If you have driving anxiety, that doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong or that your concerns are completely unfounded. After all, feeling anxious about any activity with such high stakes is understandable. Driving can be particularly anxiety-inducing in big cities where heavy, chaotic traffic patterns are the norm, compared to the emptier roads of rural areas. However, these feelings don’t have to control your life. The right tools and resources can be key to how to get over driving anxiety.
What Are the Symptoms of Driving Anxiety?
The symptoms of driving anxiety resemble those of other forms of anxiety. People may experience any combination of the following symptoms before, during, or immediately after a drive:
Overwhelming feelings of fear
- Sweating
- Racing heart
- Trembling
- Nausea or vomiting
- Rapid breathing, or hyperventilation
- Trouble sleeping
- Feeling weak
- Trouble concentrating
- Avoidance of driving or getting into a vehicle
These symptoms can worsen over time, especially with avoidance. When someone avoids driving due to anxiety, their avoidance reinforces the fear and makes it more challenging to overcome.
Understanding the Root of Your Anxiety
Take some time for self-reflection. Consider whether you have a history of anxiety in other situations or if something specific triggered your driving anxiety. Maybe you witnessed a car accident as a child or are struggling with confidence on the road. Identifying the root cause of your driving anxiety can help you create an effective action plan for managing it.
Seeking Professional Help
Therapy may be helpful if your driving anxiety is affecting your quality of life. Your therapist can help you determine what may be causing your anxiety and equip you with healthy coping strategies. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is commonly used to treat driving anxiety. It aims to change the negative thought patterns and behaviors that often fuel anxiety.
Taking a Driving Course
Consider taking a professional driving course if low confidence is causing your anxiety. The instructors can teach you how to safely handle a variety of challenging driving scenarios, such as dealing with aggressive drivers. They can also point out any risky driving habits they observe so you can eliminate them. Even if you’re an experienced driver, this can boost your confidence by refreshing your memory and positively reinforcing your abilities.
Driving Outside of Your Comfort Zone
Because avoiding scary situations can worsen driving anxiety, it’s essential to face your fears. Try to gradually expose yourself to the situations you’re anxious about. Set small goals and reward yourself for achieving them, then slowly increase the difficulty level.
Visualizing the Road Before Driving
Fear of the unknown fuels a lot of driving anxiety. Simply visualizing your route before driving can help you feel more prepared and in control. Use Google Street View to familiarize yourself with the roads you’ll be driving on and the maneuvers you might have to make.
What Can You Do To Feel Calmer When Driving?
Increasing feelings of calmness behind the wheel is an important part of coping with driving anxiety. Consider practicing these strategies to further chip away at your driving fears.
Challenge Negative Self-Talk
Negative messages that you tell yourself can contribute to driving anxiety. If you find yourself thinking things like “I’m a terrible driver” or “I always make mistakes on the road,” challenge these thoughts by asking yourself for evidence. Are they based on facts, or are they just pessimistic assumptions? Remind yourself that you are a capable driver and have previously navigated difficult situations successfully.
Try Relaxation Techniques
Aim to release tension in your body while driving. You can try deep breathing exercises, listen to calming music, or stretch your shoulders and neck while at a stoplight. Additionally, meditating before a drive can help reduce stress and anxiety by calming the mind and body.
Specific Meditation Techniques for Driving Anxiety
- Mindful Breathing: Many breathing techniques can help calm the nervous system and ground the body and mind. One common practice is box breathing, which involves breathing in for four seconds, holding the breath for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, holding the breath for four seconds, and repeating. Another practice is the 4-7-8 technique, which involves inhaling for four seconds, holding the breath for seven, and exhaling for eight seconds.
- Guided Imagery: You may also find it helpful to practice visualization exercises to imagine a calm and safe driving experience. For example, sit or lie down comfortably, close your eyes, and picture a peaceful road, light traffic, and smooth transitions between maneuvers. Focus on this image for a few minutes.
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups to release physical tension. You may want to focus on areas prone to tightening from anxiety, such as the shoulders and jaw.
- Mantra Meditation: Repeating positive affirmations or calming phrases silently or aloud can help cultivate a sense of confidence and calmness.
Some affirmations that may ease your anxiety before or while driving include:
- I am safe and in control.
- I am calm and confident when driving.
- I have done this before, and I can do it again.
- I am stronger than my fears.
Tools and Resources for Meditation
There are several mobile apps for meditation. Apps like Calm, Headspace, and Insight Timer may help if you’re just starting to practice meditation and need some guidance. Additionally, you may find some pre-recorded tracks of music or guided meditation designed to calm your anxiety while driving. While on the road, you may find it useful to have a toolbox of simple, non-distracting exercises to help you remain calm and in control.
Focus on One Step at a Time
Add mindfulness techniques to your routine by focusing on your senses. For instance, you can notice the feeling of your hands on the steering wheel, the sound of the engine, or the feeling of the wind on your face. This can help you stay present rather than get lost in anxious thoughts about potential future scenarios.
