Discover the best therapies to overcome the fear of driving

The phobia of driving, or amaxophobia, affects 28% of drivers according to a study by the CEA Foundation. In this article We will talk about how to overcome the fear of drivingbut first of all, we must know that phobias are anxiety disorders, cataloged as such in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) published in 2014.

Nevertheless, Sometimes you feel a logical and healthy fear of driving. When you have little experience, after having a minor accident, in life periods of great anxiety, the examples are many. In these cases, the course of action is different from that of the phobia, whether you get professional help or not.

Therefore, in this space we are going to look in depth at both the most used therapies for amaxophobia and a series of general tips so that the fear does not get worse. Don’t miss anything, because driving is a useful skill that provides a lot of autonomy, so it’s not a good idea to lose the habit.

What is amaxophobia?

The specific phobia of driving is characterized by a intense, irrational, persistent and disproportionate fear of driving. It usually appears as a result of specific events, such as a traffic accident. As in all specific phobias, the object of fear is avoided due to this feeling, causing the patient clinically significant discomfort or impairment in vital areas important for healthy functioning.

As a general rule, and as indicated by the Guide to psychological treatments effective I de Pérez, Fernández, Fernández and Amigo (2010), The most used (and effective) treatments for specific phobias are: exposure therapy and cognitive therapy. (specifically, cognitive restructuring). Let’s look at it in more detail.

The fear of driving is a very disabling phobia with different levels of intensity in each person.

Overcome the fear of driving

As was said, the two most used treatments in psychotherapy when it comes to overcoming the fear of driving are exposure therapy and cognitive therapy. We are going to present them separately.

1. Exposure therapy

Exposure therapy is the technique used par excellence when treating specific phobias. This consists of exposing the person to the phobic object or situation gradually. (through a hierarchy of items, from least to most anxiety-inducing). This list is prepared by the therapist together with the patient.

In the case of amaxophobia, the items will consist of situations related to driving. The first situations to overcome would be those that produce the least anxiety in the patient (for example, approaching the car, sitting down and taking the wheel, putting it in first gear…), to little by little expose them to more anxiety-inducing situations (driving through areas that are increasingly difficult, first with a companion, then alone, etc.).

To overcome the fear of driving we must keep in mind that The final objective will be for the person to be able to expose themselves to the driving situation without it generating anxiety.. To achieve this, it will be important that you learn to resist the anxiety that the situation generates in you. The goal is for this resistance to finally transform into a feeling of control and mastery, until the anxiety disappears.

If the therapy works, the association between the psychophysiological symptoms and the phobic stimulus disappears. Thus, in many cases, the best coping strategy against the fear of driving is not to stop driving. If it is a disabling phobia, it is best to go to a professional to help you..

2. Techniques to reduce anxiety

Since the objective is for the person to experience the situation without feeling those high levels of anxiety, We will provide you with complementary strategies so that you can learn to reduce your anxiety. The most common are breathing techniques, relaxation techniques and viewing positive images.

Anxiety is incompatible with a state of relaxation, since the systems that are activated with one state and another are different. With these aforementioned techniques, it is intended, therefore, that the same stimuli (putting on the seatbelt, starting, driving in general) generate a response incompatible with anxiety. This process is known as systematic desensitization. and was proposed by Wolpe in the 1950s.

3. Cognitive therapy

Another tool that is used in psychology to overcome the fear of driving is cognitive therapy. It should be said that exposure therapy is the most effective therapy, but it is also advisable to combine it with cognitive therapy. The latter has been effective in the treatment of amaxophobia along with other disorders such as depression.

Within it, what is most frequently used is the technique of cognitive restructuring. With it, maladaptive thoughts generated by fear and anxiety are worked on, generally catastrophic and irrational in tone. For example, some people tend to think that they will have an accident if they go out on the road, which makes them even more afraid and blocked.

Therefore, the objective of cognitive restructuring is for the patient to learn to replace such catastrophic thoughts with more realistic, adaptive and functional ones. For example: “I will be able to drive without getting nervous”, “I don’t have to have an accident while driving”, “I can use the GPS if I get lost”, etc.

Beyond psychological therapy: the fear of driving

Sometimes, the fear does not become a phobia, but is restricted to certain situations (such as the fear of new drivers, for example). If this is your case, here you will find some general guidelines to apply that may be useful to combat the fear of driving.

1. Recognize your problem

As they say, «The first step to solving a problem is to recognize it». So, Face your fear, accept that you have it and don’t try to run away from it. You should not feel guilty or less than anyone else, even though the stigma of mental illness tells you otherwise.

2. Rationalize fear

Fears (and even more so phobias) always have irrational and catastrophic thoughts associated with them. Therefore, it will be important that you try to identify what really causes you fear when driving. It could be getting into an accident, getting lost, getting stuck, whatever.

Once you identify it, Try to replace irrational thoughts with more realistic ones., and also think about the worst that can happen. Is it really likely to happen? What possible solutions could you apply? Reflect and try to internalize those reasonings.

3. Take the car

This is what exposure therapy is based on. Exposing yourself to your irrational fear is the only thing that will show you that you were not right with your fears. Do it little by little, escalating situations only when your anxiety has been reduced or eliminated.

And avoiding driving acts, in many cases, as a reinforcement of your fear. Therefore, every time you want to take the car, the fear will be more intense. In this way, we fall into a self-reinforcing cycle, where driving becomes more and more scary as it is avoided again and again.

The ideal is to gradually expose yourself to your biggest fear, trying to avoid catastrophic thoughts in the process.

Trust your abilities

The strength to overcome a phobia is present in all people. Although you may not know it or how to use them, those strengths are there. Some people are able to cope on their own and others need the guidance of a professional.

Therefore, as said above, do not be afraid to ask for psychological help, especially if your fear is disabling or was born as a result of a traumatic event (such as an accident). No one should walk the path of fear alone, so don’t be shy about reaching out to helping hands.

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