Does the thought of driving on the freeway strike you with fear and instant panic? Feeling nervous when driving can be a very unnerving feeling; you can feel your heart racing, your palms getting sweaty plus on top of that you may feel a bit lightheaded or dizzy. Driving on the freeway is much worse because you’re going pretty fast and it may feel like you’re about to lose control.
I was usually in a state of constant fright and scared on the freeway. I tend to drive on the slow side and I would get super anxious when all these other autos would glide past by me at really quick speeds. I virtually thought like they were trying to run me off the road. I would get knots in my stomach when I had to merge onto other freeways and navigate sharp turns and curves. I grew up driving in Orange County where the roads tend to be rather wide and I was in shock when I drove on the Los Angeles freeway system for the first time. The roads in L.A are much more curvier, narrower and harrowing overall.
It’s a good thing that I had to face my demons. Part of it had to do with the fact that I landed a job that was around 20 miles away and I had no choice but to confront my fear of driving head on. A lot of people think that you need to take dangerous drugs like anti-anxiety meds or indulge in pricey therapy to get rid of your driving phobia, but this isn’t the case at all. Your brain has simply associated the act of operating a motor vehicle with danger and disaster for some unknown reason . Thankfully, you can condition your brain to overcome these debilitating feelings.
A few things that can help is to take deep breaths when driving a car and to focus your gaze at the road ahead, not just at the short distance of space in front of you. Instead look ahead at the open road. Remind yourself that you have driven on the the road before without anything horrid happening. If it helps, bring a friend along whenever you drive so at least you’ll have someone there for moral support.
Being nervous when driving can be quite stressful and cause a lot of tension and distress.Hopefully these tips will help you overcome your phobia and result in you being feeling more at ease and relaxed the next time you go for a drive.
Written by Britney James – Our in-depth program shows you how to stop being scared when driving and regain your life.