This month I’m celebrating the 5th anniversary of my book “Driving Me Crazy”. I published it during the pandemic which hit the shelves just as people were getting back to work and feeling anxious about driving after 3 months of being at home.
It is still selling well and I am happy to say I have had a lot of positive feedback from it.
“discerning consumerIn Depth
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 October 2022
This is a very well written book. It takes a very in depth look into the fear of driving, even as to how the brain works, which I found very interesting. All the information you could ever need. Now it is just putting it into practice!
- SBN-10 : 1838070915
- ISBN-13 : 978-1838070915
So if you’re struggling with driving anxiety, this could be the start of changes. There are also links to a free MP3 that helps with sleep, anxiety, and puts you in the right mindset to tackle your problems.
A Practical Guide to Conquering the Fear of Driving
That’s where the book “Driving Me Crazy – Overcome the Fear of Driving” comes in. Written by a former driving phobic who didn’t drive for over 13 years, this transformative guide offers a personal yet professional approach to overcoming vehophobia. After retraining as a solution-focused hypnotherapist, the author not only conquered her own fear within 12 weeks but went on to specialise in helping others do the same — both online and in clinics across Somerset and Oxfordshire.
This book takes you step-by-step through a journey of understanding, healing, and rebuilding confidence behind the wheel. It combines personal experience with professional insight, giving readers practical tools grounded in neuroscience and therapeutic techniques.
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Past accidents or near-misses
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Panic attacks while driving
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Fear of losing control
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Generalised anxiety or phobia development
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Lack of driving practice or long breaks between driving
This fear isn’t “just in your head” — it’s linked to how your brain processes perceived threats and past memories. Once the fear pathway is reinforced, it becomes increasingly difficult to break without the right tools.
What Is Driving Anxiety and Why Does It Happen?
Driving anxiety, also known as vehophobia, can range from mild nerves in busy traffic to a complete avoidance of driving altogether. Some people may avoid motorways or specific routes, while others haven’t driven in years and feel like the task is now impossible. For many, this fear can have a significant impact on daily life, affecting independence, career opportunities, and social freedom.
Amaxophobia can also encompass the fear of driving, but it specifically involves the anxiety or fear associated with being in a vehicle, regardless of whether one is driving or not.
How Hypnotherapy and Brain Science Can Help You Drive Again
One of the key tools featured in the book is solution-focused hypnotherapy, which works by calming the fight-or-flight areas of the brain, particularly the amygdala and hippocampus, and helping you build new, positive neural pathways. Unlike traditional therapy models that revisit traumatic events in detail, this forward-focused method helps you visualise and work toward your ideal outcome.
Through guided hypnosis sessions, affirmations, and structured exercises, this method helps:
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Reduce anticipatory anxiety before driving
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Rewire unhelpful thought patterns
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Improve focus and calmness in the car
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Strengthen emotional resilience
The book also explains how different brain regions — like the limbic system and prefrontal cortex — contribute to both fear and rational thinking, allowing you to better understand the ‘why’ behind your reactions and how to retrain them.
#Amaxophobia #vehophobia