When we talk about a phobia of driving, we are actually talking about a phobia of driving both cars and motorcycles or other automobiles, although the most frequent thing is that it is about driving a car. But, what else do we know about specific phobias in general, and about the phobia of driving? What are its possible causes? And your symptoms? How do you deal with terror behind the wheel? we answer all these questions about amaxophobia or fear of driving.
Specific phobias and the phobia of driving
Specific phobias are the most frequent anxiety disorders in the population. According to the study (2006), the annual prevalence of specific, such as driving phobia, is 3.6% in the population, and their lifetime prevalence (the probability of developing a specific phobia over lifetime) is 4.52%. In fact, according to the same study, the disorders with the highest prevalence throughout life, after the major depressive episode, are specific phobias, alcohol abuse disorder, and dysthymia.
They are more common in women, and the same is true of anxiety disorders in general. They usually appear in childhood, although in reality, they can appear at any age. In the case of driving phobia or amaxophobia, this usually appears in early adulthood (when the person can get a driver’s license) or later.
Driving phobia is a specific phobia. Specific phobias are anxiety disorders that are characterized by an intense, irrational and disproportionate fear of a certain stimulus (or situation).
They are also accompanied by avoidance behaviors (the person avoids facing the stimulus at all costs), as well as psychological symptoms (intense fear, anxious apprehension, catastrophic thoughts…) and physiological symptoms (tachycardia, chest pressure, sweating) All this generates interference and/or discomfort in the person.
The different types of specific phobias and their characteristics
The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) establishes 5 types of specific phobias, according to their nature and characteristics:
- Animal phobia: Phobia of any type of animal (includes several). It usually appears in childhood.
- Environmental phobia: phobia of storms, of heights (acrophobia), of water… It also usually begins in childhood.
- Phobia of blood, injections or damage: includes the phobia of water, of blood. It has a hereditary family pattern.
- Situational phobia: phobia of public transport, tunnels, bridges, elevators, fear of flying, driving, closed spaces… These phobias present two peaks of appearance (where they are most frequent): childhood and after the age of 20 years.
- Other types of phobias: for example, fear of choking, vomiting, contracting a disease, space… In children it includes, for example, the phobia of costumes or loud noises.
What is amaxophobia or driving phobia?
Amax phobia or driving phobia is a specific situational phobia. It involves intense fear or anxiety, which is usually irrational and out of proportion, to the act of driving. In more serious cases, this fear appears at the mere idea of driving (in imagination), and of course, at the real situation of having to do so.
The person fears taking the car for different reasons: because they still feel insecure driving, for fear of getting lost, having an accident, losing control, having a panic attack while driving or having a problem and not being able to ask for help, etc.
The most common symptoms of driving phobia
The symptoms of driving phobia are the following:
- Intense and disproportionate fear of driving (it can also be anxiety).
- Avoidance of driving (or coping with the situation accompanied by intense anxiety).
- Intense physiological symptoms (dizziness, vertigo, nausea, tension, nervousness…) at the possibility of driving or while driving.
- Catastrophic thoughts related to driving (thinking that you will have an accident, or that you will lose control while driving, etc.).
What are the causes of amaxophobia or fear of driving?
Specific phobias occur for different reasons. In general, they derive from traumatic with the phobic stimuli. In the case of amaxophobia, it can appear after having suffered a car accident, for example. Other possible causes of amaxophobia are:
- Fear of missing out.
- Fear of driving through unknown places.
- Predisposition to suffer from anxiety disorders.
- Acquisition by vicarious learning: the person observes another with a phobia of driving, for example, a close relative.
- Deficient learning of driving in the driving school.
- Driving in difficult weather conditions (for example: storm, lack of light…).
- Feelings of disapproval from those around us, who do not see us capable of driving well.
- Feeling that one’s abilities, whether physical or mental, is reduced (whether due to age, a health problem, etc.).
Driving phobia treatment
There is a treatment of choice for specific phobias, according to the ‘Guide to effective psychological treatments’, which is live exposure therapy. This has proven to be the most effective in treating this type of phobia, including amaxophobia.
Exposure therapy consists of gradually exposing the patient to the phobic stimulus or situation. A hierarchy of items is elaborated with it (from least to most antigenic), and little by little the patient must face the stimuli. In the case of amaxophobia, for example, the items could be:
- Approach the car.
- Get in the car, sit in the passenger seat.
- Going around with the car (driving) accompanied.
- Take a drive alone.
- Extend the route driving.
- Etc.
This would be an example, although each specific case will require some items or others. Through this hierarchy, it is intended that the patient can gradually expose himself to what he fears so much. An item is considered “passed” when it no longer generates anxiety.
Beyond exposure therapy, there are multicomponent cognitive-behavioral programs for specific phobias, with behavioral and cognitive techniques such as: cognitive restructuring, behavioral experiments… With this type of technique, it is intended to modify the dysfunctional thoughts that the person has in relation to the phobic stimulus (in the case of amaxophobia, for example, thinking that there will be an accident).
This type of intervention, also according to the Marino Pérez Guide, is effective, although not as much as exposure. Finally through virtual reality have also been used, which, in the case of amaxophobia, seems to be quite useful.
I have a driving phobia: what now?
Regardless of whether you just got your license, if you haven’t gotten it yet, or if it’s been years since you got it and you haven’t taken a vehicle again, if you think you’ve developed a driving phobia (whether it’s cars, motorcycles or other types of vehicles),help may benefit you.
Phobias do not disappear spontaneously (they are very resistant to extinction), unless you face the stimulus that you fear so much and/or start a treatment (in this case, they are usually very effective). Exposure therapy with complementary techniques to reduce anxiety levels and change your irrational thoughts about driving can help you overcome your phobia.
How will the exhibition help you? Through it, your body and your brain will learn to “dis-associate” the fact of driving with the physiological hyper arousal responses typical of anxiety. That is, a habituation process will take place. Keep in mind that the same thing happens with phobias as with fears: it is best to face them, and run away from avoidance, because that will only make your phobia more resistant and become chronic.