My last motocross bike was a KTM 300 ( love 2 strokes ) wth the SX head and ignition box and lectron carb. The 450 4 strokes couldnt touch it.
Could it be time to end riding
-
Hey everyone! Enter your ride HERE to be a part of August's Ride of the Month Challenge!
41 - 60 of 80 Posts
Who knows what they do in the garage at 4:00am?
Joined
·
9,230 Posts
Nothing I say hasn't already been said so I'll just say, I'm glad you're OK.
Now for the question no one seems to have thought of to ask, so I will. Did you get an attorney to try to go after the dogs "owner" or whomever had him off leash? Seems like that person's cage needs to be rattled a bit.
Now for the question no one seems to have thought of to ask, so I will. Did you get an attorney to try to go after the dogs "owner" or whomever had him off leash? Seems like that person's cage needs to be rattled a bit.
Joined
·
154 Posts
I would suggest trying to ride a smaller bike for a short while. If the feeling persists, take the hint. 48 years ago I messed up on a long sweeping left curve on a two lane. Ended up sliding and bouncing down the road till we stopped. Both of us survived with scratches and bruises and were able to ride home. To this day it is hard for me to keep up with my friends in the twisties because my head won't let me. I ride at my own pace and if my friends need to go faster, I will get there when I get there.
Joined
·
1,890 Posts
You describe panic attacks, triggered by attempts to resume riding after a serious accident. You probably did not anticipate the PAs, otherwise you wouldn't have bought another motorcycle, at least not so soon. Then too, you are left with thoughts and emotions about the accident. Understandably, many people have walked away after similar situations and never looked back. But you seem determined to at least try to stay on 2-wheels, or alternatively 3 or 4.
A problem with panic attacks is they sometimes lead to panic disorder, where a person begins to have unanticipated PAs, for no apparent reason, which brings on other problems. I've known folks who did courageous things in life, but later, suffering with panic d/o, seldom left the house, even checking the mail was a struggle. For help with the PAs and avoid potential panic disorder later, and explore whether riding is still for you, I encourage you to consider therapy. Very important to find a therapist you 'click' with, and understands your situation, ideally one who also rides motorcycles. Generally speaking, avoid social workers, and look for a licensed prof counselor (LPC) who specializes in anxiety.
Prescribers will offer meds which may be helpful, especially if in conjunction with therapy. But avoid benzos and sleep sedatives. Lotsa good meds are available, but while those may seem like miracle cures initially, they do far more harm than good in the long run.
Glad you survived, amazingly unscathed physically, but maybe with psychological injury that could use attention. The good news is, the choice is yours, you can ride again if you choose, but it would take 'work' on your part. OTOH, nothing to say you need ever ride again, if you choose not to.
Good luck and God Bless
A problem with panic attacks is they sometimes lead to panic disorder, where a person begins to have unanticipated PAs, for no apparent reason, which brings on other problems. I've known folks who did courageous things in life, but later, suffering with panic d/o, seldom left the house, even checking the mail was a struggle. For help with the PAs and avoid potential panic disorder later, and explore whether riding is still for you, I encourage you to consider therapy. Very important to find a therapist you 'click' with, and understands your situation, ideally one who also rides motorcycles. Generally speaking, avoid social workers, and look for a licensed prof counselor (LPC) who specializes in anxiety.
Prescribers will offer meds which may be helpful, especially if in conjunction with therapy. But avoid benzos and sleep sedatives. Lotsa good meds are available, but while those may seem like miracle cures initially, they do far more harm than good in the long run.
Glad you survived, amazingly unscathed physically, but maybe with psychological injury that could use attention. The good news is, the choice is yours, you can ride again if you choose, but it would take 'work' on your part. OTOH, nothing to say you need ever ride again, if you choose not to.
Good luck and God Bless
Joined
·
8,655 Posts
I feel your pain , I did trike out my bike (which made ALL the difference in the world) I do feel safe'rrr now, BUT to be truthful, w/you, I don't ride as much as I used to.... BUT that's ok, Bike is still Safe ~n~ Sound sitting in my garage...and wait'n to be tak'n out for a joy [email protected] 71 yrs old, I'm ok with that.........She's all wax'd up and ready too ride....
Ronnie
8/3//22
Ronnie
8/3//22
Joined
·
4,577 Posts
Whylee, sorry to hear about your anxiety issues related to motorcycle riding. Just wondering if your anxiety is manifesting itself in other ways or is it just related to motorcycle riding? Sometimes, after a psychological trauma, the anxiety is "generalized". For example, if you crash in a helicopter, you may suffer a persistent state of anxiety that is always present and not just when you're around helicopters.
If the only time you get a flush of anxiety is at the thought of riding a motorcycle, that is certainly easier to deal with. I'm certainly not qualified to give someone else advice on this stuff, but if it were me, I'd make the decision to not ride a motorcycle for the next 30 days. Don't even think a about motorcycles. Don't look at pictures of motorcycles. Even avoid conversations about motorcycles. Just forget about motorcycles for a while. I assume you keep the motorcycle in the garage. Throw a cover over the bike, so you can't see it. What you're experiencing is normal. Relax.
