Lots of people contact me with driving anxiety asking whether driving an automatic car will fix it.
The simple answer is no.
Let me explain why although having an automatic car might make things easier, it’s not going to overcome a fear of driving.
Why automatic cars won’t fix driving anxiety
Automatic cars won’t get rid of driving anxiety because driving isn’t the problem.
You have driving anxiety because your mind has attached an unpleasant thought or sensation to driving to stop you from doing it. This can be due to a car crash or even just a minor incident like skidding on ice.
What you need to focus on is the real cause of the problem – the thought or sensation that makes you dislike driving.
If you just drive an automatic car then you’re covering up the symptoms and not fixing the actual problem.
How automatic cars can make driving anxiety worse
Let’s look at how you get driving anxiety and then you’ll understand why changing to an automatic car might just make things worse.
One day you’re driving and something happens like a crash or a temporary loss of control. Sometimes you don’t even know what it is that happens.
Your mind thinks “Driving is dangerous. I’m going to stop them ever doing it again”.
The way it does that is to select an unpleasant memory or sensation from your life and make you feel it when you drive. That way you will be safe and not get hurt.
If you try and get around this by changing your car to an automatic then your mind will know you’re trying to drive and can make the problem even worse to make you listen!
Think of your problem like a child that is holding on to a toy and won’t put it down when you ask them to. What happens if you rip that toy out of the child’s grip? It throws a tantrum and makes more fuss than before.
That’s just what your problem will do if you try and force it to go.
How to overcome driving anxiety
The way to overcome driving anxiety is to work with an expert like myself.
I work with people online all over the world and we can have your problem gone in as little as one hour.
It’s certainly much cheaper than buying a new car too!
Contact me now to get the help you need or watch my YouTube videos to find out more.
