"WHY DO I FEEL SO ANXIOUS ABOUT DRIVING?"
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You
ask ‘why do I fear this car?’ which is a good starting
point. If you could understand where the fear is coming
from then you could find ways of tackling it. Your fears
may come from obvious experiences, such as an accident
in the past, not quite trusting yourself on unfamiliar
roads and with new signs to learn or maybe you don’t
trust the vehicle itself. It might seem a bit small to
offer protection in a possible accident.
However I am wondering, from what you have written, if
driving has never been easy for you and if, until your
move to France, you have never been dependent on a car
for your independence. Perhaps you have a more general
anxiety, arising from your recent relocation to France,
and this has become focused on the car. A move,
especially when it means leaving people and familiar
places behind and starting afresh, may seem exciting but
is never easy. Maybe there is something about the
relationship you have with your boyfriend that is
symbolized by the car?
These are things you might think about. Would it be
possible to talk things over with your boyfriend?
Perhaps he could drive with you for a while. A few
sessions with a counsellor, however, might help you to
get to the bottom of your fears and start finding
practical ways to overcome them. |
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I'm sorry that you
are feeling so nervous about driving, but reckon it is
quite normal & that even experienced drivers have to pay
a lot of attention when the rules/different side of the
road are concerned. It sounds as though you have some
pressure/incentive to conquer your nerves as you need to
be independent, so I am sending a web site link which
gives a few sensible pieces of advice on how to stay
calm etc.
www.womenandcars.co.uk/how-to-reduce-nerves-when-getting-behind-the-wheel/
However, maybe it is also worth talking through with
either a close friend or your boyfriend - although
sometimes those close to us aren't the best teachers!
Perhaps you can start to go out on short trips with no
particular time/destination, & put a time limit to try
it out on a quiet road with someone alongside you to
start with? A friend won't mind if you make any
mistakes, & provided you find a quiet spot it will help
you to get used to the experience & hopefully reduce
your anxiety.
I hope this helps but another solution may be to book a
few lessons with a sympathetic professional, maybe you
could ask in the local village for a recommendation?
There is nothing wrong in feeling cautious to start
with, & I hope you will soon start to get accustomed to
both driving & living in a new country- good luck & bon
courage. |
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Hello, it sounds like you are having a difficult time
imagining yourself as an independent driver. I wonder
where your fear of cars or driving comes from? Is there
a story or event that has shaken you? Sometimes one can
hear stories of events that have happened and the
stories become a source of anxiety. Or on the other hand
perhaps you have some personal experience of an event
that happened to you or someone you know?
In
either case it would be an idea to see or talk to a
counsellor for a few sessions and see if you can find
the source of your anxiety. Once you've got some idea of
what's in the back of your mind you may be freer to
start addressing the actual task of learning to drive in
France which is a matter of practice and support from
people who are trained in guiding others through this
type of experience. I think most people are nervous
about learning to drive in the beginning and it's good
to find a professional who knows how to teach this
activity. If you can find people that can support you in
finding positive sensations and thoughts around this
learning process it may turn out to be a good experience
for you. Lots of luck. |
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