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When you’ve been in a car accident, you don’t always feel okay enough to jump back into a car and get driving again. Phobias occur for many reasons, and while some have a fear of spiders and others of heights, there are those who have a fear of driving after they have been in an accident. Phobias are scary to deal with, and a driving phobia is debilitating. You will end up feeling like you are stuck: too afraid to drive anywhere, too afraid to get into anything with wheels – it becomes a sticking point if you commute to work. It can even prevent you going to your job, and that can become a huge problem when trying to earn enough money.
Getting over this fear isn’t going to be easy and the fear of driving can haunt you and prevent you from driving again in the future. It’s so important, though, that you face your phobia and get back behind the wheel as you need to use a car for your daily life. Below, we’ve got all of the tips that you could need to get through your phobia and overcome it. Almost all drivers have a fender bender or a crash at some point and it’s the lucky ones that never have to deal with any kind of issues with their car. An accident is no joke, and with the no-fault laws for Uber accidents and understanding how to recover, there is a lot to learn about being on the road. Ensuring that you are able to get over the phobia is the most important part of the puzzle. The thing is, cars are dangerous machines and they can kill when not handled correctly. They are frightening and they can take away your confidence after an accident. Understanding how to get over your fear is the first step, and we’ve got the tips you need to get back – safely – on the road.
Zen Driving. You may not have heard of it, but the best tip you will ever have when it comes to getting over a fear of being behind the wheel is practicing Zen driving. You can use the techniques to relax, go with the flow and overcome the phobia. Sure, it won’t do it totally – there’s no guarantee of that – but it can help you to learn how to sleep better and drive better all at once. Relaxing your mind and reducing your tension is going to help you to go a long way to getting confidently behind the wheel to drive better. It’ll help you to sleep better, and this will enable you to wake with a powerful and more energized mind!
This will allow you to focus better on being on the road.
Make Some Changes. You want to improve the way you drive, and there are plenty of things to do to ensure that you are able to drive better. If you know your car is running properly, you’re going to feel much safer being behind the wheel. Taking it for its service on time and getting any broken things fixed is going to make you feel safer to drive. Adjust your seat and make adjustments to your wing mirrors and rear view mirror. You shouldn’t do anything unless you feel like you are secure and safe. Stress can make you a bad driver, even when you don’t mean to be, and when you are too stressed, you are more susceptible to an accident. If you work out how to reduce your stress, you’re going to be able to turn that key and drive on.
Use Affirmations. Sometimes, you need a mantra to tell you that you’re going to be okay. You should make some driving affirmation cards to keep with you in the car and around the bathroom mirror. Things you can write can include the fact that you know where you are going, you know how to drive and you know that you don’t need to take risks. You don’t need to overtake and you can continue to drive carefully – you CAN do these things, you just have to tell yourself that you can do it.
Take Your Time. There is absolutely no rush here; you can return to driving at your own pace and when you want to be on the road. Start by driving locally to the store, and then gently move up to driving highways and beyond. Give yourself a five minute drive per day and build up the time. When you do this, you can feel your confidence building because you are allowing yourself the time with no pressure to get where you want to be. Even something as simple as sitting in the car and familiarizing yourself with the controls can help you to feel as if you are back in the saddle – so to speak. Calming your brain is the goal, here and you need to consider how you can keep your breathing steady. Only go as far as you are comfortable.
Reduce Wheel Tension. When you are nervous, your brain doesn’t engage with your hands properly and you are going to struggle to relax enough to drive. Your mind tensing up is going to cause your hands to tense up, too, and you have to get back into it being a habit once again. When you drive as a habit, you will be able to slowly and surely get back to driving well once again. You need to be a safe driver, and this means reducing your tension as much as possible. Breathing exercises can help as can seeing a regular therapist for panic attacks, and you can start talking through the fear you are feeling.
Avoid The Feeling Of Failure. You are not a failure if you cannot get behind the wheel to drive. Phobias are physically and mentally debilitating, and you need to give yourself as much time as you can to get through it all. If you get in the car thinking that every time you drive it’s dangerous, you’re going to struggle to keep your head in the game. You are not a failure. Slowly, slowly – you can do it.
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