As most of us, learning to drive took a lot of work for you at the beginning, over time, you mastered the technique, you lost the fear and transformed into an expert behind wheel; but do you know that exist people with amaxophobia?
If you didn’t know this term and you might wonder what is this condition… Well, stay with us, we will also tell you how to get rid of fear of driving.
What amaxophobia is?
First of all, we must know what amaxophobia is and why many people suffer this condition.
Amaxophobia is the fear to drive or get on a vehicle. The etymological origin of the word comes from the Greek amaxo (carriage) and fobos (fear).
Even though, it doesn’t seem as a common fear, the truth is that is a present phobia among adult population. In fact, is more common that expected, considering the quantity of vehicular traffic that we see on streets every day.
According to a study performed by the Fundación CEA, the 28% of drivers suffer or have suffered amaxophobia, at least, once on their lives. The 55% of this quantity are women, 45% men from 40 to 59 years, however, the percentage equates to a 50% as of the age of 60.
What is the cause to the fear of driving?
Even though it seems a bit stranger, the fear of driving doesn’t refer to the fear of driving or get into a vehicle, but what could occur when this action is performed; for example: a crash, run over to someone, falling asleep at the wheel, etc.
However, the fear can also come from external agents to a person, as have presence a car impact or accidents, as the fear to receive critics or insults by other drivers or pedestrians.
In short, the amaxophobia is presented as an anxiety crisis when driving; accompanied by catastrophic or fatal thoughts of what driving may cause. Normally, this fear can also arise after suffering a previous bad experience before wheel or as a passenger.
These bad experiences can be a car impact to a previous anxiety crisis, due exists the fear of happening again when driving. All this increases when you have the responsibility of taking passengers, as driver, you must be more careful.
As many of the phobias and breakdowns, the amaxophobia comes when a person is into an alert state that puts excessive attention to environment, overwhelmed by negative thoughts and feelings, that, don’t allow to concentrate in the main action, driving.
In the worst cases, this phobia or episodes, can be so hard that, who suffers it can get to leave driving in that moment and paralyze, even deciding to don’t drive again (or at least when get over that fear).
What are the symptoms?
As the most of anxiety crisis, amaxophobia is joined by different symptoms. These can be presented at the moment or after suffering an episode.
Some of the symptoms presented during a crisis are:
- Sweating
- Nervousness
- Increased heart rate
- Rigidity and muscle pain
- Dizziness
- Stomachache
- Tremors
- Shortness of breath or numbness in the extremities
Once the crisis has occurred, can keep presenting other symptoms during day, as:
- Insomnia and nightmares related with ride
- Decrease or increase of appetite
- Permanent sense of alert
- Negative thoughts and visualization of accidents
- Avoid to drive again or get into a vehicle
How to get rid of fear of driving?
Can amaxophobia be cured? The answer is yes: yes, it can be cured this phobia. The answer, is… How to get rid of fear of driving in people with this condition.
If you are a person that suffers amaxophobia, the first thing to do is to recognize you suffer this problem, and above all, don’t be afraid of suffering embarrassment to ask for help.
Exist experts that can help you to overcome these crises.
For that, is also important to go to psychological therapies. In these will teach you relaxation techniques and control of your negative, catastrophic or fatalist feelings. In the same way, there’s no better way to learn how to get rid of driving, than learning to drive. For that, you can take specialized driving courses in people that suffer this condition; there will teach you the keys for a responsible and safe driving.
