Have You Ever Wondered What If
Let me ask you a question. How would your life be different if you could end driving anxiety?
What would it be like if you could:
- Spend more time doing fun things with your children instead of being stuck at home?
- Advance more quickly in your career?
- Look for work without having to worry about paralyzing anxiety?
- Get rid of the strain that fear of driving is putting on your marriage?
- Spend time with friends without having to ask for a ride?
- Pursue hobbies and interests youve quit because driving anxiety has taken over your life?
- Stop lying and making excuses for why you cant do certain things?
- Quit feeling ashamed and different?
- Travel or take vacations without nagging worry?
- Not plan and live your life around your fears?
- Regain a sense of control in your life?
- Feel proud of yourself again?
- Reduce the toll driving anxiety is taking on your health?
Causes And Overcoming Anxiety
Driving on any road takes considerable skill. All of your senses are at play, and one improper move might spell disaster. With these facts in mind, many people end up with a phobia when it comes to driving on the highway. Explore the common causes for this fear and how to overcome the anxiety.
Situations That Cause Driving Stress
Many situations can cause you to feel stress while driving. Some of the most common stress-inducing circumstances include:
- Another driving cutting you off
- Being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic
- An aggressive driver riding your bumper or starting or stopping in front of you
- A slow driver that wont allow you to pass
- Other cars failure to signal
- Seeing other drivers practicing distracted driving
- Drivers who are speeding or changing lanes erratically
- Feeling pressured to maneuver in unsafe ways by other vehicles
- Feeling lost or being forced to take an unfamiliar detour
- Unexpected stops that result in hard braking
- Parking lot/spot confrontations
Depending on how often you drive, the distance you drive, and the areas you operate in, you may encounter more stressful driving situations than others.
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Break Free From The Prison Of Driving Anxiety Starting Right Now
Other people are using the Driving Peace Program right now to break out of the prison of fear, guilt, and isolation that driving anxiety had locked them into for so long. Right now, people are easily doing the things they couldnt or WOULDNT do before, things like:
- Picking their kids up from school.
- Commuting stress-free.
- Driving in heavy traffic.
- Traveling and going on vacation.
Arent you ready to stop wasting your life and happiness because of your fear? Your anxiety is highly treatable, and the Driving Peace program gives you the tools to overcome ANY aspect of driving anxiety, whatever form it may take. I think youll agree that its time to take control and put yourself back in the drivers seat of your life.
NOTE: The Driving Peace program is an instantly downloadable program. No physical products will be shipped.After you order, you will get immediate access to download the program to your computer.The format is mp3 and Adobe Acrobat PDF, both compatible with Mac or PC.
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Coping With A Driving
Panic attacks are always troubling. Experiencing one while driving can not only be uncomfortable, but it can be dangerous as well.
Dealing with a panic attack while driving will take intentional, quick action. At the first sign of a panic attack, someone should:
- Acknowledge the physical and mental sensations related to a panic attack
- Let others in the car know what to do and how to respond
- Pull over immediately but safely
- Put on hazard lights to alert other drivers
- Stay in the car to avoid traffic
- Practice and employ healthy coping skills until panic attack passes
The first time a person endures a panic attack while driving, the situation will create tremendous fear and uncertainty. As they gain experience, though, they will discover a helpful process for effectively reducing symptoms and keeping themselves safe.
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Fear Of Driving Alone
This gets a lot of them. It is particularly not helpful if you already have a phobia. Sometimes, you will notice that you are fine as long as it is a familiar location. But the moment you have to head to a new place, the anxiety sets in. You start to have so many questions like:
- Is there enough gas in the car?
- What if I get lost in an area with no network coverage?
- What if there is no parking close to where Ive to eventually go?
It is natural to have these thoughts pop into your head. You are going to an unfamiliar place and it makes sense. You can control some thoughts by preparing in advance. If you are worried about gas, check to see if you need a refill. If youre worried about network coverage, get your maps to function offline. Ask someone at the destination about the parking situation.
How To Overcome The Fear Of Driving On Th Freeway
Theres a lot of people who dislike, even hate, driving on a freeway. Freeways are the bane of their existence. Thats because they have what is called freeway phobia. Yup. Its a real thing.
People often talk about trauma after being in an accident or knowing someone who has. In fact, theres plenty of research on that kind of PTSD. If youve seen the movie All the Bright Places or more recently, Chemical Hearts, you know what Im talking about.
Psychologist and researcher Frank P. Deane spoke with 190 people who had such fears. Among those who had a history of accidents:
- 77 percent of them were nervous before the trip.
- 71 percent of them told the driver what to do.
- 63 percent of them got easily upset in the car.
- 58 percent of them dont drive as much anymore.
Statistics arent meant to make you more nervous. They are just to tell you that youre not alone. But what about those who are inherently afraid of it because there is only so much one can do to stay safe. Those who think speed is fun, screeching tires are thrilling and switching lanes without using turn signals is cool. What about those who are around them? Because when things go wrong, they are not the only ones to get hurt, right?
Im not trying to scare you. This is just to say that freeway phobia is pervasive but not irrational. Today well focus on the fear itself and what you can do about it.
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And Take Care Of Yourself
Dealing with driving anxiety is not easy. Dont be too hard on yourself if you have a setback or need to take a break everyone needs a pause in a difficult situation. Treat yourself how you treat someone you love and consider making lifestyle changes that can ease your anxiety. Cutting down on caffeine, not driving on an empty stomach and getting a good nights sleep will help you be in the best shape possible to tackle your fear. You could also make sure the car is as comfortable as possible maybe put together a soundtrack of your favourite songs or buy an air freshener, to make your drive pleasurable.
