The fear of driving affects people in many different ways. Some people manage to get their drivers license and drive for many years without any problems, only to develop a fear of certain aspects of driving, or for some people it affects them so badly that they are unable to drive at all.
The medical term used for fear of driving is hodophobia, although strictly speaking it means the fear of all travel, but as driving is a form of travelling, I guess it will do.
If you suffer from this condition, it is important to understand that it is an anxiety related condition that needs to be treated exactly the same as any other phobia, which will involve both behavioral and cognitive therapy. If your symptoms are relatively mild, it is essential that you take action as soon as possible, as your condition can worsen to the point where you are completely unable to even get in to a vehicle.
Before you seek professional help with this matter, it is worth trying a technique known as systematic desensitization, whereby you very gradually expose yourself to the phobic situation and simultaneously use anxiety management techniques to gradually learn to control how your body reacts to the stress caused by your situation.
The recommended anxiety management technique is known as 'progressive muscle relaxation' or PMR, which is an approached designed to teach you how to control the physiological manifestations of your anxiety. You will be able to buy a relaxation CD from your local book store that will teach you this technique.
PMR teaches you how to control you breathing and your muscle response to stressful situations, responses that, if left unchecked, would lead to severe sweating, uncontrollable shaking or palpitations.
Through a series of exercises, PMR will teach you how to relax in stressful situations, try to follow the PMR techniques for at least 20 - 30 minutes twice a day when you first start.
The key factor in successfully dealing with your phobia comes when you begin to blend the PMR techniques with exposure to whatever is causing your fears. You start by first imagining driving your car while at the same time using the PMR approach to control your body's response to the stress.
Make sure you take things very slowly at first, start of imaging yourself sitting in the car, progress to starting the engine and when you feel ready, take a short trip - all in your mind of course. After your first imaginary trip, focus on the things that cause you most stress whilst you're driving, that might be something like driving on the freeway.
When you are confident that you have mastered the imagery and remained relaxed, you can move on to your vehicle and perform the same routine again. Push yourself a little further each time, and eventually you will achieve your goals.
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