Congratulations if you have decided to take your fear of driving head on by taking control of your car. It is true that the best way to get rid of driving fear is to face it, but hold on. Before you commit some common mistakes that others of your kind do, be warned of them. Else you may never take up driving again if you meet up with some scary incident.

First Mistake: Testing Yourself Instead of Practicing: If you test your driving on freeways, fast lanes or bridges ahead of your practice schedule, you could be making a big mistake. Avoid it. Practice will eventually take you to your final destination in a safe manner.

Testing causes anxiety, stress and the possibility of failure, in which case your driving phobia will worsen. You don’t want to risk that. The sensible way to go is one step at a time.

Second Mistake: Practicing in Heavy Traffic: Even moderate traffic can be intimidating for many people. If you practice in traffic, chances are you will retreat into your phobia because of stress, anxiety or even a panic attack. Your time will come, but not now.

Always practice when there is nobody on the road. Find out a good place and a good time when there are least number of motorists on the road. Practice early morning or late evening if you live in an area where the flow of traffic is constant throughout the day.

Third Mistake: Not Relaxing Your Body: Not letting go of tension and strain from your body is a mistake because only a relaxed body can lead to a relaxed mind. Whenever you notice some driving anxiety building up, relax your body one part at a time.

Relaxation techniques are to be applied preventatively. Do not wait until it is too late. Relax at every traffic signal and even as you drive to avoid a panic or anxiety attack. Practice relaxation techniques often even at home to gain expertise over them for quick results.

Avoid these three mistakes while recovering from driving phobia. Practice in sessions and congratulate yourself after each one. Feel good about your success. This will create a happy feeling in your subconscious mind when relating to driving.

To learn more about how to overcome fear of driving a car, check out Cecil Kelly’s articles on panic attacks while driving on his website.

categories: fear of driving,fear,anxiety,mental health,hypnosis,self improvement,empowerment,mind development,personal growth