In many ways driving anxiety the ‘unspoken phobia’ since nobody ever seems to discuss it. However, it affects countless people each year. On this page, we will look at this under-reported challenge, what causes it, and how hypnotherapy can help. I provide hypnosis for driving anxiety both in London and online.
What exactly is driving anxiety?
Driving anxiety or vehophobia is any chronic and recurrent fear of driving, be that whilst driving or in expectation of driving. Symptoms differ between people in both persistence and intensity, and with different circumstances, road types and situations.
One of the most commonly feared road type is the motorway. Less well-known is the associated problem of ‘passenger anxiety’. Driving anxiety could affect almost anyone. Indeed many former professional drivers, police drivers and racing drivers report having driving anxiety. It really can affect anyone. If you would like hypnosis for driving anxiety find out about my London sessions.
Driving anxiety may be related with panic attacks. If can even happen following erratic driving behaviour, such as sudden stopping or driving on the hard shoulder. Surprisingly, the fear of driving may increase the risks. Though importantly even when you do feel anxious, you can still be and in most cases are totally in control.
Driving anxiety and quality of life
Sufferers’ anxieties about driving can severely restrict their quality of life. Some people find themselves taking tortuously circuitous journeys via little country lanes to avoid fast A-roads and motorways, doubling or tripling journey times. Some people give up on driving altogether. Hypnosis can really help, so if that sounds like you, help is available.
What causes driving anxiety?
As with any anxiety, there can be a number of causes, such as long-term stress, genetic predisposition to anxiety responses, even the wrong stray thought at the wrong time. Unlike many anxieties, driving anxiety has a definable danger at its root and, as such, it can also be post-traumatic. In fact, for many individuals, driving is the most dangerous activity they do in a day, and it is this daily potential risk that may be the root cause of most driving-related anxieties. As such if you are already in an anxious state, old anxieties can latch in to driving, seeing driving as a cause for concern also. At my London hypnotherapy practice I see a lot of people looking for help with driving anxiety. Sometimes, for my London clients, the anxiety is from a car accident and sometimes it’s just a result of an overactive mind and pre-existing anxieties.
So, some individuals will have driving anxiety because of an accident, but many people will have it as the result of doing a stressful activity that contains an element of danger for long periods.
Can hypnotherapy help driving anxiety?
Hypnosis or hypnotherapy for driving anxiety is a highly effective way of overcoming this phobia and its fears, along with getting more confident behind the wheel. Hypnotherapy has a strong reputation for helping with Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) techniques, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches, all designed to produce change on the unconscious level. I use hypnosis to treat driving anxiety at my London practice.
The work in the sessions is likely to be supplemented with mutually agreed upon homework tasks. Your safety, within the session and on the road, is always extremely important. As such, as your hypnotherapist I will always work in ways appropriate to you and your anxiety levels. I will also take steps to ensure that you maintain a healthy ‘road awareness’ as you grow more comfortable in the driving seat. Sessions are enjoyable. In the comfort of my London consulting room, you will soon feel more confident behind the wheel and reduce your driving anxiety.
