What is it:
Amazophobia is the irrational fear of being in any vehicle, as a driver or passenger, and tends to be triggered by the worry of causing an accident or losing control of the steering wheel, causing stress and anxiety.
Although amaxophobia does not have a specific cause, it can appear after traumatic experiences, such as car accidents, or after witnessing other people’s discomfort in situations involving vehicles.
If you suspect amaxophobia, it is important to consult a psychiatrist or psychologist, as with appropriate treatment, which usually involves psychotherapy, it is possible to overcome the fear.
Possible causes
Some people may develop amaxophobia due to traumatic experiences or witnessing some type of bad experience from other people involving vehicles, such as car accidents and news of automobile disasters. However, amaxophobia usually does not have a specific cause.
Furthermore, fear tends to arise in case of:
- Concern about causing an accident;
- Fear of losing control of the vehicle’s steering;
- Need to drive through very busy streets;
- Driving at high speed;
- Need to drive a vehicle;
- Sit in the front seat.
Furthermore, fear normally increases as the person approaches the situation that provokes it and the reason tends to be perceived only by the person, being disproportionate to the situation experienced.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of amaxophobia include:
- Excessive worry or distress before or while driving;
- Avoid directing;
- Driving abnormally, excessively slowly or always preferring longer but safer routes, for example;
- Restlessness before or while driving;
- Don’t stop thinking about the situation that causes discomfort.
In addition, the person may choose to miss work, classes or other commitments because they do not want to drive and experience symptoms such as a racing heart, intense sweating, tremors and shortness of breath when faced with the situation that causes fear, which may indicate a seizure attack. panic. Learn more symptoms of a panic attack.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis of amaxophobia is normally made by a psychiatrist taking into account the characteristics of the symptoms presented, such as their intensity, frequency and the situations that trigger the fear of driving.
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In addition, monitoring by a psychologist may be recommended to evaluate in more detail the person’s behavior and reaction in situations that lead to fear.
Sometimes, the fear of driving may not lead to the diagnosis of a phobia, such as amaxophobia, but of other illnesses such as panic disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder, for example. Find out what post-traumatic stress disorder is.
How the treatment is carried out
The treatment of amaxophobia, as well as other phobias, generally involves undergoing therapy with a psychologist, mainly cognitive-behavioral therapy. In this type of therapy, the person learns strategies to deal with anxiety and evaluate the situation that triggers fear with greater clarity. Understand better the types of therapy with the psychologist and what they are for.
Other forms of treatment may include hypnosis and even the use of virtual reality technologies, which often gradually expose the person to the situation that triggers the fear.
The use of medication is generally not indicated in the treatment of specific phobias, such as amaxophobia.
