How to overcome my fear of driving on highways?

[Anonymous]

I thought this fear was gone but recently I brought my sister to the movie theater and the route took me onto a highway it wasn't a crazy highway but still one. I was really nervous and during the movie, I was freaking out about going back and was looking up routes on avoiding the highway back home. I'm 20 and this isn't normal and I am getting a new job that might include a highway to the job site.

[SteveSmith1985]

This is a legitimately difficult question for anyone here to help you with. Not because it's such a monumental or crazy problem, but rather because of the nature of this specific 'fear'.

So I'll cut-to-the-chase: The very best thing you can do is to tall to a psychiatrists/psychologist/behavioral therapist or other relevant professional. If that's at all practical then this is 100% the best way to go. (e. g. if you're a student with access to help like that as part of being enrolled, or you've got health benefits at your work that'll cover this).

With most 'phobia' cases, the most effective solutions seem to involve "exposure therapy". Which, is essentially what it sounds like. So if, for example, you were extremely aftaid of elevators... the solution to overcoming that would be to force yourself to go up one floor on the elevator. THen slowly increase the 'exposure' until you basically 'get used to what used to scare you'. (This, to me sounds quite unpleasant, to be honest).

Now, if in doing this 'exposure therapy' someone has a meltdown, tantrum, freak-out etc... well... ultimately who cares? It might be emotionally awful for the person. it might be an extremely embarrassing ordeal, but everybody is still alive an unharmed.

With a fear of highways, if something goes sideways when trying to 'face your fears' then people can be maimed or killed. The stakes are fundamentally different. Because you're talking about a car going highway speeds, there is very little 'room for error' if you intend to try to 'fix' this about yourself.

That's why professional help really is the way to go for this particular problem. You can't fuck-up in the process of going about 'fixing' this. I think following the advice of someone who KNOWS how to help you is critical. Also, frankly, I think it'll just be the most helpful as well.

Just a suggestion.

Either way, best of luck 🙂

[lightbulb27]

what's the source of the fear... an accident you were in or witnessed as a child?

probably to go driving on highway or on a race track at speed , let the feelings go and repeat until feels better.

there may be other aspects to this that help build your confidence in vision, response time, awareness, and ability, so you feel you have confidence to handle situations. There is a lot of "multi processing" going on on highways, that can be overwhelming.

[Asker]

Like there isn't exactly a source of the fear. I feel like it's a build on to lack of confidence from parents, driving teachers and others. Like I get on a busier street and I literally feel like I'm lucky to get home safely and without crashing. When others get home and be like this was nothing and they went on a way busier street than I've ever been on. For example, a highway or expressway.

[lightbulb27]

maybe they were high stress parents and teachers? You'll have to practice driving in less busy times at speed, breathe, relax. practice.
take a race car driving class if you have to.

[musicbrain5]

What is it that gives you anxiety? Merging? Entering and exiting? Keeping up with traffic? Sudden changes in traffic or anticipating what other drivers might do?

The key is really just to practice. Practice, practice, practice.

[dustybiker]

Practice. Consistency. Start late at night to memorize the route, then filtering in traffic at different times of the day to desensitize will make it easier.

[OlderAndWiser]

I changed the topic to Health & Fitness because it is a mental health matter.

[Asker]

Thank you, I posted this and immediately realized it was put in the wrong topic.

[Anonymous]

Fear of driving on highways in the Sexuality topic?

[Asker]

It was by accident I meant it for career and job or whatever it's called it fit that best