If the only time you get a flush of anxiety is at the thought of riding a motorcycle, that is certainly easier to deal with. I'm certainly not qualified to give someone else advice on this stuff, but if it were me, I'd make the decision to not ride a motorcycle for the next 30 days. Don't even think a about motorcycles. Don't look at pictures of motorcycles. Even avoid conversations about motorcycles. Just forget about motorcycles for a while. I assume you keep the motorcycle in the garage. Throw a cover over the bike, so you can't see it. What you're experiencing is normal. Relax.
Joined
·
2,049 Posts
I know what youre going through,I had an accident in the 70s and my son had an accident in the early 2000s. Youve got a form of PTSD from the accident. Talk to your Doc to see if he can help. It took me many a year to get through mine as they didnt recognize it way back when. My son they couldnt understand from his car accident how he could have it as it wasnt combat related but he got lucky that a DR did recognize it and helped him get treatment.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma: van der Kolk M.D., Bessel: 9780143127741: Amazon.com: Books
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma [van der Kolk M.D., Bessel] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
www.amazon.com
Joined
·
652 Posts
After my deer strike 3 years ago, I could never get myself to go down that road. Finally last month I said screw it and drove it. I was very nervous as I approached the area where it happened but after felt like a great weight was lifted off me. I'll probably avoid that road but I feel more relaxed about it now. I still hate deers.
Joined
·
1,425 Posts
Gee Whylee, your incident brings out the most amazing people here.
While it would take a shrink several sessions of talking with you to determine if you have PTSD, they're able to figure that out from a couple of posts here.
Sorry to hear you're having some kind of issue there. Hope you're able to resolve it.
While it would take a shrink several sessions of talking with you to determine if you have PTSD, they're able to figure that out from a couple of posts here.
Sorry to hear you're having some kind of issue there. Hope you're able to resolve it.
Ken--I get what you're saying, but what @Whylee is describing are among the classic symptoms of a lingering reaction to trauma, i.e., PTSD. We don't have to be Ear, Nose, and Throat doctors to look at a portrait of Vincent Van Gogh and know he's missing an ear. @Whylee's original post isn't describing simple anxiety, discomfort, or nervers about getting back on the horse, and he knows that; he's describing lingering panic attacks that are causing him to consider a major life change. That's why he posted. You're correct to point out that no one here is qualified to diagnose whether it's a mild or serious case of PTSD, whether his symptoms are temporary or permanent, whether they're treatable or not, or whethr he even needs to worry about it beyond giving it some time. But no one has tried to. The more psychologists learn about trauma, the more they're finding that it doesn't have to derive from events on a battlefield; it can be triggered by seemingly-less-terrible events but can nevertheless have long-term, unpredictable, sometimes-serious impacts on an individual's life and on his or her family. All anyone who's mentioned or implied trauma has said is, "Take it seriously, and see someone trained in PTSD."
And I do really appriciate all the stories and suggestions, I am going to seek help to figure it out. It makes me feel better just knowing others understand. My friends mean well, but they just dont get it, its not something you can just power through when your brain just wont let you do it.
Look at post #52. That's a terrific overview of what you're describing and experiencing. It's a bit scientific and dry--you won't soon see a Netflix adaptation--but it's something you can just power through, and it'll help you to feel less like you're riding alone through a wilderness.
I really feel it helps just letting it out instead of just thinking about it. The biggest part of the ordeal that flash's through my mind is the slow motion feeling while its happening, I remember seeing white flash's and black as my helmet was face down on the street sliding, and I remember thinking that must be the white lines of the street. Then I saw the sky and remember thinking when does the part come that hurts, but it never came then everything just stopped, and I could just hear the dog owner yelling in spanish at me, but I couldnt see because my helmet was so gouged up and I couldnt get the damn thing off.
I even remember getting up and trying to get out of the street because cars were going by, and I stumbled and fell over one of my saddle bags since parts were scattered everywhere and I couldnt see. Funny thing was tripping over the saddle bag hurt worse than the crash.
I even remember getting up and trying to get out of the street because cars were going by, and I stumbled and fell over one of my saddle bags since parts were scattered everywhere and I couldnt see. Funny thing was tripping over the saddle bag hurt worse than the crash.
Strange things go through your mind when the crash is happening doesn't it? I remember thinking of how funny I probably looked sliding down the road under the motorcycle and hoping I didn't hit one of the road reflectors, a dumb joke to say over radio even came to mind when I finally stopped (I didn't though). Funny how the mind works isn't it, your comment about "when does the part come that hurts" really hits home. I got up and walked away from my crash wondering how I wasn't hurt. A few hours later I was in the E.R. with some pretty substantial injuries I never realized I had at the time, I Guess for me the part that hurts came after the adrenaline wore off.
41 - 60 of 80 Posts
Join the discussion
