Went to the Emergency room several times and Doctors couldn't do anything for me. They said it would pass. It didn't. I began to have uncontrollable throwing up. I spent the next three months in a hospitol. Wth meds doctors controlled the throwing up. I had only been married 5 months. The next 20 years I managed to work with taking meds. I was limited mostly to and from work. No bridges or interstates. I slept most the time at home. It really took a toll on my wife and two sons. I couldn't go know where to enjoy life with them. In 1991 these attacks finally disabled me. Still taking meds. sleeping to much. My children are grown and I have 5 grandchildren now and can't go anywhere with them. Now I'm 56 years old. Lost everything I had three times. My wife is still with me after a long rocky road. I'm still devistated today I have had not much of a life and time spent with my family. I feel so much of a burden to my family. Anyone out there ever experienced what I and my family have gone through.
As a young child, my father (a demented psychologist) would repeatedly pretend that he was driving off of the bridge into the water, while screaming at me, "You're going to die, you're going to die"!. So now, when I am going across water, I think "I'm going to die".