Driving Anxiety

[Foxheart]

For a few years now my mother has been extremely jumpy while being a passenger in a car. She is fine and drives normally when she is behind the wheel but when she depends on another person she seems to feel a lack of control and will physically jump or twitch when she sees another car on the road even if that other driver poses no threat.

This has become very disruptive because whoever is driving the car will focus more on my mother than on the road. I fear this can cause an accident, possibly a fatal one.

My mother is not the type of person to seek therapy even though she knows she has a problem. Is there anything I can do to help alleviate her anxiety/fear?

[Foxheart]

Good point about being able to see the road. I figure sometimes she will "spaz" because she just isn't really watching the road and then she sudddenly sees something and it startles her and for some reason her startle response is way over the top of what it should normally be.

Also I know my mom suffers from mild night blindness so that could contribute to her problem.

As for the trust issues... I'm not really sure what goes through mom's head when she gets in a car with someone as far as trust goes. I do know she's had some really frightening experiences recently in cars (minor accidents that were not her fault etc.) but this type of problem started years before that.

Thank you very much for your comments and support. I appreciate being able to discuss this issue with impartial people. Sometimes it is easier to discuss things with people outside the family.

Foxheart

[LukeL]

It took me till I was 22 (stll am 22) to get my license as my mother would FREAK out whenever she tried to teach me. It was so bad that if I went above 20MPH she would scream and tell me to slow down. My grandfather is the same way. I also have somewhat the same problem, but as long as I can see the road ahead of me I can be a passenger.

It just seems some people need to always be in control of a situation. This doesn't mean they are a control freak, it only means they lack a trust of puting their lives or well being into someone else's hands. If she will not seek help, it may just be easier to let her drive.