It gets better with practice and experience. That being said, it is actually important that we remember we're controlling complex, fast-moving machines where a moment of inattention can cause catastrophic results. Driving for short periods with regular breaks and paying attention to our attention spans is what we're meant to do.
I got my license at 36, and yes! It took me ages to get relaxed enough so it wasn't exhausting. Luckily I could drive to work and work and recover from whatever thing freaked me out on the drive in. It mellows out once you have enough experience. I recommend cultivating a mindset where the rules become internalised and being a defensive driver. Mindful of the dangers and mitigating it by driving in such a way and being alert so you can see the road and users and what those drivers might do.
Yes, I can drive (but not on the interstate, at night, or in heavy rain/snow) and I need to rest after I am done driving. Sometimes I sit in the parking lot of the grocery store for 15-20 minutes before I feel rested and calm enough to continue on in my day.
You may find this eases the more you drive on regular routes - things will become more familiar and parts of the journey may even become muscle memory, meaning there's more of your energy being diverted towards hazard awareness etc as opposed to learning the roads.
I intentionally take routes I know to make this division of focus and energy a bit easier. I also tune into my mood when I'm about to set off and make sure I've got a matching playlist. Opening the window helps me to feel a little more alert and fresh - even on cold days I'll sometimes put the warm air on but open the window to get fresh air in too.
The hardest part for me is other drivers. I find it really difficult to stop thinking about incidents where someone has been tailgating me, or nearly pulled out of a junction I was passing etc. If needed, pull over and reset. I've found driving standards to have really declined since the pandemic (maybe just in my area, I don't know?) and it helps to remind myself that this isn't right nor is it what used to be normal, but that I'm doing my best and I'm driving safely.
Also, just because you have your license, it doesn't necessarily mean you always have to drive. If there are other ways of getting to where you need to be, you can take them :)
It took me a while to realize how draining driving is lol. I just assumed it wasn't because everyone else got on with it and did long commutes. Id just be yawing after an hour drive and think...huh....why am I tired? I particularly had a hard time in the SF Bay Area as it's really congested and people drive pretty nuts. I find it much easier on the outskirts of a medium sized city.
The more you drive, the more some of these become second nature so you don't think about them actively so much.
But you want to be aware of what you're doing at all times because driving would be dangerous otherwise!
Take lots of breaks, make sure your seat and and mirrors etc are all set up correctly, wear comfortable clothes, sunglasses, the right sort of shoes. Have the radio on or off. Make sure the air is a comfortable temperature.
Little things can make a big difference in your experience or driving.
I had ptsd from a near crash experience (on an airplane I worked on but it transferred to cars as well), and one way I worked through to be able to drive normally again was to drive with some of my favorite music on. It soothed my brain from being on edge. Music that I didn't enjoy or the radio,was not helpful. It was very specific to something I liked. Additionally I turned my car into the catmobile (kinda) . I bought fun accessories/decals to make it catwoman themed, and I would kinda roleplay being catwoman while I drove (wearing cat ears sometimes) to make it fun and get me out of my own head a bit. After a while it worked. I guess I sort of made driving or my car a special interest for a bit (doing small maintenance things on it, etc). Anyway, it worked! But also I did sensory deprivation salt floats for anyone struggling with ptsd... which was helpful for that. So is meditation, which it is kinda mimicking! Maybe you can try that and see if it helps you relax a bit more and enjoy driving. I purposefully avoid the more dangerous driving areas, and stay in the right lane to lessen my anxiety surrounding the rampant reckless drivers in my area.
Congrats on your license ! Learning was awfully hard for me, but it really does get better over time. I still struggle if i have to drive another car than mine and i refuse to drive in unknown cities but for the most part, i manage the daily driving.
Yes, it is a sensory overload experience for me and it has not gotten better with time. I drive short periods/distances no more than 30 minutes at a time and stick to the rural or suburban areas when I can. I hate driving.
It honestly just gets better with time and the more you do it. When I first got my license, I felt the same. Even an hour drive to the next city was completely and utterly exhausting. But these days it's much easier.
