Driving phobias are situational fear that develops in people who suffer from driving anxiety. If you suffer from driving phobia, you may find yourself panicking when you have to travel on highways, bridges, hills, etc. Such is the natural of driving phobias - irrational fear of a particular road environment or road condition.

The REAL problem begins when you fear becomes so intense that it affects the way you lead your life and limits your normal activities. This is where you cross the boundary from "normal anxiety" to "driving phobia".

Driving phobias can also lead to frequent panic/anxiety attacks. Thus, you may find yourself shaking and feeling extremely uncomfortable when you are driving on the road. Symptoms can include the following:

-Heart racing

-Chest pains

-Inability to breathe properly

-Excessive sweating

-Dizziness

...and much more!

For some people, their panic/anxiety attack episodes can be so terrifying that it puts them off driving altogether.

To begin with, you must understand that your driving phobias is probably a result of a "freak incident" - an anxiety episode on the bridge, a motor accident on the highway, etc. These incidents brings with it memories of panic, fear and anxiety - and you unconsciously associate the situation with it.

Thus, each time you are forced into the situation (highways, hills, bridges, etc), you automatically assume the worst case-scenario and re-live those feelings.

For example, you had a particularly bad fall and you fracture your leg when you fell into a drain. The next time you walk past the same drain again, you would most probably take extra precaution because you assume the worst case-scenario - you remember your fractured leg, you remember the pain. Someone who has never fallen into that drain won't even give it a second thought, but you react otherwise.

Similarly, the same logic applies here. Whether you realize it or not, you associate highways/bridges with memories of your panic, fear or anxiety. Thus, when you drive past them, you become nervous. Each time you drive past the particular road, you automatically become nervous and you become convinced that the particular road (highways, hills, bridges, etc) is something worth worrying about.

Knowing how your driving phobias came about may not make them go away, but at least you understand the thought process that leads to the problems you have experience thus far. It is up to you now to use this knowledge to convince yourself that driving is not something to be feared.

Overcome your driving anxiety today and enjoy a peaceful, stress-free drive on the road now!