As it’s Mental Health Awareness week I wanted to touch base and discuss how so many people find talking about their driving anxiety is such an issue. It becomes a major sticking point to so many and starts to become a stigma.
Mental Health, or rather poor mental health will have touched everyone of us at some point but it gets swept under the carpet and we tell people we are fine.
There is only one way stop any mental health issues being stigmatised and that is to talk about it.
Clearly, we’re here because of anxiety with driving, but let me ask you. How many of your friends and family know about your issue? If the answer is no-one, then ask yourself why? Or maybe you have mentioned it to one or two people and they just didn’t’ get it. They told you it’s all in your head and to just get on with it. Granted, this does not help and is perhaps understandable that you’ve decided not to share this information with anyone else. This may be particularly difficult if your partner or your employer is less than understanding.
So, what can we do about it? Education. Open discussion and explaining to people that this isn’t just something to pull yourself together with. There is a range of information out there on You Tube, Social Media and Forums that you could forward to them to explain that this is more common than people perceive.
One of my client recently told me how she visited family the previous week only to discover that each of the family members had an issue with driving on certain types of road. It was only that this particular client was open enough to discuss her anxieties with them and that she was seeking help for it that they all started to open up to each other.
Having someone with you to encourage you, (not just tell you to get on with it) when approaching the type of roads that challenge you can help.
Having an accountability buddy to share your challenges with. It could be a friend, family, or it could be me.
Journaling about the journeys that make you uncomfortable and celebrating the wins, no matter how small can all help.
Above all, keep talking and keep working towards your goals of being able to live life on your own agenda.