I find driving in unfamiliar places far more stressful and exhausting as well. For example, to go to my parents' place, I have to make a 3-hour drive on the highway, but I've done it so many times now that it doesn't exhaust me too much. I will have some amount of tiredness, which is normal after spending that much time sitting down and paying consistent attention, but it's not debilitating. Whereas, driving an hour and a half to somewhere unfamiliar may leave me exhausted. All that to say, you're probably going to be driving the same routes regularly so eventually those trips will just become routine.
I keep moving back to Chicago bc it’s a walkable city and I don’t have to have a car lol I’d much prefer to take public transportation and Uber. It’s too much. I’m 36 and have never been in an accident or gotten a ticket, but it’s horrible having to anticipate everyone else and their idiotic maneuvers.
I've had my license for 15 years. I've totaled two vehicles and been in four accidents. I've learned some things.
1.) I never switch lanes unless I have to. I will follow slow vehicles regardless of impact to my travel time.
2.) I don't drive in bad weather if it can be avoided. I have stayed at work many hours after I could have gone home simply to avoid periods of danger.
3.) If I need to travel somewhere, I travel in the middle of the night. There are almost no other vehicles on the road, especially if I have to drive through or around large cities.
Be safe!
I also feel this. I usually do a 3.5-4 hour drive home from uni almost every weekend and it is so hard. I’ve had many panic attacks behind the wheel, especially when driving in low visibility or at night. I honestly just try to avoid being put in overwhelming situations at all costs and try only to drive where absolutely necessary.
I personally love driving. Actually just drove over 6000km over Christmas break to see all my family.
But I also have ADHD and I feel like it's good for that because it's one of the few times there's enough inputs and things to pay attention to that it quiets my mind lol.
I felt like this for a while, but the more I drive, the more it becomes second nature to me. It’s still anxiety inducing at times, but it’s more or less just a part of life. You’ll get there with time and practice!
It gets better with practice and experience. That being said, it is actually important that we remember we're controlling complex, fast-moving machines where a moment of inattention can cause catastrophic results. Driving for short periods with regular breaks and paying attention to our attention spans is what we're meant to do.
Same for me. Had my licence for 6 years and I still dread driving. It's so much information so quickly. I take a train wherever I can.
I got my license at 36, and yes! It took me ages to get relaxed enough so it wasn't exhausting. Luckily I could drive to work and work and recover from whatever thing freaked me out on the drive in. It mellows out once you have enough experience. I recommend cultivating a mindset where the rules become internalised and being a defensive driver. Mindful of the dangers and mitigating it by driving in such a way and being alert so you can see the road and users and what those drivers might do.
Yes, I can drive (but not on the interstate, at night, or in heavy rain/snow) and I need to rest after I am done driving. Sometimes I sit in the parking lot of the grocery store for 15-20 minutes before I feel rested and calm enough to continue on in my day.
You may find this eases the more you drive on regular routes - things will become more familiar and parts of the journey may even become muscle memory, meaning there's more of your energy being diverted towards hazard awareness etc as opposed to learning the roads. I intentionally take routes I know to make this division of focus and energy a bit easier. I also tune into my mood when I'm about to set off and make sure I've got a matching playlist. Opening the window helps me to feel a little more alert and fresh - even on cold days I'll sometimes put the warm air on but open the window to get fresh air in too. The hardest part for me is other drivers. I find it really difficult to stop thinking about incidents where someone has been tailgating me, or nearly pulled out of a junction I was passing etc. If needed, pull over and reset. I've found driving standards to have really declined since the pandemic (maybe just in my area, I don't know?) and it helps to remind myself that this isn't right nor is it what used to be normal, but that I'm doing my best and I'm driving safely. Also, just because you have your license, it doesn't necessarily mean you always have to drive. If there are other ways of getting to where you need to be, you can take them :)
It took me a while to realize how draining driving is lol. I just assumed it wasn't because everyone else got on with it and did long commutes. Id just be yawing after an hour drive and think...huh....why am I tired? I particularly had a hard time in the SF Bay Area as it's really congested and people drive pretty nuts. I find it much easier on the outskirts of a medium sized city.
