Recover, uncover or discover ...

Whatever problems you have had behind the wheel, you can move forward again.

Whether you need to recover from a past trauma, uncover the underlying confidence that is present in other areas of your life and apply it to driving, or discover a confidence that was never 'taught' when you you first learnt to drive, the starting point is understanding where you are now.

In simple terms there are three 'dysfunction' levels at which you might operate emotionally behind the wheel, these are:

	Fear
	Anxiety
	Phobia

 

Fear

Fear is a normal healthy response to unknown situations or situations where we perceive danger.

People with a driving fear will often worry before a drive but resolve to get on with it as soon as they are out in the car - often forgetting the fear because they are so engrossed in the driving task (if your fear is of other road users, see Driving Alone).

Anxiety

Anxiety is classified in many different ways and has many symptoms.

Typically, driving anxiety develops when 'fearful' situations are avoided and then the developing fear is generalised into other situations.

If you have had an anxiety reaction to driving as opposed to 'simple fear' (but nonetheless real) you will probably have experienced some debilitating symptoms such as sweating, tummy upset, hyperventilation, exhaustion, a lump in the throat, etcetera.

 

Phobia

Phobia is a disabling mechanism. It protects you (sometimes totally irrationally) from your perceived danger.

Drivers who have developed phobias will have severe panic attacks and be unable to carry on with a particular drive, or indeed they might stop driving altogether.

 

A powerful skill ... While many people consider phobias to be a sign of weakness, the opposite is probably true! The ability to automatically, and consistently avoid perceived danger is quite a powerful skill. When the skill can be better employed, 'normal' functioning can be restored.