I’ve been driving for almost two years now, and I’m pretty comfortable on the road—except I can’t bring myself to drive on highways. It makes me so anxious! Is there a specific phobia for highway driving?
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
While the fear of driving in general has a few different names—like amaxophobia or vehophobia—the fear of driving on highways is generally called “freeway phobia.” This fear could stem from being overwhelmed by higher speeds, merging lanes, and potential accidents, but many psychiatrists believe it has more to do with feeling trapped.
Highway phobias are often caused by the sensation of being stuck. With on and off-ramps few and far between, highways and interstates have fewer ways to escape. Recognizing the phobia from its root cause can be the first step to conquering the fear.
Treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy have proven to be effective for dealing with this phobia. To help you along the process, you may want to consider updating your
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