Anxiety Keeping you From Driving? Here's What You Can Do

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1348

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Apr 4, 2022

✨POV✨: Can we ever unsubscribe from these driving-related anxiety thoughts and enjoy the drive for once?

This is what driving-related phobia looks like on the outside:

Frequently forgetting directions or big little things like turning on the indicator.

Extra slow during heavy traffic - since can't focus or concentrate.

Spacing out during the entire drive.

Even road rage.

Relatable?

How about when you experience driving anxiety because of intrusive thoughts fill us with worry and fear of losing control?

Or trembling hands and brain fog while changing lanes or around an unfamiliar place with no relevant experience driving (definitely not the kind of driving skills that improve the situation)?

There are underlying causes to this anxiety and no; it doesn't mean your driving experiences will always fill you with fear or worry.

If you have anxiety driving, chances are you can relate to one of two types of anxiety disorders.

Notice how it says anxiety disorder and not just anxiety.

There's a difference.

If there mere thought of driving sends you into an overdrive of "final destination" thoughts, which leads you to a state of intense anxiety, intrusive thoughts are one sign of anxiety disorders.

If your (irrational) fear of potentially causing a traffic accident one day always got you ditching your car for an Uber - that's avoidance, also a sign of anxiety disorders.

Then there is driving phobia that intense fear and anxiety signs and symptoms like panic attacks can lead to.

Panic attacks that come with intense anxiety, especially if there was a recent accident involving a family member or the thought of an impending bad car accident that can even make us avoid driving altogether.

But you should know that these panic attacks or extreme distress and anxiety while driving did not show up the day you got your driver's license. This is a sign of panic disorder - a type of anxiety disorder.

Here's another layer of anxiety as one of the mental disorders:

Your intrusive thoughts can be signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder - where your thoughts oscillate from worst-case scenarios to extreme anxiety that causes a fear of driving.

And your avoidance, panic attack, or panic disorder? These can indicate PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder - the guy behind those traumatic flashbacks or thoughts that trigger anxiety or panic attacks.

Here’s what you can do the next time panic attack seems imminent - check out, I feel like I might have a panic attack on being - the world's first-of-a-kind self-therapy app.

Where does this anxiety while driving lead us to in the end?

We believe that driving isn't for us and that we'll never stop feeling anxious about driving. We basically fear driving and our coping skills aren't realistic goals for our overall well-being.

The other anxiety?

It is just what it is - anxiety. That certain situations warrant.

Like when we're low on fuel and the anxiety of not knowing if you'd make it to the petrol station on time.

It's a natural response.

How to overcome driving anxiety 🥰

The point to understand when dealing with physical symptoms of anxiety is that the end goal is to take control of our thoughts and behavior pattern.

We can't afford to have our panic attacks or anxious thoughts affect our mental health, let alone when behind the wheel, right?

So, how do we get to master our anxiety triggers that's been causing us, say, panic attacks or other symptoms of declining mental well-being at the thought of driving?

How do we finally enjoy driving around instead of constantly feeling shortness of breath like we're about to pass out behind the steering?

💭 Start with your thoughts

We already know how our thoughts cement our behavior patterns.

And if we're constantly churning out thoughts that reassure the irrational scenarios our anxious brain concocts up - then our coping skills or behavior will only affirm that.

We're basically our own reason for anxiety and panic attacks and not the "driving."

So start by facing these thoughts one by one.

Challenge the logic or rationale behind each idea. Like, you're abiding by the road or car rules - that should eliminate the chances of a motor vehicle accident by at least 1/2.

✍🏼 Put down driving on your schedule

This is to normalize driving as part of your everyday life, especially by ensuring it's in your periphery.

This will also help change the narrative or thought process around driving-related anxiety by looking at driving that needs to get done instead of it being a scary, panic attack-inducing task.

Keep cute stickers around that remind you to fill up the tank or get the car washed to feel comfortable around the way your vehicle works to reduce the chances of confusion if any were to arise.

📚 Find your range of relaxation techniques

Would you say music helps you calm those thoughts out for a minute?

Would you say deep breathing helped put things in perspective when anxiety tried to blow things out of proportion?

Indulge in whatever looks like for you, especially before settling in to drive.

Curate a playlist for your drive that explicitly reminds you of the good times.

Consider the drive to be your alone time.

Pick out all your favorite podcasts or Audiobooks beforehand and feed them into your car system. This should train your thoughts to stay on the road while also steering clear of panic attack-inducing thought-spiral.

GPS it

Even if you're taking that turn for the millionth time in your life - keep the GPS running.

This can affirm that all those thoughts that induced anxiety or panic attacks - losing our way of forgetting the lane switch don't necessarily need to happen.

Let the GPS voice guy in as shotgun every time you're behind the wheel or driving alone.

To conclude 🤗

It's not easy to shake off these anxious thoughts, especially when this specific phobia of driving begins developing anxiety in us.

But now that we have more info about our driving-related anxiety and our anxiety in general (like a panic attack or panic disorder is), we get to not only get on to driving without succumbing to anxiety but also stop it from amplifying to a panic attack or a declining mental health situation.

One way to do that is with the guidance of mental health professional.

By seeking professional assistance and treatment options for when you experience anxiety symptoms and mental health, you get to learn ways to take charge of your thought patterns and actions.

Another way can be at home - with the help of being. Here, you can find mini guided sessions and therapies designed by mental health specialists that centers around anxiety and its symptoms.

Check out. I see anxiety taking hold of me to start with.

It's time we started driving despite our driving-related anxiety or anxiety symptoms. Consider this as exposure therapy. (Exposure therapy is treatment through a confrontation of fears.)

We now have a headstart on overcoming our driving-related anxiety; the journey to the other side of concern has only just begun.

Have a great one!

Disclaimer

Regardless of the mental health conditions - self-therapy is not a substitute for what a professional therapist can do. Seek professional help if you think your anxiety is tough to handle. Contact your mental health provider for the best fit for you. The closest one to you is a google search away!