Overcoming Anxiety—Driving phobia

    Some proven anxiety dealing   techniques to  overcome driving phobia .
    Millions of people have overcome this phobia ,you can too.

    In fact just reading this will bring you one step closer to driving on the freeway and enjoy it too.
    Here are spome pointers to help you ease your anxiety once you are behind the wheels and on the freeway .


    1.Take one step at a time with exposure therapy.

    Exposure therapy is all about overcoming a phobia by facing it one small step at a time .

    The idea is to cure your fear by acclimatising yourself to it slowly .
    Those with very bad driving anxiety might start simply by sitting in the car five minutes everyday .
    Then progress sitting in the car while its running five minutes a day.
    Just starting the car every day and switching it off.
    Get your hands familiar with hand position for drive, neutral , reverse etc .
    I’m sure you are seeing the progression I’m getting at.you will eventually be able to do a short trip on the freeway ..

    Before you know you will be out there driving.

    Basically it is about training your body-Physically to co-ordinate hand , eyes, foot movements in relation to your car .

    Simply put the more you practice , the more easily the body will react . Driving is instinctive .

    All the movements that can be done befor ehitting the road master them—this will give you a lot of confidence and put you in familiar zone to drive.

    2.The Facing truth method--naming your fears
    Have you noticed how someone elses fears can sound silly?
    A person you know might go through the roof if they see a spider.Meanwhile , you point and laugh and say,”but its just a spider”.

    Well, thats how brutal truth method works , only you dont need to have anyone laugh at you for it to be effective.

    Truthfully sharing your fears with another person, one can feel having a burden lifted from your shoulders.And you get the benefit of their outside perspective.But it has to be someone you can trust.

    If you dont have anyone to do that with, or just dont feel comfy with the idea, write down or voice-record what scares you.--This exercise itself will give you another perspective—try it.

    When it comes to saying what your fear of driving on freeway is, dont hold back and just let it all out.Be as specific as you can .

    -Is it a past negative experience driving experience haunting you?
    Tell yourself:What went wrong and how you will be more aware of it now..it’s another day today...past is dead n gone

    -Do you fear you are going into a crash?
    Tell yourself:I will take all precautions, tie my seat belt, check the rear view mirror, keep the speed a little slow, maintain safe distance.Surprisingly-just keeping speed slow and distance between two cars will help you be more confident.

    -Do you get most scared when you are out of your driving comfort zone?
    Tell yourself:It’s human to feel out of place in unfamiliar areas.When you start driving always check the route , look at the map and mentally drive through .This might take an extra few minutes , but will do a lot of good.This little practice will put your mind in a familiar zone.Dont worry after a bit of practice , you will be able to drive in any area.

    -Does the freeway feel just too much?
    Tell yourself:Everyone is going there way, I just need to follow my path and set of rules...speed, distance ,safety.

    -Do you fear causing a fatality?
    Tell yourself: One can only do what is in their hands , so you will maintain your set of rules.In case an accident does happen..your safety features will hold you well, the car might get damaged a bit, or there might be a fine.But just the assumption will not stop you from taking the path.

    If you can nail down what your specific fear is , you can get the right type of  help .

    3.Try simple meditation
    Finding new ways to relax might seem too simple , or you may think you just dont have the time during the day for anything else.

    Meditation is one of the most effective ways to unwind, focus and relax.

    You dont need to spend any money or leave your house to get the benefits of meditation.

    Anxiety bursting mediation videos are plenty online.

    Sit back, relax and let the healing powers of a meditative trance wash over your body.

    A simple trick to stimulate nerves going haywire is to just press your palm with your thumb.Hands are full of nerves , this calms down the body.

    4.Get a driving instructor
    You will be amazed at how many people fear driving because of insufficient driving skills.

    Having a kind , patient driving instructor in the passenger seat is going to make you more confident .

    A driving instructor will verbally ‘navigate the road’ as you drive.In short the instructor talks about what they see unfolding in front of them, including any potential dangers.This assistance leaves you free to concentrate fully on your driving..

    Many people find this navigation a very calming experience.

    A few lessons with the instructor get you past the anxiety.

    5.Use positive affirmations to get through your crisis moments.

    Say the following out loud when you feel freeway anxiety creeping up on you...

    My feelings are normal and in 10 minutes I will feel fine and wonder what the fuss was about .

    Anxiety cannot hurt me .It is not dangerous .It is uncomfortable , yes but it cannot hurt me.

    Right now I have some feelings I dont like .They will pass shortly and I will feel okay again.

    I have dealt with negative thoughts before and I will deal with them again.

    What I am feeling will pass shortly .

    While these are just words , dont underestimate the power of using strong positive statements to help crush the anxiety preventing you from driving on the freeway .

    6.Just go do it till it feels okay

    This one is radical but it can work.Just sit behind the wheel and drive –within speed limit while focussing on feeling comfortable happy and free.
    After all that is what driving is all about , the freedom to go anywhere you want to , anytime you want ot.



    Finding the recovery method that works best for you is a matter of trial and error.Its a process of experimentation.Think of building a tool box by adding one tool at a time.

    To conclude the takeway points are
    -Get familiar physically with the car and the parts you will be using before hitting the road.
    -Keep the speed slow , dont worry about the honking that might happen by other cars.
    -Maintain safe distance between two cars
    -Every one started one day ..today is yours .

    The maximum damage that can happen is a fine...Well thats not too bad .
    Just reading this will put you ahead of most people coping with this condition, but this is not going to fix it instantly.You have to keep working at it.

    Every single person out there on the road has done it –Just like you.