subject: Symptoms of Driving Anxiety [print this page] Symptoms of Driving Anxiety Symptoms of Driving Anxiety
Driving anxiety is a condition that many people suffer from when it comes to getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. While there are some people that are aware of their condition, there are others who are not. If you are trying to figure out whether you're experiencing the signs of driving anxiety, there is a list of common symptoms that come with this situation.
The feelings of anxiety are the often the most obvious. This can include feeling an extreme sense of worry, stress and nervousness that can affect your whole body. If the panic attack is bad enough, you may even feel a bit claustrophobic or as if the inside of your car is closing in on you. When a person's anxiety levels are very high, this can also result in physical symptoms such as abdominal pains, difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, nausea and pain and/or tightness in the chest. For those that experience very severe bouts of driving anxiety, they may even experience a type of out-of-body sensation or feeling of detachment. Others may begin thinking negative thoughts, including an overwhelming sense that something very bad will happen to them while on the road, such as getting into a car accident or even being killed.
Such symptoms can make it increasingly difficult to concentrate while behind the wheel, which can pose a hazard not only to yourself but to others on the road as well. Because of this, drivers that tend to have anxiety attacks while driving will oftentimes avoid the act of driving entirely. However, this is not a realistic solution. Instead, those struggling with this condition should do what they can to face their issues head on and learn how to become comfortable again with driving.
