Anxiety attacks are fairly common for most people but having driving anxiety as a result of being behind the wheel of a car is an entirely different matter. The severity that some people experience when it comes to their specific situation can actually be bad enough to put it under the category of a "disorder." While negative in connotation, having driving anxiety disorder is a legitimate term that describes how extreme an anxiety attack can become. The fact that operating a motor vehicle is the major trigger for such attacks is also what sets this type of anxiety condition apart from the others.
As an emotion, anxiety can be deep seated in a person's mind, causing them to literally "psyche" themselves out each time they get behind the wheel. For some individuals suffering from this disorder, psychological issues may play a part, which can make their attacks worse. In such cases, professional assistance from someone like a therapist may be required. In order to really correct this thought pattern and prevent it from affecting a person's driving habits, it is necessary to identify what the root cause is that triggers the anxiety attack. For instance, some with driving anxiety might be afraid of getting into a car accident. It is important to explore why such thoughts exist in the first place. Was the driver involved in a bad car accident in the past? Did he/she lose a loved one to a car accident and are now traumatized by the experience? Is the driver naturally high strung and being in the car increases this behavior? Knowing the answers to these questions can help shed light and help a person to begin taking the steps needed to counteract this negative behavior.