Are you scared to drive?

One in five women have a phobia about driving on the motorway. Others won’t get behind the wheel at all. If this sounds familiar, here’s what you can do about it…

 

Does the thought of driving to the supermarket- or anywhere- send you into a panic? If so, you're not alone. For thousands of women, the idea of driving a car, let alone going on a busy road like a motorway, is terrifying, even years after they've passed their test.

 

According to hypnotherapist Georgia Foster (www.georgiafoster.com), women are particularly prone to being nervous drivers, partly because we worry more. ‘Phobias can kick in when you have children and become aware of the responsibility of carrying them in the car. It also often happens around the menopause or when children have flown the nest. This is when you may start to question yourself, leading to negative thoughts and low self-esteem.'

 

Guy Baglow, clinical director of the Mindspa phobia clinic (www.phobiaclinic.co.uk) says that in many cases, a driving phobia starts when there's background stress in your life, maybe at work or in a relationship. ‘You'll be driving along a motorway feeling stressed about something else and might need to do a manoeuvre that's usually not a problem, and you'll suddenly feel panicky,' says Guy. ‘The next time you need to do it, you'll panic again.'

 

What can you do about it?

‘Your family might tell you to just get out and drive, but that won't work,' says Guy. ‘You'll feel stressed so it will reinforce the fear and make it worse. The rational part of your brain knows your phobia doesn't make sense because you're probably a perfectly good driver, but the unconscious part has picked up negative ideas about driving. The unconscious mind needs to reevaluate driving as safe.'

Georgia suggests a series of ‘strong, small steps' to overcome a driving phobia. ‘Start on small roads on a quiet day when there's less traffic,'she says. ‘Go for a short drive every couple of days, before working up to when it's busier or going on bigger roads.'

 

Stress-fighting stratergies

■ When you feel ready to try again, have someone you trust in the passenger seat.

■ Take a refresher course to brush up your driving skills. Try a good local instructor, or an established school such as BSM (visit www.bsm.co.uk or call 0845 727 6276).

■ Play soothing classical music in the car - it relaxes you and invites positive thoughts.

■ Do breathing exercises. ‘Taking three deep breaths in and out will reduce stress and calm your nervous system so driving becomes a safer experience emotionally and physically,' says Georgia. ‘Do this whenever you think about driving, as well as in the car. Your mind will connect the deep breathing with driving, and being at the wheel will become a positive experience.'

■ Remove stress triggers. If you worry about getting lost, invest in a satellite navigation device to plan your route for you. They are proven to reduce stress levels and improve driver behaviour. TomTom Sat Nav devices start at £129.99 (www.tomtom.com).

■ Join a breakdown service, so you can feel confident of having help if you need it.

 

Need more help?

■ Ask your GP to refer you for treatment.

■ To fi nd a qualifi ed hypnotherapist, visit The British Society of Clinical Hypnosis at www.bsch.org.uk or call 01262 403103.

■ To fi nd a psychologist, visit the British Psychological Society at www.bps.org.uk.

■ Call Anxiety UK on 0844 477 5774.

 

Your driving fears revealed

■ 62 per cent of you would give up your car if it wasn't a necessity.

■ A third of you feel stressed or anxious behind the wheel.

■ 32 per cent of you feel intimidated when driving in busy town centres.

■ 25 per cent hate driving at night and 23 per cent dislike driving on motorways.

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