How to Overcome Fear of Driving: The Road to Driving Confidence

It's basically the only book on the subject, although there are a few books on the wider topic of phobias that covers driving as well. One other book is available from the author, payable to that author in Australian dollars only.The self help books dealing with anxiety or panic attacks all state that "you must stop having negative thoughts." This is never helpful to the anxiety prone person, and even less with phobias. These thoughts are not on a conscious level. There is some of that in this book, but not in every chapter. I do have to admit moods affect driving. So if I am headed out to something I enjoy, the driving is easier.Other standard techniques to change your thinking in anxious situations of driving include the use of imagery. There is some preparation needed and it does sort of explain how to do that. But it may be best left to a counselor or other helper to guide that.The writer overcame her fear of driving, and she has collected a good number of success stories in this book. Those are meant as encouragement. They give some hope. As the writer is not a psychologist, she has collected tips from actual drivers on their techniques. The psychologist would lump these as avoidance. But if it works for you, try anything is the suggestion this time. Some people use meditation, hypnotism has been tried and a few use music as the relaxing distraction to concentrate on while driving. Of course, if you don't have the music, you are then stuck where-ever you are.I gave it the four starts as it is the closest book to describe all the situations people deal with and tips on dealing with them.The hopeful thought given throughout the book is that people have recovered from this complex phobia and have come to think of driving as normal. In one classic paragraph, she suggests that creative people with vivid imaginations are more likely to have this problem. It is better to be dull and normal!Good luck if you try it. The book is UK based, so it does not refer the US driver to available local experts etc.

Great advice, many coping strategies, very helpful.

This book was brilliant! I had moved to a different country and stopped driving for an extended time. Over this time, I developed a phobia of driving and did not know where to start. I also became very depressed. This book gave me hope and a plan! I have read it several times, highlighted many passages and took a lot of notes. It was so nice to know that I was not alone. Thank you, Joanne, for being so open about your fear and for all the other people interviewed in the book. Also, it was so interesting to learn how this fear may have developed. I cannot praise this book enough. It was a life saver to me. Thanks, Joanne.

This book has so many solutions. Fear is all in the mind. Fear is a prison. Loved the reminder, 'you can do this!!'

While not the most stimulating book on the subject I have ever read (found myself getting a little bored at times), I did find it useful in several ways in that it gave the reader tips on how to work up one's confidence when getting behind the wheel. In addition, it was like a refresher course in some of the rules and regulations of the road. All in all, a useful read.

there are multitude of solutions, some are worth of trying, others are not working, from my experience, "Keep a moods diary." tip doesn't do much, I'm having a diary since 1987, and if anything, it made things worse by making things more magnified, and with more immportance than they deserve, but writing is good exhausting pipe. I like the advice about aromatherapy - getting it into the car, it never occured to me - because I was in a school about aromatherapy, to connect anxiety and panic in a car with healing properties of some medicinal plants - while driving, great advice.

Bought this for a friend who struggles with her fear of driving. I didn't read it myself, but she said the book didn't do much other than to tell her to "seek professional help" which she already knows she has to do. She did say it made her feel slightly less alone, so for that I'll give it 3 stars.

This book gives me a plan to solve my anxiety with driving. It also gave me a very good description of the problem and how it is more common than I knew. This gives me more confidence in working at eliminating the problem or at least lessening the impact. I felt better right after I read this book.

This book ws hugely comforting to me. One of the most helpful things for me was learning how common a fear of driving is. To learn that youre not alone is really a good start and to learn that others have overcome it, is very insptjng and motivating and feels one with hope. I am someone who passed my test years ago on the 5th try, was always an anxious driver, had huge gaps in driving and I am now am getting back on the road. I was already on my journey when I picked up this book but it was still really good to read.

Understanding driving phobia is hard enough for the person suffering but can be very difficult for them to get others to understand. Especially when others give it so easy, therefore, they can't see what your problem is.This book saved me. I still some driving fear but gaining a better understanding and knowing I wasnt the only one helped me start to address it. I was threatened with losing my job if I didn't drive and if I hadn't had this book, don't think I'd have been able to do it.

I liked this as it gave many different expert opinions and associated links to them. I guess, with any self-help book, you read and absorb what resonates with your particular case but I found many parts were pertinent to me. Hopefully, some of the suggested strategies will help.

Sweetly written and gently encouraging - got me back on the road after losing my confidence after having a baby not driving for two years subsequently. A nice little nudge in the right direction.

Really clear and reassuring, this book breaks the fear down to make it feel logical and possible to overcome. The theories can be applied to other fears and this has opened my mind up to accepting I'm not alone and that I am strong enough to get over fears if I focus.