Chronic anxiety is caused, at least in part, by thoughts. Anxious thoughts. Our thoughts are the way we tell ourselves what's "true" about the world. If you suffer from driving anxiety disorder, chances are you believe some things about driving that simply aren't true, and you probably have a bad habit of reinforcing these "truths" via negative self-talk that's always expecting the worst to happen. You're likely afraid of some aspect of driving without really knowing why you fear it. That's a good indicator you're suffering from irrational, distorted thinking.
Being afraid of something (even something irrational) is not in and of itself a phobia. A phobia is formed when we anticipate danger and begin to avoid places and situations we associate with that danger. So a phobia is irrational fear PLUS habitual avoidance.The 2 Main Ways Phobias Develop.Phobias tend to either develop gradually with no definable cause, or suddenly as a response to a traumatic event.In the case of driving phobia, some sufferers report their fear came on gradually, steadily becoming worse over time. This type of phobia usually has no apparent cause and is often a simple misfire between the brain and the feelings / nervous system. Driving somehow becomes associated with danger, even though nothing dangerous actually happened.Some people develop driving phobia as a direct response to trauma; things like car accidents, bodily injury, injury to other drivers, property damage etc. It's more obvious why the person associates driving with danger in these cases.
You hate city driving but love road trips: The sense of freedom driving down the open highway beats constricted city driving any day.Does this automatically mean you have driving phobia? Not necessarily There's an alternate explanation that suggests social anxiety, not driving phobia, is the culprit. Check out the same list, this time filtered through the lens of social anxiety.Why Social Anxiety May be a More Accurate, Effective Assessment and Lead to Better Treatment Options
So You Have Driving Phobia. Now What? Whether your driving phobia is gradual or is a result of PTSD, I'm sorry. I sympathize, because I've also suffered with this phobia. It can be a tough thing to live with.The good news is that phobias respond well to treatment. Treatment options for driving phobia (or any other) include: Cognative Behavioral Therapy (CBT),Hypnosis,Gradual Exposure Therapy,Meditation,Self Help.Which Solution is Right for You? In a way, it doesn't matter how you choose to treat your phobia... as long as you take action and are serious about wanting to change. If you approach it sincerely and with a real desire to change, chances are that you will see significant improvement. And of course the opposite is also true.If you're brand-new to phobia and have no experience with anxiety treatment, I recommend you choose a good anxiety treatment therapist. You may need guidance early on in your anxiety recovery.
These will probably feel strange at first because you're arguing with your negative, irrational thoughts and you won't believe the new things you're telling yourself. Remember that repetition is a key part of success for affirmations.Repeating healthy, life-affirming thoughts has a hypnotic, mantra-like calming and soothing effect that will eventually change how you feel. Say these affirmations to yourself (out loud, if possible) whenever you experience driving anxiety. They have a cumulative effect which may not seem like much at first, but it will lead to surprisingly positive changes over time.You're nearing the onramp. Suddenly, you notice a constriction in your chest. Driving up the ramp, you feel a rush of fear as adrenaline surges through you. It's like being on a rollercoaster; the sweaty, dizzy feeling as the chain drags the coaster to the top of that first monster drop. Except being scared on a rollercoaster is kind of fun. Feeling scared when you're accelerating, trying to merge safely into the steel river of traffic looming in front of you...NOT fun. Not fun at all.
Driving anxiety is an example of a specific anxiety disorder. A specific anxiety disorder is one in which an individual may not feel anxious in general, such as generalized anxiety disorder, but will become anxious and panic in specific situations. Many times, people with a specific anxiety disorder will feel anxious effects when socializing with others, but this does not hold true for all cases. In other situations, such as driving your car, people are still able to experience severe anxiety based on their surroundings.
The initial stage to overcome driving phobia is to identify the source of the fear. To know the cause of the fear will offer significant clues to assist you in selecting a method to overcome it. Different fears - and even different people - react more readily to some types of help than others, so it's worth experimenting. After you have identified the cause of the fear, then you can choose a treatment option which can possibly help and start your recovery.
People who have experienced the symptoms of driving anxiety, and who possibly could have been severely injured due to an accident caused by anxiety, are capable of developing a driving phobia. When one possesses a driving phobia, they may begin to avoid certain highways, streets, intersections, or they may begin to avoid driving altogether. Taking these actions will only further associate driving with the fear and panic in your mind.As with any anxiety, it is possible to treat driving anxiety. Just because you have experienced a bad episode of driving in the past does not mean you are doomed forever in the future.
Driver Training / Coaching. Perhaps your fear is due to feeling that you lack good driving skills. Whether you need to learn how to drive, or just want to brush up your abilities, a good defensive driving course can make you more confident behind the wheel. Hypnotherapy. Common misconceptions about hypnosis are that you're under someone's "spell" and might be manipulated. This is mostly due to stage hypnosis that's used for entertainment. A qualified hypnotherapist treats anxiety by inducing a relaxed state where you learn to change your internal reactions to fear triggers.This also helps you control the physical reactions of anxiety like dizziness and hyperventilation by stimulating the parasympathetic response - your body's built in stress reduction mechanism.
Instead of flooding your mind with irrational, negative thinking, focus on thoughts that will calm you in a state of possible anxiety. Instead of panicking because there is not enough room for you to merge lanes, turn on your signal and be patient for other drivers to move. If before you "freaked out" whenever a police officer began to follow your car, know that if you follow traffic laws you cannot be at fault for anything. Do not become engulfed in your situation. So what if you get nervous when merging onto highway #1 or when you pass through intersection ABC, the key is not to focus on what makes you nervous. You most focus on what calms you in order to reach your goal.
