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As well as helping people to pass their driving test, I’ve also seen a lot of nervous drivers who already had their license, but still avoided driving due to fear of the actual experience of being on the road.
In some cases these nervous drivers found it hard to be without the reassuring presence of their instructor sat beside them. They now have to make all their own decisions, with nobody to grab the wheel or use the dual controls if things went wrong. Even just being alone can be scary for some people, due to the extremely aggressive behaviour of some other drivers.
I’ve also seen some people who had driven happily for months or years after their test, but then developed severe anxiety following a road traffic accident. This is especially likely in situations where it was all the other person’s fault and could not have been anticipated or avoided.
In some cases nervous drivers have other phobias such as fear of heights. Some people for instance avoid high bridges such as the Tamar Bridge or the Avon Bridge, or coastal roads with a steep cliff on one side.
Sometimes the phobia links to another problem such as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). For instance there may be a fear of doing harm to other people. Some people dwell upon fantasies of catastrophes such as running over a child. Others may think obsessively about how easy it would be to turn the wheel suddenly and smash into an oncoming vehicle. People often do not talk about these types of fears, but they are actually quite common.
Why you need to get help sooner rather than later.
Of course it’s very frustrating to have spent a lot of time and money on driving lessons, and to have passed the test, yet still be unable to drive anywhere you want to go! Cars cost money even if you never drive them. And the longer you go on avoiding driving, the more scary the thought of driving will become.
For more about how hypnotherapy can help to overcome phobias, click HERE.
For more about what it’s like to experience hypnosis, click HERE.
If you need help because you keep failing your driving test due to anxiety, click HERE.
Nervous drivers are often bothered by motorways and driving in heavy rain. This driving instructor’s Youtube channel has good advice on these topics. She’s made over 700 videos!
Cost of therapy for nervous drivers
Therapy sessions are £60 per session, which is about the average going rate in this area. How many sessions are needed varies from person to person, as no two people are the same. However in my experience it’s normally between three and eight sessions. We will be aiming for a permanent change in this time. This is not like seeing a hairdresser where you keep on going back on a regular basis. Once you get over a phobia there is normally no reason why you would get it back.
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WANT TO GET STARTED NOW?
Phone me on 01392574669 or use the contact form below. Remember to tick the “consent” box else the form won’t send. I see my clients at Holmedale Health, near Magdalene Road in Exeter.
Why you don’t want the fight or flight reaction when you’re driving.
In all these cases the brain automatically triggers the fight-or-flight reaction, which I explain HERE in more detail. But of course this reaction is not at all helpful when you’re driving a car. Driving actually consists of sitting in a comfortable chair making precise movements with your hands and feet in order to control the vehicle safely. There is no strenuous exertion, no need to fight or run. So the fight-or-flight reaction is unnecessary and even potentially dangerous. Nervous drivers tend to compensate for this by slowing down excessively. But this annoys other drivers who may bang their horns or even shout at you, making you even more anxious.
To be effective, hypnosis therapy for driving anxiety should include a range of techniques to address all these components of the phobia. CLICK HERE for more detailed information on what happens in a therapy session.
