i need help with getting over my fear of driving?
im 17 and i havd gone for my Ls because i am terrified of driving.
i don't know, every time i just think about hopping behind the wheel, i start to get a bit panicky.
the thought of me behind the wheel? i cant, i just cant do it, i cant.
i haven't told my parents this and their getting pretty annoyed that i've been putting it off. im a bit too scared to admit it so i want to try to get over this fear with out them knowing. any help?
Update:@duck: oh no no no its not that bad, i can hop i the car and sit in the front seat. its just when thought of me being in control of the car while its in motion, that's what gets me. i mean i have rubbish reactions time, i don't think to quickly in situations like that. and im just afraid i'll hurt, me, my family or someones else.
"Your fear is based in ignorance. You don't know how the car works" excuse me? my friend is teaching me how to pull a car apart and together we're fixing up an old ute at her place. i know how a car works. but your right with the next bit "you're not confident in your abilities to control it"
@lisa:im very proud and i have adopted a sort of "im gonna finnish this myself" kind of attitude. you see im not the most athletic guy and all the fellas in my class are athletes. so i always have the feeling that i need to constantly prove myself. im always the guy fumbling the ball in AFL, im always the guy that m
Update 3:misses in cricket. so im constantly proving my self to the others that i can do something. and i don't want my friends to think "oh jacob, the dumb schmuck whose scared of driving" i know they wont because the kid sin my class are fantastic, but that mentality is still there. and i don't want to come out and tell my family what a failure i am. for not being able to do this task that everyone can do. i don't want my family to know that, i've been hiding it for so long and i don't want to disappoint them with my failure. i cant do it, i just cant le them know because ei don't want them to know what really going on with me.
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
There's no reason to be afraid, Jacob. Millions of people drive every day. You are just extremely nervous. I know how you feel, I was there. You just need to practice drivig say in a parking lot. That way you'll get comfy behind the wheel. Confidence is all you need. You'll be fine, man. Try it out.
Everyone's nervous when they start to learn to drive, it's a scary thing to do, but your reaction is extreme. I think you just need to start slowly. Just go out to the car, with the intention of opening the drivers door. That's all. Open it and close it again, then go back in. Do this until it becomes routine, no biggie. Then, try to sit in the drivers seat, without any intention of even starting the engine. Play with the car's controls (without switching it on), push the pedals, wiggle the gear stick. After a while you'll probably start to feel more comfortable with it. Remember that its a machine. Nothing happens unless you make it happen by taking direct action, so you're in complete control. Take it real slow, when you can sit in the drivers seat without feeling panicky, start the car. Then turn it off again. Do this over and over, leaving the car idling for longer each time, as long as you're comfortable with. Have no intention of doing anything other than turning it on, then off. See where I'm going with this? Take tiny steps. Soon you'll be able to consider putting your foot on the brake, releasing the handbrake and rolling a few feet. Don't move on until your confident with what you have done so far.
You need to build your confidence slowly, clearly you have some sort of fear of cars so you're going to have to take it much slower than many of your friends. You will need some things to this right - an off-road place to practise once you get into moving the car, and I'm afraid, the support of your family, you're not going to get away with this in secret, and why should you?
Your fear is based in ignorance. You don't know how the car works and you're not confident in your abilities to control it. If you can gradually erode your ignorance, and build your confidence while you're at it, your fear will diminish at the same time.
Besides driving a car, there are heaps of other ways to get around. Maybe you could try a moterbike? Or just a bike, skateboard or even just walk. Just tell people your doing it for the environment. Or you want to lose weight or something. That will give you more time to get over your fear of driving.
To do this, start off easy. Spend a lot of time in the drivers seat, but with the car parked. You dont even need to have the car keys. Just let your mind relax and imagine you are driving. Do this till you fell confident enough to do the same thing with the car running, but staying in one spot. Pretty soon, you will be driving around like you were never afraid of nothing.
This is anxiety disorder.Be calm,take a good breath, be faith in you.Thus Improve Confidence level.
Always practice to drive and you will overcome your fear.
I have gone on that situation and it works out for me. I hope you also.
Go-carts!!!!