A phobia is an irrational form of anxiety that is extreme or intense and often bears very complicated psychological, emotional and physical characteristics. Driving phobia is one form of panic attacks that affect a person when he or she is driving or wants to drive. A recent study showed that at least one in every sixteen drivers on our roads today suffers from driving anxiety, albeit at different severities. This is a condition that is common with young females and the elderly although it can affect anyone. A person suffering from driving anxiety will always find it difficult, if not impossible, to drive a car in some roads, under some conditions or in some places.
Some of the driving phobia symptoms include feeling of depression and panic attacks. The attacks come in the form of difficulty in breathing, fear of losing control, inability to think clearly, blurred vision, sweating, hyperventilation, shaking and anger among others. In extreme cases of driving phobia, the victims may even have difficulty in sleeping, nightmares of driving and inability to use car transport altogether. This condition can be caused by a variety of factors although some just come out of nowhere. Memories of car crashes, near-misses and road accidents especially from childhood are the most common causes but some just develop as a result of natural fear that a person suffers.
Although a case of mind driving anxiety may not be an immediate road hazard, it is generally unsafe to drive while dealing with such a phobia. Drivers suffering this condition may in most cases suffer unpredictable and irrational attacks on the road and this can inhibit their driving. Driving phobia can be treated completely through some self-help techniques like relaxation, visualization and meditation exercises or professional counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and hypnosis for severe cases of panic attacks.
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