It is common for all of us to be afraid by anxiously thinking about what bad things could happen if we do something wrong. Here we get into amaxophobia Let's get a better understanding of what it means and how it can be treated.

What is amaxophobia?

Amaxophobia is the morbid fear of driving a vehicle or, in some cases, being inside one Although it may seem silly, this type of reaction usually makes it very difficult for someone to get around in their daily activities. After all, how can you travel long distances without getting into a vehicle, even if you don't drive it?

As a result of trauma in various forms, this fear inhibits the full social development of the individual. Getting around is difficult, since there are almost no options to get away from it. In some cases, people still manage to use public transportation or hitch a ride with someone close.

Although we will work on the issue of anxiety in the symptoms, it is the main element within the manifestation of the problem. Going beyond the physical realm, it is common for the individual to think negatively about this type of contact, and end up wishing that the trip would be as short as possible so that he/she would get out of the vehicle immediately.

Symptoms

amaxophobia carries some very clear signs, being seen in greater or lesser magnitude, depending on the person. The sufferers themselves can denounce its existence, so that others can perceive their fear. The most common symptoms are:

Agitation

The journey in the vehicle will be uncomfortable from start to finish, causing agitation in the individual with the phobia. This can come in the form of tics, irritability, and even trembling Unfortunately, the incomprehension of some may inhibit quick assistance so that he can calm down.

Anxiety

With anxiety, on the other hand, one may experience sweaty hands, heart changes, nausea, and even a feeling of suffocation. In more severe cases one may develop a panic attack, especially if one is forced to drive.

Pertinent refusal to drive

Even if he needs to, the "amaxophobe" will refuse at all costs to take the wheel of any vehicle. If he does, an extreme dread will take over him just in the certainty of having to drive.

Feeling of isolation

Even though I partly understand his suffering, the person will feel more isolated from others by not riding in vehicles. Not enough, he will feel distant from reality, given the way his fear manifests itself .

Amaxophobia: Causes

The causes of amaxophobia are varied and affect individuals to varying degrees, explaining the degrees of difference. Even so, the root of the problem needs to be understood in order to establish appropriate treatment measures. The most common causes of the problem are:

Traumas

Traumatic and stressful situations, in general, are what motivate the appearance of the phobia in people. By way of example, imagine yourself personally witnessing a car accident in a very unpleasant way, or traffic fights. Even environments that are not very favorable for driving, such as heavy rain or fog, or even loose animals, are factors that can trigger the phobia.

Bad examples

Childhood and future driving can be negatively linked if parents are anxious and uncomfortable driving Here we come to the examples that have made driving or getting into vehicles unpleasant. The driving instructor who has taught the student rigidly can himself harm his performance on the street .

Stress

Stress caused by traffic implications, such as congestion, can influence the onset of the phobia. Your brain can absorb this as a free and constant stimulus to develop panic. In this way, whenever you get behind the wheel a growing anxiety will feed into your behavior.

Excuses to deflect from the problem

At no time do we want to judge anyone who has developed amaxophobia for any reason whatsoever. The purpose of this article is to clarify the basics of the problem in order to make the population aware of it Although many don't realize it, they end up making excuses to avoid the problem without treating it.

The most common strategy is to avoid highways so as not to prolong the feeling of danger, as well as the anxiety. This is why many, although they drive more, take longer but safer routes in their minds. Even if they feel the discomfort, the feeling of something alarming and dangerous will be less than expected.

Besides this, they may start fights with relatives and people close to them when the subject is driving. If they feel they are forced to drive, they will get angry with their family and use all sorts of excuses not to get into a vehicle. The greatest fear is of driving, but this does not prevent discomfort as passengers.

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The Negative Influence of the Media

Surely you must be aware of the sensationalist tone of the Brazilian media in relation to human suffering. Even though impartiality is requested, many channels end up exploiting people's tragedy, especially in Brazil's traffic. Unfortunately, continuous exposure to these elements can compromise one's willingness to drive .

Watching the news or reading the reports of serious traffic accidents can discourage one from driving. The fear that something might happen to you ends up taking over your posture when it comes to driving. Because of the negative thoughts surrounding reality, you end up projecting your life into these bad moments.

Not enough, the film medium itself can leave its mark with its overly rehearsed choreography. One of the most popular examples is with the horror film Premonition 2 In it, a very serious road accident, as well as the rehearsed terrible deaths, have left many people fearful.

Tragic irony

Many people end up verbalizing their fear of driving and clear signs of amaxophobia. If the misunderstanding doesn't end up influencing other people, it can yield curious stories about.

For example, in the interior of Pernambuco there is a vague report about an individual with clear signs of this phobia. He would not get into vehicles at all, showing a great fear of driving or even hitchhiking, they say, he would walk anywhere he needed to go, no matter how long it took. .

However, and ironically, he died run over by a vehicle on one of the roads he was walking on. His outcome ended up setting his record with others, bringing to the fore the fear about something so simple.

Amaxophobia: how to treat it?

It is possible for anyone to contain the reactions of amaxophobia through proper treatment. Hypnotherapy, for example, can help you get to the core of the problem and determine how it started In this way, it will direct the appropriate solutions in order to deal with it properly.

In addition, cognitive-behavioral therapy helps to gradually desensitize the individual to the symptoms surrounding the problem. While diminishing his negative reactions, the individual learns to better cope with the issue of his phobia. In addition to regaining control, he understands the origin and creates resilience to this obstacle.

Regardless of the method used, the patient in question must come face to face with his fear. This is how he can decrease tension, diminish negative ideas, and relieve his stress. With the therapist's help, he will relearn to see the positive aspects and value them instead of focusing on the bad things.

Final remarks about amaxophobia

amaxophobia ultimately removes the sense of freedom one can have behind the wheel Afraid that the worst will happen, an individual will at all costs limit himself to driving and even getting into a vehicle.

In order to avoid complications and your social life, you must seek the appropriate help to get rid of the problem. Gradually, you can regain control over yourself and understand that the destructive urge of your mistaken perception robs you of free will. If you have found yourself here, seek outside support for the problem as soon as possible.

To help you rebuild, enroll in our online Psychoanalysis course. With what you will learn in it, you will be able to understand what prevents you from living well and fully, achieving an enlightening self-knowledge to a healthy journey. amaxophobia can find an end more quickly if it is supported by the training work of psychoanalysis .

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