Content

• Steps
• Advice

Some people say that they are afraid of driving or being behind the wheel.If you find that you are so afraid of driving that you feel anxious, you may have a fear of driving. This fear can make you feel like life is in danger every time you drive or sit in the car. You will even experience sudden panic attacks, a pounding heartbeat, rapid breathing or a feeling of terror. If your fear of driving is controlling you and making you unable to drive comfortably, or even drive, then you have to face it. That way you can get behind the wheel and take control of your life.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Practice relaxation techniques

1. 

   Create a calm environment in the car. You should feel comfortable every time you sit in the car regardless of whether it is moving or not. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Practice sitting in the car and relax before starting to drive. Consider playing soothing music. Music can help you overcome the feeling of panic rising and drowning out traffic.
   • Even the most confident driver can get restless if a passenger makes a noise in the car. Ensure the environment in the car is quiet, free of trash and noise.
   • Increase your driving safety by giving your car adequate maintenance.

2. 

   
   
   Practice abdominal breathing. If you feel a panic attack starting or your neck and chest muscles tighten, take a deep breath into your lungs. Inhale slowly through your nose and focus on bringing the air deep into your lungs. Stretch your stomach out as you inhale and hold your breath for a while. Slowly exhale and relax your entire body.
   • You can repeat this cycle 10 times by counting down from 10 each time you exhale. Try to complete three breaths, 10 cycles at a time.

3. 

   
   
   Use dynamic relaxation, muscle tension and relaxation (PMR). Tighten and loosen muscle groups in your body so you can see how to hold and release tension. Start by holding your hands for 7-10 seconds. Open your hand for 15-20 seconds while focusing on feeling how the tension is leaving the hand muscles. Repeat this exercise with other muscle groups, bringing your arms to your head, then back down your body to your feet and toes.
   • You can even practice PMR every day for 20 minutes, even without panicking. This technique can improve mood control, reduce the frequency of panic attacks, and enhance concentration.

4. 

   
   
   Practice speaking optimistic. These are short affirmations to remind you that you can make a difference. For driving, the affirmations you should use are:
   • I am driving carefully and within the permissible speed. Driving carefully is driving safely.
   • Driving is a normal daily activity. I am a sober and careful driver, participating in a popular activity.
   • I don't have to drive fast. I can drive in the right lane if I want to slow down other vehicles.
   • I don't have to risk changing lanes at the last minute. If I overrun the turn I can turn back later.
   • I planned the trip from start to finish. I know where to go and when to change lanes or turn. I have been well prepared.
   • Even if I'm a passenger, I can control my reaction while sitting in the car. If I feel uncomfortable at any time, I can ask the driver to pull over.
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Part 2 of 3: Applying exposure therapy

1. 

   Consider coping with your fear. You may have heard others advise you to face your fear. Coping with your fears is especially important if you often avoid driving for fear of a panic attack. Exposure therapy is still one of the most important ways to overcome your phobia, although you should learn and practice relaxation techniques before you begin. This will give you a better sense of control while driving.
   • Evading real fear will make it worse and create other fears.

2. 

   Build an anxiety scale. Get used to your anxiety levels so you can take action before the sensation reaches its maximum. Having an anxiety scale will also help you know when to stop contact therapy, before you reach a moderate level of panic. The scale should describe the physical and mental characteristics of anxiety. Here is an example of an anxiety scale:
   • 0 - Completely relaxed: not stressed, stay calm and feel at peace
   • 1 - Minimal anxiety: feeling slightly anxious, alert or cognitive
   • 2 - Mild anxiety: tight muscles, restlessness or restlessness in the body
   • 3 - Moderate anxiety: increased heart rate and breathing, feeling a bit uncomfortable but still under control
   • 4 - Visible anxiety: visibly tense muscles, heightened discomfort, begin to remind yourself of control
   • 5 - Mild panic: heart starts pounding or pounding irregularly, dizziness, a sense of fear of losing control is apparent, wants to run away
   • 6 - Moderate panic: occasional heartbeat, difficulty breathing, disorientation
   • 7 to 10 - Total panic: feeling terrified, afraid of death, and heightened feelings of panic

3. 

   Write down your fear. Write down specifically what scares you while driving. Then read through and rank these fears from least fearful to total panic. This list will help you deal with your fears with increasing levels. But you will slowly work through each fear so you never feel out of control.
   • For example, holding your car keys in the driveway may be the least scary thing, while driving on a highway can cause you to panic.

4. 

   Faced with incremental challenges. Start with your least fear and slowly engage in more frightening things until you no longer feel anxious. After you've overcome one of the fears on the list, move on to the next one. For example, that list might cause you to face the following fears (from least to most):
   • Hold the car key and watch the car in the driveway
   • Sit in the car, try to sit for 5 minutes
   • Drive around the building
   • Drive in the neighborhood, practice turning right then turning left
   • Drive off the main road and turn left at traffic lights or parking signs
   • Drive on the freeway in the right lane through 1 to 2 exits
   • Drive on the highway in the left lane through 2 exits
   • Drive on the freeway and change lanes to pass other vehicles on a 3 to 5 exit

5. 

   Go with a driver you trust. If even being a passenger in a car scares you, follow the steps of exposure therapy. Instead of driving, deal with your fears slowly by letting a driver you trust the wheel. Choose someone you know to drive very carefully. After you get used to being in a car with the driver, try to have other drivers drive or accompany them on more challenging routes (like on highways).
   • Find out what makes you feel most comfortable in starting out as a passenger. Maybe you prefer to sit in the rear seat, or you feel less stress sitting next to the driver. Experiment to see which works for you.

6. 

   Determined to learn to drive. Most people are afraid of being behind the wheel when driving for the first time. To reduce your fear, you should choose a good teacher who has a lot of experience teaching new drivers. A good driver will help you feel secure and comfortable in the driver's seat.
   • Consider working with a driving instructor at school. You may find that learner anxiety actually stems from your previous driving instructor, especially if it's a family member.
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Part 3 of 3: Finding support

1. 

   Know when to see a doctor. If your fear of driving interferes with your life, seek medical or psychological treatment. If you don't know who to see, contact your doctor who will refer you to the right specialist. You can work with a doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist or a counselor who specializes in phobias.
   • If you get worse and worse from not being able to drive a car, get help right away. Don't easily accept your fear of preventing you from driving as this may develop other fears.

2. 

   Treatment with therapies. You can get private treatment with a counselor or therapist. In addition to relaxation techniques and contact therapy, a therapist can just talk to you.Talking is a great way for your brain to learn to deal with your fear. This is your chance to think about what is the source of your fear, and then you can treat your fear of driving.
   • Don't expect a therapist to advise you. Many people simply listen and ask questions so you can give insight and explore your fears.

3. 

   Join a support group. If you like talking about your fear with a group of people, you can join a fear-driving group. You can find an online support group with people with similar phobias. It will be easier to overcome this fear when you know that you are not alone.
   • You can also chat with friends and family. Share your fear with them and speak out what challenges you are facing. You will be stronger when you know your friends and family understand what you are going through.
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Advice

• Consider enrolling in a driving school or defensive driving classes. Some teachers specialize in driving faint-hearted drivers by providing practical driving lessons in the safe spaces and slowly walking out the roads you fear the most.
• Try different therapies and treatments. If you don't try it, you may not know which treatment is effective for your fear.
• Other forms of treatment that may be helpful include hypnosis, desensitization of the eyeballs, and re-awareness, although studies have shown conflicting results about their effectiveness.