Being afraid of something (even something irrational) is not in and of itself a phobia. A phobia is formed when we anticipate danger and begin to avoid places and situations we associate with that danger. So a phobia is irrational fear PLUS habitual avoidance.The 2 Main Ways Phobias Develop.Phobias tend to either develop gradually with no definable cause, or suddenly as a response to a traumatic event.In the case of driving phobia, some sufferers report their fear came on gradually, steadily becoming worse over time. This type of phobia usually has no apparent cause and is often a simple misfire between the brain and the feelings / nervous system. Driving somehow becomes associated with danger, even though nothing dangerous actually happened.Some people develop driving phobia as a direct response to trauma; things like car accidents, bodily injury, injury to other drivers, property damage etc. It's more obvious why the person associates driving with danger in these cases.
You hate city driving but love road trips: The sense of freedom driving down the open highway beats constricted city driving any day.Does this automatically mean you have driving phobia? Not necessarily There's an alternate explanation that suggests social anxiety, not driving phobia, is the culprit. Check out the same list, this time filtered through the lens of social anxiety.Why Social Anxiety May be a More Accurate, Effective Assessment and Lead to Better Treatment Options
So You Have Driving Phobia. Now What? Whether your driving phobia is gradual or is a result of PTSD, I'm sorry. I sympathize, because I've also suffered with this phobia. It can be a tough thing to live with.The good news is that phobias respond well to treatment. Treatment options for driving phobia (or any other) include: Cognative Behavioral Therapy (CBT),Hypnosis,Gradual Exposure Therapy,Meditation,Self Help.Which Solution is Right for You? In a way, it doesn't matter how you choose to treat your phobia... as long as you take action and are serious about wanting to change. If you approach it sincerely and with a real desire to change, chances are that you will see significant improvement. And of course the opposite is also true.If you're brand-new to phobia and have no experience with anxiety treatment, I recommend you choose a good anxiety treatment therapist. You may need guidance early on in your anxiety recovery.
These will probably feel strange at first because you're arguing with your negative, irrational thoughts and you won't believe the new things you're telling yourself. Remember that repetition is a key part of success for affirmations.Repeating healthy, life-affirming thoughts has a hypnotic, mantra-like calming and soothing effect that will eventually change how you feel. Say these affirmations to yourself (out loud, if possible) whenever you experience driving anxiety. They have a cumulative effect which may not seem like much at first, but it will lead to surprisingly positive changes over time.You're nearing the onramp. Suddenly, you notice a constriction in your chest. Driving up the ramp, you feel a rush of fear as adrenaline surges through you. It's like being on a rollercoaster; the sweaty, dizzy feeling as the chain drags the coaster to the top of that first monster drop. Except being scared on a rollercoaster is kind of fun. Feeling scared when you're accelerating, trying to merge safely into the steel river of traffic looming in front of you...NOT fun. Not fun at all.
Driving anxiety is an example of a specific anxiety disorder. A specific anxiety disorder is one in which an individual may not feel anxious in general, such as generalized anxiety disorder, but will become anxious and panic in specific situations. Many times, people with a specific anxiety disorder will feel anxious effects when socializing with others, but this does not hold true for all cases. In other situations, such as driving your car, people are still able to experience severe anxiety based on their surroundings.
The initial stage to overcome driving phobia is to identify the source of the fear. To know the cause of the fear will offer significant clues to assist you in selecting a method to overcome it. Different fears - and even different people - react more readily to some types of help than others, so it's worth experimenting. After you have identified the cause of the fear, then you can choose a treatment option which can possibly help and start your recovery.
People who have experienced the symptoms of driving anxiety, and who possibly could have been severely injured due to an accident caused by anxiety, are capable of developing a driving phobia. When one possesses a driving phobia, they may begin to avoid certain highways, streets, intersections, or they may begin to avoid driving altogether. Taking these actions will only further associate driving with the fear and panic in your mind.As with any anxiety, it is possible to treat driving anxiety. Just because you have experienced a bad episode of driving in the past does not mean you are doomed forever in the future.
Driver Training / Coaching. Perhaps your fear is due to feeling that you lack good driving skills. Whether you need to learn how to drive, or just want to brush up your abilities, a good defensive driving course can make you more confident behind the wheel. Hypnotherapy. Common misconceptions about hypnosis are that you're under someone's "spell" and might be manipulated. This is mostly due to stage hypnosis that's used for entertainment. A qualified hypnotherapist treats anxiety by inducing a relaxed state where you learn to change your internal reactions to fear triggers.This also helps you control the physical reactions of anxiety like dizziness and hyperventilation by stimulating the parasympathetic response - your body's built in stress reduction mechanism.
Instead of flooding your mind with irrational, negative thinking, focus on thoughts that will calm you in a state of possible anxiety. Instead of panicking because there is not enough room for you to merge lanes, turn on your signal and be patient for other drivers to move. If before you "freaked out" whenever a police officer began to follow your car, know that if you follow traffic laws you cannot be at fault for anything. Do not become engulfed in your situation. So what if you get nervous when merging onto highway #1 or when you pass through intersection ABC, the key is not to focus on what makes you nervous. You most focus on what calms you in order to reach your goal.
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