Hopefully, these tips will help you feel more confident and comfortable with tackling your driving anxiety leading up to your test, so you can enjoy the experience rather than fear it.
Gradually Face Your Fears
The first step to overcoming driving anxiety is not to ignore the problem. The longer you go without driving, the more likely it is that your driving fear will persist.
Instead, you need to get back on the horse so to speak, and gradually face the situations that cause you anxiety.
Even if this means starting with something very small such as driving around the block.
One way to do this is to create a fear hierarchy that lists your fears related to driving anxiety from those that make you least anxious to those that make you most anxious.
Then, you simply work your way through that list, gradually building your confidence as you move from easier to harder tasks.
This is a basic technique of cognitive-behavioral therapy and is what a therapist would likely have you do.
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Easy Rules For The Hard Shoulder
Remember that the hard shoulder is only for emergencies, not for making calls, having an evening walk, or comfort stops.
Here’s our guide to driver location signs . They’re handy even if you have GPS and you need to let us or the police know where you are.
If the thought of breaking down on a motorway gives you the jitters, our Car Genie can help. It’s a nifty little device for AA Members which keeps an eye on your car’s health and will let you know if it spots an issue, like battery or electrical problems.
You’ll need to check that your car’s compatible, then you can just order online. It’s a great way to check your car’s in good shape before making a long journey.
Create A Peaceful Driving Environment
External factors like noise smells, and a lot of clutter can increase anxiety and fear, even if it is subconsciously. Try playing peaceful music in the car to help calm the nerves. Find an air freshener that makes you feel calm and happy to use in the vehicle. Another great tool is to keep your car clean. Pick up trash and organize your belongings so that there is less clutter weighing you down mentally.
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Keep Your Kids Occupied
If you drive with kids in the car, you know the struggle of focusing on the road while they are fighting or asking you for things.
While you cant always avoid these situations, you can try to plan for traveling with your children by bringing items that can occupy their minds while you drive.
Keep a basket or toy organizer in the back seat so that your kids can grab a toy when they are bored.
Stock the organizer with books, coloring books, and markers for older kids. Place several stuffed animals and age-appropriate toys in the bin for younger kids.
If you allow electronics, consider letting them watch a tablet or device for the duration of the drive. This will enable you to focus on the road, keeping everyone safe.
The Most Common Driving Anxiety Triggers And How To Overcome Them
Even the most experienced drivers can be caught off guard by extreme weather conditions, none more so than snow. If driving in snow is something that strikes fear into you, the best thing that you can do is to prepare properly and check that your wipers and tyres are in good working order. Checking your route properly and checking the weather forecast to ensure that you dont run into any difficulties can also help to set your mind at ease before your journey.
For some people, driving anxiety can get so bad that it can induce panic attacks, which can of course be dangerous. Its important to try and identify any triggers that could be causing these attacks and try to challenge them. For example, they could be triggered driving at a certain time or on certain roads, or when driving to new places. If panic attacks are becoming a serious problem for you then you may want to look into therapy treatments to help alleviate your anxiety.
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Effective Treatment Offers Greater Freedom On The Road
Situations that are hard to escape from are fertile ground for anxiety and panic to develop. Not surprisingly, driving is one of the most common situations that trigger panic. Bridges and tunnels, in particular, can be challenging since they present the possibility of getting stuck with no easy or safe escape route.
Many people with high anxiety about driving end up avoiding certain driving situations or will stop driving altogether. One of the most effective ways to treat driving-related panic and avoidance is cognitive-behavioral therapy , which includes facing the situations where the person is afraid of panicking.
Ive treated many people for driving-related panic, which usually involves riding with them as a passenger while as they face their fears. The following six principles have emerged from that work.
1. Focus on the road ahead.
Driving-related anxiety often leads you to think ahead to the whole trip. You might map out the route in advance, checking for bridges along the way. As you drive, you might keep imagining the scariest parts ahead. It ends up being a lot to managenot just the road right in front of you, but your entire drive.
It takes practice, of course, since the mind wants to jump ahead and make sure things will be okay. Focusing on sensory experiences can help to ground your attention in the present, like seeing the road in front of you and feeling your hands on the steering wheel.
3. Dismiss emotional reasoning.
Lets Get Rid Of Your Problem
I designed a system that can get rid of anxiety online no matter where you are in the world and the fact that it works anywhere led me to name my system ROAD .
You dont need to get in a car or even leave your house and your driving problems can be fixed from the comfort of home. All you need is a device that can run the free video calling software Zoom.
What if the internet goes off? It doesnt matter because you cant get stuck in hypnosis or anything like that. At worst we just reconnect and carry on.
I designed the system to be modern, rapid and effective.
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Part I: The Real Source Of Driving Anxiety
In Part I, Andrew proves that the real source of your driving anxiety is NOT external events like red lights, heavy traffic, freeways, or driving over bridges. Your anxiety is the result of negative internal links between your brain and your emotions. Andrew shows you how to take control using a simple exercise that immediately begins removing these self-defeating connections. Part I gets you ready to drive with a cool head and a calm, relaxed body.
Driving Anxiety: 11 Actionable Steps To Overcome Your Fear
Driving anxiety is common and affects people from all over the world. While driving may seem natural to some people, it can evoke fear, anxiety, and panic in others.
If you experience driving anxiety, the very thought of getting behind the wheel can make you nervous. In some cases, driving anxiety can stem from being in a specific situation like driving through tunnels or bridges.
Driving anxiety can be overcome by receiving professional help from a therapist- Click below to book your appointment.
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