Is there something Mentally wrong with me if I'm afraid to drive?

Question

Ok well I'm 16 and 5 months old and I've had my learners permit for like half a year and I'm terrified to drive. I've had nightmares WAY back when I was a kid where I couldn't get the car to stop, or the car went outta control, or I just totally wrecked and died. This has happened recently as well. I want to drive and I'm jealous of my friends that are already driving and have their licenses and my parents got me a car when I was like 15. Is there something mentally wrong with me if I'm terrified to drive?

Answer 1

thats actually a good thing because you are saving money on gas. and if you take the bus or a cab it is the same thing pretty much. and you save SO much in gas, its not just about looks of the car and being free whenever;

if it a real issue go to the doctor and ask. thats the only thing to do

Answer 2

look they aint nothing wrong with you i was scared as h**l when i first started, i was scared of hitting a other car or killing myself so chill your new at it of course your gonna be scared.... the first time you rode a bike it was exciting but scary because you knew you could fall and hurt yourself its the same sitituation here but when you got the hang of riding a bike it was like nothing because you are used to it.... same thing with a car just relax and when you get the hang of it it will be smooth sailing from there!

Answer 3

Hi,

You're not alone and definitely not mentally wrong. Used to be very upset with myself as others were wondering what the heck was wrong with me. Why am I so afraid to drive when they were quite gd in doing so. But, I guess it is not true. They have already obtained their license and of course they also cannot recall the anxiety they had when they were learning.

I too was previously very, very scared during my driving lessons. But, my friend gave me a tip that really, really helps. Do take notes after each lesson. Close your eyes and visualise yourself sitting in the car and changing gears, driving round bends etc and actually step on the imaginary pedals and steer the imaginary steering wheel. Keep doing it at least once daily. Also, watch others' drive and see their posture, feel their confidence and mimic the way the drive to feel how it feels to be a confident driver.

The key is practising (visualizing that is) and doing something about the fear.

Hope it helps :)

Answer 4

You're not crazy. My daughter waited until she was 18 before she would get her license and drive. She was scared too. What made her finally do it was she had to get herself to college classes and to work. Not everyone is ready to drive, marry, go to college etc. at the same time. If you're not ready now then kudos to you for recognizing that. No one should drive if they feel they are not ready. Relax, enjoy being 16 and you'll know when you're ready.  

Answer 5

Well, everybody’s learning curve proceeds at a different pace. Some are quick, some seem to take forever to get there. You may just be a slower learner in car driving than your friends.

What do family/friends/instructors think? If your fear at the wheel seems irrational to others, it may be a deep-seated terror of the unknown that haunts you.  Perhaps the unanswered childhood question has been ‘what happens after death?’ that surfaced in nightmares of a car crash and dying.

Or perhaps you/family/friends were involved in a crash in the past and that was internalized. Whatever the unconscious memory, it’s still very real for your ‘emotional brain’ that paralyzes you every time you try to drive or even think about doing so.

If the terror persists, you need to confront it and systematically desensitize from it.  Professional help may be most  effectively in helping you through the process.

Answer 6

A little fear and anxiety is a good thing.  In fact, when you stop being slightly fearful or concerned, stop driving.  That is why we wear seatbelt, after all, the fear of an accident and what will happen if we are improperly restrained.

Find a deserted parking lot and drive.  Practice stopping, turning, parking and defensive maneuvers.

You are operating a 3000lb projectile, its normal to be scared.  You will get over it or you will be spending a lot of time riding the bus or being that pain in the @ss friend that everyone has to cart around....

Answer 7

No.  More people are afraid to drive than you think.

Check this site out:

http://www.phobics-awareness.org/driving...