Learning to drive can be a stressful and nerve-wracking experience for many people, but for those who suffer from anxiety, it can be even more daunting. We teach thousands of learners every year, and many of them suffer from anxiety but are able to pass with no issues. We’ve put together some tips to help you feel more comfortable when learning to drive with anxiety.
Choose your instructor wisely
One of the biggest factors that’ll affect your experience learning to drive is the instructor you choose. With any luck, the first instructor you try will be the perfect fit for you, but this is not always the case, and you may need to try a few to find the right one for you.
Kirstin Roberts who recently had driving lessons in Salisbury said:
“I avoided learning to drive for years due to my anxiety, after turning 22 I decided it was finally time to bite the bullet and get my licence. driveJohnson’s were fantastic in finding me an instructor who understood my anxiety as was able to help me feel calm and at ease.”
Our 1-hour taster lesson is an opportunity to meet your instructor and see how you get on with them before committing to too many hours with them. Our taster lesson may also help settle your anxiety as you can get a feel for what to expect during your lessons. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with your instructor, so it’s important you feel comfortable with them.
Before your first lesson with your instructor, think about what it is you’re looking for in a driving instructor. If you want someone who’s going to take your mind off how you’re feeling, go for a talkative instructor. If you’d rather just focus on the task ahead, an instructor who is quieter may be more suited to you.
If a friend or family member has learnt to drive with us, they may be able to recommend their instructor if they think they’d be a good fit for you. You can also have a look at our driving instructor’s profiles in your area and put together a shortlist of driving instructors you think you’d get on well with as well as see their reviews.
Preparation
A proven way to reduce anxiety about most situations is always to be as prepared as possible; the same rule applies when it comes to driving. You will find plenty of resources and answers to just about anything to do with driving on our learner hub. Whether you want to find out what happens in your first driving lesson or the most common reasons for failing a driving test, we’ve got it covered.
The thought of the unknown can cause anxiety and stress for many people, by preparing and doing your research, you’ll develop a good idea of what to expect. On our YouTube channel, you can watch lessons with real pupils to get a sense of what a typical lesson looks like.
Mindset
Anxiety can cause your body to go into fight-or-flight mode, resulting in sweaty palms, racing heart and tense muscles. This is obviously not the best way to go into a driving lesson and may cause you to make mistakes or even be unable to go ahead with the lesson. You might already have your own tried and tested methods for dealing with your anxiety which is great; you should try and use these methods before each lesson to make sure you’re in the right frame of mind. If you’re unsure about what methods you can use, here are some suggestions:
Meditation
Meditation is a great way to calm your mind and bring yourself back to the present moment. Meditation has been shown to be extremely effective in reducing anxiety. You can find guided mediation videos on YouTube, and some mobile apps focus specifically on calming anxiety such as calm and headspace.
Breathing exercises
When feeling anxious, our breathing can become rapid and shallow, raising our heart rate and blood pressure. Try doing some deep breathing exercises to decrease anxiety.
Go for a walk
Exercise is one of the most effective remedies for anxiety; exercise has immediate and long term effects on mental health. Exercise releases feel-good hormones called endorphins which can boost your confidence and mood.
Rescue remedy and herbal teas
Many learners have found using rescue remedy for the driving test and lessons very useful in calming nerves and reducing anxiety. Rescue remedy is said to calm nerves, increase focus and boost your mood.
Distract yourself
Another way you can help lower anxiety is by distracting yourself; you can do anything that redirects your attention from anxious thoughts/emotions. You could try reading a book, exercising or tidying your room. Distractions work because your brain can’t focus on two things at once, shifting your attention to an activity will interrupt your anxious thoughts.
Herbal teas such as green and chamomile tea are also commonly known for their calming and anxiety-reducing qualities.
Note: Herbal remedies aren’t regulated by the FDA, always check with your doctor before taking any supplement.
Practice driving outside of lessons
The more you practice, the more you’ll build up your confidence with driving. Practising with a friend or family member outside of lessons is a great way to get in some extra hours and gain experience driving at different times of the day.
Although it may be easier to avoid the thing that is making you feel anxious, once you do it you’ll probably find it’s not as bad as you imagined. Not only can this extra practice help to lower your anxiety, but you may also save yourself some money on lessons with your instructor.
Make sure whoever is teaching you outside of your official driving lessons is qualified to supervise a learner driver. Find out more who can teach you to drive in our article here.
Remember you’re not alone
Remember you’re not alone, anxiety is extremely common, especially amongst learner drivers. Mental Health Charity Mind found that 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England. Many learner drivers before you have overcome their anxiety around learner to drive and managed to pass. Even if it takes a few times, you can pass your test despite suffering from anxiety.
Once you’ve passed your test and get used to driving alone, your confidence will grow, and driving will become second nature. Although passing your test can seem like a big hurdle, we’ll work with you every step of the way and support you until you pass.
One of our driving instructors in Milton Keynes said:
“I teach learners all the time who suffer from anxiety; it’s much more common than most realise. These learners usually always go on to pass their driving tests just fine; it’s an amazing feeling watching them grow in confidence and driving ability.”
