How do I overcome the fear of driving? Driving phobia tips

Many of us secretly bear anxiety and fear while driving vehicles. In fact, particular driving phobia affects millions of people. According to recent study, at least 1 in 10 individuals suffer from phobias including driving anxiety. The disorder is more common in women than in men.

Driving phobia is a very high, often irrational, form of anxiousness. According to The National Institute of Phobia the sufferers of this type of phobia often experience panic strikes and go out of their way to stay away from what they fear. If you suffer from a driving phobia, then you may find it barely possible to drive a car, so that you may need to stop your car mid-drive.

Sometimes the cause of driving phobia is not clear. Even if now you feel completely secure while driving, later you may develop heightened fright related to being in a car. However, it is often a driving phobia begins after witnessing or experiencing a vehicle accident. Sometimes it also develops after driving through bad weather or at a terrible night giving stress to the driver.

Signs of a driving phobia include nausea, panic attacks, pain, depressed feeling, intense headaches, sweats, anger feeling, driving nightmare, trouble sleeping, sore eyes, swallow difficulty, and increased sensitivity. While mild phobia is not a straightaway safety endangerment, driving while struggling with a particular driving phobia is not safe. If you suffer from driving phobia, you may behave erratically and irrationally or may experience a panic attack while driving, which could be disturbing to others. Thus, it is very important to overcome a driving phobia before you continue to drive.

There are many tips to overcome your driving fear as described below:

• Make sure you have checked your eyes. It is probable that part of your insecurities about driving to not seeing hazardous objects until they are very close to you. The ability to reading traffic signs further ahead provides you with better time to respond.
• Take a course of safe driving. This kind of course will increase your confidence as you understand the requirements and techniques for safer driving. Before you drive, try to do things that can help you lessening your tension. For example, you can go on the treadmill or do something else requiring skill and attention. Throw away any irrational bases for your driving fear. Avoid thinking only about having to drive. Instead, engaging in an informal conversation about common topics is good to keep your mind diverted from thoughts of driving.
• Prepare yourself to go. It means you should check for your tank of gas, license, registration, toll money in advance. If possible, you can prepare your clothes the night before when you need to drive in the morning. It is also good to use the bathroom before you start driving. Thus, you do not bother about these things as you are already anxious about driving.
• Plan your route before leaving. Understanding your route in advance is beneficial whether you are utilizing GPS or not. To feel more ready you can also schedule your driving times for less busy traffic and times. For example, you can try to leave for work early to avoid the rush hour. Acknowledge which routes have more truck traffic, so you can reroute your trip to avoid distraction from those big trucks.
• Decrease distractions while driving. Turn off your mobile phone. Do not chat with passengers. Turn off the radio, unless it is your favourite radio station that makes you relax. Driving is serious matter. It is essential that you keep your eyes on the road ahead you.
• Breathe deeply for a few seconds throughout your driving journey. If you start feeling panic, try to calm yourself down by breathing more slowly. If the panic persists, pull over to the side of the road so you can feel better to continue driving. Keep telling yourself that you can drive well and will arrive at your destination securely.
• Reward yourself every time you arrive at your destination. Congratulate yourself for what you have accomplished. Even when other people do not think driving is a big deal, keep doing that as in fact it is a major accomplishment. Celebrate your own success.
• If you rarely drive, then high-speed interstate highways busy city streets could be frightening for you. Do not rush. It is important to build up your confidence gradually. You can begin with short drives to nearby library, park, or grocery store. Every time you can pass the route without any incident, you can become more confident.
• In your free time while you are not driving try to get a CD that uses self-hypnosis to help decreasing your driving anxiety. Some people found that after listening to it for several times they can overcome their driving fear that comes particularly when crossing bridge, facing hectic traffic or passing interstate highways.
• Do not worry if you get lost while driving as it is actually an opportunity to explore. Finding your way home through unfamiliar path can boost your confidence and open up new areas to conquer. In case you become overly panicked to drive, you can always ask a family member or a friend to come and pick you up. It is dangerous to drive while being extremely panicked. It may deter you from desiring to drive in the future.

After all, treatments for driving phobia fully depend on the subject and the level of the phobia itself. To diagnose severity of your driving phobia, a trained, medical professional can help and recommend the right medication or counselling to treat it. Often the doctor or psychologist uses the Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help suffered individual learning a new thought path to avoid driving fear.

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