Driving license anxiety

[sunset_5]

I am currently taking my driving lessons. I am now 28 and I first gave it a go 10 years ago, but I failed and got to a time where I could not afford to continue taking lessons. Now I have finally worked up the courage to try again, but my anxiety has become a lot stronger in the past years and I didn’t feel it affecting me much at the time I first tried... but I do now.

I am a nervous wreck now, I feel like I am having a hard time concentrating on everything at once and apparently, everything I do is “too hectic”, according to my instructor. I know he is only trying to help, but I feel like his comments are discouraging me more than anything and I now feel panicky before every driving lesson, although it is probably normal at first to struggle a bit (I have now had 3 lessons).

How have you all experienced the driving lessons? Do you have any advice on how I can be calmer while driving (without taking my medicine, which makes me tired)? Because seriously, I just get so nervous I could cry lol.

[swgrl09]

It sounds overwhelming! When I learned to drive, I found practicing in an empty parking lot with somebody I trusted more helpful than anything the official instructor taught me. I don't know how it works in your country, but where I live you get a permit before a license and can practice with any adult licensed driver. Is there somebody you are more comfortable with?

[Velvet]

Do you think it would help to have a different instructor, maybe one who advertises that they specialise in teaching nervous pupils...

It is nerve wrack8ng learning to drive, and for Some, even more so, just think due to what he’s said to you, perhaps you are not quite so comfortable with that instructor now, maybe
Good luck with it :hugs:

[sunset_5]

Thanks for your replies. Well, I could do accompanied driving, or maybe find a new instructor (specialised in teaching nervous students like you say), but it would mean having to start over (apply at a different driving school, more paperwork, more time lost. I already waited 5 months after my theoretical exam to start these lessons).
Just wondering if it would actually be better somewhere else. I am pretty sure that I am just too nervous for it at the time being...

[Hollow]

One of my driving instructors used to shout at me because I was scared of driving too fast, it made me panic and make even more mistakes. When I passed my driving test I was taking lessons from a different instructor, he was calm and laid back. I felt more at ease with him and my driving also improved.

In my opinion, your instructor shouldn't be criticising your driving after just 3 lessons. He thinks he's trying to help you with the comments but it's effecting your confidence in a negative way, and your driving is suffering as a result. Good luck with your future driving lessons.

[swipka777]

There is nothing to be affraid of. I had a big anxiety of driving in foreign country and even did international driving's license at https://idaoffice.org/ . But this anxiety is still in my mind but it not so big like it was. I should ask my instructor about it. What do you guys think?

[sunset_5]

Wow Hollow, I am so sorry that your driving instructor used to shout at you. That's definitely not going to help, I don't know why they don't even seem to get that. As teachers/instructors, they should have a much better knowledge about how to interact with their students...
thanks for sharing your experience!

I will see how it goes on. Have the next ones on Tuesday.^^