Driving + Anxiety + Being overemotional = DEATH MACHINE!!!1
- Thread starter peacegrrl
- Start date
OMG! This so relates to me! I have a provisional, but gave up on lessons a few months ago because i just COULD NOT concentrate. It was like i hit a brick wall. It was definitely to do with anxiety. Because if you think about it, with an instructor, it's like being watched while doing something, which really sends anxiety sky-high. My driving was acceptable, it's just the observation that i couldn't do. Not to mention parallel parking, when you've got 10 cars waiting to pass you. oh my god. I used to sweat so much during lessons. ha.
megalon
Well-known member
I can't relate. I think driving/vehicles is the only area of my life that is not affected by my anxiety. I want my vehicles to be loud and eye-catching. People who know me don't believe me when I tell them I ride a motorcycle. I recently bought a muscle car for playing around on the street and drag racing at the local cruise night.
I struggle with the manouvers too,I had a lesson today and it went ok,but at the end of the lesson the instructor sits and chats to me about how it went and i decided to go into a major blushing fit for no apparent reason and just wanted to open the door and run,why why why!! its so annoying AAAHHHHHH
Kat
Well-known member
I was in the exact same situation as you except for the eyesight thing. I am living proof that you can do this. My mum was my instructor at first as well and she would yell in my ear when she thought I was doing or about to do something wrong. Like that helps?
I had a hard time looking over my right shoulder to change lanes because it seemed like the vision on that side was restricted because you’re sitting closer to it. At, first because of my anxiety I would grip the steering wheel really tight and every time I looked over my right shoulder for the blind spot I would accidentally pull the steering wheel in the direction I was looking. The driving instructor had to hit his set of brakes a few times because of my bad habit of doing that.
It’s hard but I highly recommend that you get a driving instructor, they will ease you into it. I still get anxious because of some of the reasons you mentioned, but having practice it allows you to become more systematic lowering the chances of your anxieties ever happening.
I had a hard time looking over my right shoulder to change lanes because it seemed like the vision on that side was restricted because you’re sitting closer to it. At, first because of my anxiety I would grip the steering wheel really tight and every time I looked over my right shoulder for the blind spot I would accidentally pull the steering wheel in the direction I was looking. The driving instructor had to hit his set of brakes a few times because of my bad habit of doing that.
It’s hard but I highly recommend that you get a driving instructor, they will ease you into it. I still get anxious because of some of the reasons you mentioned, but having practice it allows you to become more systematic lowering the chances of your anxieties ever happening.
I think you would def be better off with a professional instructor, they won't moan about damages to the car for a start as they have their own controls to break the car. I would have def crashed a few times if it wasn't for my instructor breaking for me.
As for being in a car with a total stranger, you get used to them. Mine talks a lot which makes it easier as he gives me something to talk about instead, though he used to always tell me how quiet i was I think he's got used to me lol.
I find that when I'm doing maneuvers and there are car waiting for me it always goes wrong, this used to happen at traffic lights as well, I would panic and end up stalling the car, luckily I don't do that anymore.
I can't wait til i pass just to get the lessons over with though.
As for being in a car with a total stranger, you get used to them. Mine talks a lot which makes it easier as he gives me something to talk about instead, though he used to always tell me how quiet i was I think he's got used to me lol.
I find that when I'm doing maneuvers and there are car waiting for me it always goes wrong, this used to happen at traffic lights as well, I would panic and end up stalling the car, luckily I don't do that anymore.
I can't wait til i pass just to get the lessons over with though.
dreamqueen
Active member
my reaction time is 0. driving is alot to handle, all the things you have to keep in mind.
My driving test was very short,simple and incomplete..very discouraging. Once I got into the car my mind went blank and I felt like I was on another planet, but the show had to go on! and boy was it a show....
Sitting in parking lot ; I got in.. accidentally beeped the horn to begin with. Then I was asked to turn my lights on, reached for the knob flipped, was told it was on wrong setting by the instructor so i just guessed and the lights happen to turn on. Next he instructed me to follow the path but when i looked up the road looked COMPLETELY confusing and maze like. I wasn't/couldn't(at the time) listening to him at all my; mind was just racing but not really with any thoughts.. I was more "high" then anything but I didn't do any drugs that day, high off the adrenalin and the rush of being nervous); he freaks out "YOUR ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!!!!".
well the whole thing lasted about 2 minutes. If I was the instructor i would have found myself to be completely knowledge-less to driving, and as if I wasn't able to handle myself.
So he let me know I wasn't ready for driving and he told me he knew I was way to nervous. Got back into the car with my ride and I cried cuz I was upset i didn't/"couldn't" handle the situation better.
I can handle myself alot better now when being put on the spot; learned to calm myself down. but these adrenalin highs kill it when im trying to concentrate on something that im very "touchy" about.
any tips on getting over "touchy" things?
My driving test was very short,simple and incomplete..very discouraging. Once I got into the car my mind went blank and I felt like I was on another planet, but the show had to go on! and boy was it a show....
Sitting in parking lot ; I got in.. accidentally beeped the horn to begin with. Then I was asked to turn my lights on, reached for the knob flipped, was told it was on wrong setting by the instructor so i just guessed and the lights happen to turn on. Next he instructed me to follow the path but when i looked up the road looked COMPLETELY confusing and maze like. I wasn't/couldn't(at the time) listening to him at all my; mind was just racing but not really with any thoughts.. I was more "high" then anything but I didn't do any drugs that day, high off the adrenalin and the rush of being nervous); he freaks out "YOUR ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!!!!".
well the whole thing lasted about 2 minutes. If I was the instructor i would have found myself to be completely knowledge-less to driving, and as if I wasn't able to handle myself.
So he let me know I wasn't ready for driving and he told me he knew I was way to nervous. Got back into the car with my ride and I cried cuz I was upset i didn't/"couldn't" handle the situation better.
I can handle myself alot better now when being put on the spot; learned to calm myself down. but these adrenalin highs kill it when im trying to concentrate on something that im very "touchy" about.
any tips on getting over "touchy" things?