In the past six months, the term “driving anxiety” has seen a nearly 100 percent rise in searches on TikTok. If you get stressed behind the wheel, at least you can take solace that it’s not a new phenomenon. The Oxford English Dictionary says the term “road rage” dates to the late 1980s.
The car seller, AutoTrader.UK, noted the rise in anxiousness and asked two UK-based psychologists, Dr. Anthony Thompson and Dr. Becky Spelman, for advice.
Their ideas are pretty straightforward and refreshing:
- Reframe the empowerment side of driving—you’re deciding where you’re headed.
- Don’t try to “fix” the issue all at once.
- Embrace the time as your own; it’s yours or yours and your friends’ time together.
They have a bunch more advice here, so, as with driving, relax, and enjoy the ride!
Lots Of Anxious Drivers
Forget TikTok, which tends to over-hype trends.
The actual fear of driving, not just anxiety about it, is considered a diagnosed phobia, with about 1 percent of the population suffering from it. So it’s not just a TikTok meme. The American Psychological Association says a lot of people that suffer from fear of driving may either simply endure it, or try to avoid driving, and that the phobia is out of proportion to the actual hazards posed by driving. A 2013 study concluded that the fear “…results in a reduction in independence, mobility, and well-being.”
It’s also related to agoraphobia, or a fear of being outside one’s home or of being in public. We’re not here to give medical or clinical advice, so if you need genuine medical or psychological aid, please seek it! But we are here to say that concern or stress about driving is 100 percent legitimate, hence the reason for this story.
Driver, Know Yourself
One reason people like to drive, according to psychologist Thompson, is because they like the freedom to choose their own route and set their own pace.
“Driving can provide individuals with a sense of control and independence, both of which are known to enhance well-being.”
Thompson says that being able to choose where you go, how fast you go, and where you arrive isn’t just practical, it’s powerful. It lends people a sense of autonomy and control. People who like to drive are also often psychologically correlated with being extroverts. Although that doesn’t necessarily explain someone who would prefer to puzzle-solve in isolation on a gaming console. Also, since driving is so necessary in our highly mobile society, this doesn’t suggest a purely psychological explanation for who you see driving.
Anxiety Solutions
If you’ve ever been in a car accident, or just had a near-miss, the stress of getting back behind the wheel is completely real—and healthy.
Thompson and Spelman suggest that anyone experiencing driving stress for any reason do the following:
- Drive shorter. Take some low-pressure drives when traffic is light, the weather is pleasant, and rebuild your confidence slowly.
- Reframe your fears. Spelman told Autotrader.UK that you want to take a moment to “reset” your expectations about driving. Change the channel from anxiety, to positive “self-talk” and calmness.
- Create a pre-drive ritual. Fire up a music or podcast playlist. Or to do some pre-drive breathing exercises.
- Leave early. Nobody likes to be in a rush, whether they like to drive or not.
- Bring a friend. If you like company, that can help calm you down.
Bottom Line: Driving Can Be Good For Mental Health
Another way to reframe your thinking is to take credit and comfort from completing a fun, engaging drive, or just your daily commute. “The act of driving encourages routine and purpose,” Spelman told Autotrader. Spelman also said that for some people, they get into a kind of focused, meditative state while driving, noting that tuning in to being behind the wheel divorces them from daily stress. “For some drivers, these elements act as forms of mindfulness, grounding them in the present moment,” Spelman said.
Also, unless your skills have diminished, research published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society shows that older adults who quit driving suffer more of a disconnect from society and higher rates of depression. So keep driving, it’s good for you!
Read the full article here
