Solve Your Fear - The Quality Of Life

Two years ago I had an accident. My colleague was driving. On a slippery road, the car skidded and thrown into a ditch. The driver was badly injured, but I was not physically injured. Since then, I have been afraid to drive and ride like a passenger. Every time before the trip I panic, my hands are sweating. All the time it seems that an accident will happen. I am ashamed to admit my fear. Tell me, is it possible to cope with this situation on your own? Andrey, 43 years old

Amaxophobia, a fear of driving, is one of the most common phobias in the world. A huge number of people are afraid to get behind the wheel. According to research, 25% of drivers experience some anxiety. The psychological cause of amaxophobia is, as a rule, in a strong shock experienced by a person. Even an accident seen on TV can become a trigger. You were a direct participant in the event, the danger was real, your injured colleague was nearby. All these circumstances provide a rational explanation for the emergence of fear. Many people after such an event generally avoid traveling by car. For Andrey, I have two good news:

one

You have successfully coped with the first stage of dealing with any phobia - understanding its root cause. You don't have to dig into the past trying to figure out the source of the fear.

2

The second step in therapy is usually to look for hidden causes. A person may think that he is afraid of one, but in fact he is afraid of another. For example, not to be afraid of dogs, but to get sick with rabies. In your case, this step can also be skipped.

Defeating fear gives us strength

Victor Hugo

3

Let's go straight to the third step. This will take some effort from you. You need to "split" your fear, to break it down into components. This technique is called rationalization and allows the voice of reason to suppress negative emotions. Think: what exactly are you afraid of? What kind of accident? How can it be caused - a car malfunction, bad road, insufficient visibility? Or maybe you are frightened by the wrong actions of other road users?

In the case you described, you were not to blame, since you were a passenger. Perhaps you are putting yourself in the shoes of that driver? Fearful that you will be just as helpless in a similar situation? If so, you need to work towards gaining self-confidence. Car training sessions or extreme driving courses will be useful. You do not give up travel, you realize the cause of your anxiety and try to overcome it. You are already on the right path to getting rid of your phobia. If you cannot cope on your own, you can always seek help from a specialist.

You can ask questions to the psychologist Ekaterina KLIMOVA on the website at [email protected]