4 Causes Of Driving Anxiety (And How Counseling Can Help)

Many people who fear driving may feel all alone with their anxieties since it can seem like the world is full of drivers. The truth is that many people have varying degrees of anxiety about driving. While some people are very eager to get behind the wheel of a car and explore the open road, many others are more cautious.

Cause #1: Overinflated Notions of the Risks of Driving

Some statistics can scare people from getting on the road, but the truth is that most people safe on the road. A counselor can help you sort fact from fiction. Your therapist can recommend coping skills to work on. Also, you can take precautions to stay as safe as possible on the road, and you may even take a driver safety course to help improve your confidence while lessening your anxiety.

Cause #2: Extreme Fears After a Bad Accident

It's only natural to be somewhat fearful when you return to the road after being in a traumatic accident, but these fears shouldn't hold you back on a long-term basis. If they are starting to interfere with your life, a counselor can help. The earlier you seek treatment, the better. Your therapist can help you identify the root cause of the fears and work through the trauma as well.

Cause #3: Fears of Incompetency After Criticism

Those who have been criticized often and extremely often have a hard time finding confidence in themselves, and confidence is absolutely required of good drivers. If you have been criticized a lot for your driving, you may naturally develop a lot of anxiety about it. If you feel that you're not up for the task at hand, you may prefer avoiding it altogether. Counseling can help you assess the negative things you say to yourself and replace them with more objective, realistic, and positive things.

Cause #4: Panic Attacks with Agoraphobia

Although panic attacks with agoraphobia are the least common cause of driving fears, they can be the most severe. A therapist can help you deal with this condition. These fears can be twofold because of a fear of accidents that can be caused if the panic attacks occur while the person is driving. Someone facing these big hurdles to becoming a driver should seek counseling for help in overcoming them.

Finally, keep in mind that driving anxiety doesn't have to plague you forever. A counselor, like Timothy D. Berry, Ph.D., can help you handle these issues and others that may threaten to keep you off the road. If you want to drive but anxiety is getting in your way, therapy can be your best option for moving past the anxiety and onto the open road.

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