Hypnotherapy for Driving Anxiety
If you find yourself feeling nervous about driving, even to the point of experiencing panic attacks, you could be experiencing driving anxiety. We’ll take a closer look at recognising the signs of driving anxiety, and how hypnotherapy can help you.
It feels awful to suddenly lose your confidence as a driver, but it’s not unusual. Many of us experience amaxophobia (to use the official title for driving anxiety) at some point in our lives, usually after a bad experience.
However, if this feeling becomes sustained, results in feelings of panic and even panic attacks, or starts to affect your everyday life, it’s time to take back control.
Why am I suddenly anxious about driving?
There are several causes of driving anxiety. The most obvious is that you’ve been involved in a road traffic collision, either as the driver or as a passenger. After a road-related trauma like this, it’s perfectly understandable that you will have anxieties around driving.
However, there are other events that can trigger driving anxiety. These could be:
- A driving event that stops short of an accident but is still traumatic. This could be your car breaking down, driving in seriously adverse conditions, or a bad experience on a motorway or busy city centre
- A panic attack while driving – this is scary, and connects feeling of panic with being in the car
- A life-changing event: for example, becoming a parent for the first time often causes people to worry about potential risks
- Lack of driving practise. Post-lockdown, many of us found our first long journeys rather disconcerting
- You already experience anxiety, and driving has become one more challenging part of life
- It’s connected to other phobias: bridges, tunnels, or a fear of getting lost
If you suspect that your fear of driving is caused by changes to your eyesight or physical health, please speak to your optician or GP.
What are the signs of driving anxiety?
There are physical signs that driving is making you anxious. You may have sweaty palms, or feel your heart racing – classic symptoms of panic.
You may notice changes in behaviour around driving. You’ll find yourself avoiding motorways or other busy roads, and avoiding driving during rush hour. Bridges are a particular stressor, so you may start taking indirect routes to avoid them. If your fear extends to being a passenger, it’s harder to control your particular triggers , so you may start turning down offers of lifts or coming up with excuses not to travel.
All these signs and behaviours have one thing in common: negative forecasting. Anxious drivers are worried about something bad happening to them, or even causing something bad to happen to other road users.
As we know, negative forecasting leads to a spiral of anxiety. The more you worry, the more the symptoms develop, and the more your initial fears are validated. Luckily, as with so many fears and phobias, we can soon redirect your thoughts and (literally) set you on the right road again.
How does hypnotherapy help overcome driving anxiety?
Solution-focused hypnotherapy, with its goal-based approach, is a really effective way to overcome driving anxiety.
I also find that neuro linguistic programming techniques (NLP) work well for driving-related anxiety. NLP reduces and reframes previous trauma, enabling you to move forwards with confidence.
The combination of these two techniques can help you overcome past negative experiences and give you the confidence to get behind the wheel again, with the usual amount of caution but without that limiting anxiety.
In the meantime, here are a few tips to help you when you’re behind the wheel:
- Plan your journey. Choose the route that makes you feel the least anxious, even if it takes longer. Familiarise yourself with the route, and if you have one, set the Satnav
- Pick a quiet time to travel
- If the weather forecast isn’t good, don’t drive unless you have to
- Allow plenty of time for your journey, so you don’t feel rushed
- Don’t be afraid to stop in a safe place if you need to. A short stop in a layby or down a side road can help you reset yourself if you start to feel stressed
- Arrive calmly. Sit in the car when you reach your destination, and take a few deep, calming breaths. Congratulate yourself on your achievement
For more on-the-road tips, take a look at the AA’s website.
Let’s talk about driving anxiety
If you think that you might be struggling with driving anxiety, please get in touch. I’ve helped people overcome their fear of driving, and I can help you, too. We can even hold our sessions over Zoom, so you won’t have the anxiety of driving to see me.
