Driving phobia: Self limiting beliefs

Self limiting beliefs

When our beliefs are useful they serve us well, but there are occasions when we develop less than useful beliefs.

Knowing about self-limiting beliefs might not cause them to go away, but it will enable you to understand the process that perpetuates the problems you have experienced.

It is common for people who have experienced problems on the road to describe anxiety sensations when talking about driving; these include tension, fear, etc.

So lets look at how these sensations help to reinforce the self limiting beliefs that have, up to now, prevented you from knowing that you can be the driver that you want to be.

Tension and belief

For 15 seconds, tense up your body - clench your fists, tighten every muscle in your body and hold the feeling - 15 seconds. Then relax ...

Enjoy the sensation of letting all of the tension melt away allow each part of your body to relax in turn, from the top of your head, gently down though your shoulders and body and to the tips of your toes.

Now reflect on what happened when you were tensed up. Did you notice how, being tense 'cuts you off' from the world around you to some degree? How you have less awareness of what's going on when you are tense.

Try it again and notice whether this is the case

The problem

The problems associated with tension and driving are as follows:

When you experienced tension behind the wheel, you restrict the amount of information that you gather about your surroundings Some of this information is essential for comfortable driving.

Mistakes, or wrong moves made because of the missing information reinforce your belief that you have been afraid of driving.

This creates more tension.

A vicious circle!

The solution ...

Is to learn to remove the tension and gather appropriate information.

This can be done with therapy and/or specialist driver training and/or by using self help relaxation methods.

'Going inside' and belief

Try this. Take a minute or so to think about a holiday or other time in your life when you were really happy.

Notice, first of all, all the things that you can see on that happy occasion; people, landscapes, seascapes, locations, whatever it is for you - experience the colour and depth of your picture, allowing it to develop ...

Then add to this what you can hear on that occasion; sounds, voices, loud, quiet, near, far, make the experience real. As if you are back there now ...

And notice the feelings ... Physical feelings, warm, cold, textures; emotional feelings - you keep these feelings safe inside and know them well ...

Now. What happened to your awareness of the world around you as you drifted into your 'dream'?

My guess is that, once again, similar to the 'tension' exercise above, you lost some awareness of your surroundings.

A different cause, but the same effect.

Where does this fit in?

After a driving incident, or during a drive when you have felt uncomfortable, you will have 'gone inside' for a few moments, or longer.

This time rather than the full enjoyment of a pleasant memory, your brain will have presented you with Images, sounds and feelings of problem memories.

Sometimes this happens so fast that all you are aware of is the resultant unpleasant feelings or a sense of confusion and panic.

The net effect is loss of useful driving information and another vicious circle of belief reinforcement.

Click the forward arrow to start learning how you can break the cycle ...


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