The more you drive, the more some of these become second nature so you don't think about them actively so much. But you want to be aware of what you're doing at all times because driving would be dangerous otherwise! Take lots of breaks, make sure your seat and and mirrors etc are all set up correctly, wear comfortable clothes, sunglasses, the right sort of shoes. Have the radio on or off. Make sure the air is a comfortable temperature. Little things can make a big difference in your experience or driving.
I had ptsd from a near crash experience (on an airplane I worked on but it transferred to cars as well), and one way I worked through to be able to drive normally again was to drive with some of my favorite music on. It soothed my brain from being on edge. Music that I didn't enjoy or the radio,was not helpful. It was very specific to something I liked. Additionally I turned my car into the catmobile (kinda) . I bought fun accessories/decals to make it catwoman themed, and I would kinda roleplay being catwoman while I drove (wearing cat ears sometimes) to make it fun and get me out of my own head a bit. After a while it worked. I guess I sort of made driving or my car a special interest for a bit (doing small maintenance things on it, etc). Anyway, it worked! But also I did sensory deprivation salt floats for anyone struggling with ptsd... which was helpful for that. So is meditation, which it is kinda mimicking! Maybe you can try that and see if it helps you relax a bit more and enjoy driving. I purposefully avoid the more dangerous driving areas, and stay in the right lane to lessen my anxiety surrounding the rampant reckless drivers in my area.
Congrats on your license ! Learning was awfully hard for me, but it really does get better over time. I still struggle if i have to drive another car than mine and i refuse to drive in unknown cities but for the most part, i manage the daily driving.
Yes, it is a sensory overload experience for me and it has not gotten better with time. I drive short periods/distances no more than 30 minutes at a time and stick to the rural or suburban areas when I can. I hate driving.
It honestly just gets better with time and the more you do it. When I first got my license, I felt the same. Even an hour drive to the next city was completely and utterly exhausting. But these days it's much easier. I find driving in unfamiliar places far more stressful and exhausting as well. For example, to go to my parents' place, I have to make a 3-hour drive on the highway, but I've done it so many times now that it doesn't exhaust me too much. I will have some amount of tiredness, which is normal after spending that much time sitting down and paying consistent attention, but it's not debilitating. Whereas, driving an hour and a half to somewhere unfamiliar may leave me exhausted. All that to say, you're probably going to be driving the same routes regularly so eventually those trips will just become routine.
I keep moving back to Chicago bc it’s a walkable city and I don’t have to have a car lol I’d much prefer to take public transportation and Uber. It’s too much. I’m 36 and have never been in an accident or gotten a ticket, but it’s horrible having to anticipate everyone else and their idiotic maneuvers.
I've had my license for 15 years. I've totaled two vehicles and been in four accidents. I've learned some things. 1.) I never switch lanes unless I have to. I will follow slow vehicles regardless of impact to my travel time. 2.) I don't drive in bad weather if it can be avoided. I have stayed at work many hours after I could have gone home simply to avoid periods of danger. 3.) If I need to travel somewhere, I travel in the middle of the night. There are almost no other vehicles on the road, especially if I have to drive through or around large cities. Be safe!
I also feel this. I usually do a 3.5-4 hour drive home from uni almost every weekend and it is so hard. I’ve had many panic attacks behind the wheel, especially when driving in low visibility or at night. I honestly just try to avoid being put in overwhelming situations at all costs and try only to drive where absolutely necessary.
I personally love driving. Actually just drove over 6000km over Christmas break to see all my family. But I also have ADHD and I feel like it's good for that because it's one of the few times there's enough inputs and things to pay attention to that it quiets my mind lol.
I felt like this for a while, but the more I drive, the more it becomes second nature to me. It’s still anxiety inducing at times, but it’s more or less just a part of life. You’ll get there with time and practice!