Annoying uncomfortable feelings when driving

[SkyBlue252]

I don't know if this is the right places to post this so apologies if not.

I haven't driven in years, I think around 2018 was the last time I actually driven, I had an old small car van back the,l 1993 model.

Not sure why I stopped, but I did and would only drive to town if my dad needed to bring something for MOT.

I now drive my dad's car, a 2019 Audi Q3, I don't know if it is the car or is it me, but I often feel uncomfortable, nervous and always having mild tension headaches and feeling of hotness around my eyes or my eyes feel tired, so I always have the window open even when it is freezing cold outside.

The car heater seems to make me feel uncomfortable, even as a passenger and not just the car I drive.

If I go more than 4th gear on the main road, my heart starts racing, hard to describe the feeling, maybe fluttery, feeling tense and emotional, so if I'm going somewhere I'd be taking deep breaths to keep calm all the way, having cars drive too close to me from behind also increases my nerves.

I get light feelings in the back of my head too, pressure in my ears, sometimes my legs start shaking, especially driving out of town and busy roads, though I always keep my distance and very alert and keep to the speed limits.

I did told a doctor while having a checkup for something else, he didn't think there was anything physically serious but did a blood test just in case, all normal.

I have been doing a lot of stalling in this car, one was in town, it's a one way street, there were some people walking really slow in the middle of the road.
I went from second gear to first, but went to third instead so it stalled, then I keep trying to start the engine, the car was jerking, people were looking and cars waiting behind, I felt under pressure, some guy looking at me from outside the shop came to me and asked why I'm trying to start the engine, it starts by itself, embarrassing...

Another one was after waiting at a red light, I went from first to second then to third and mistakenly went to first instead causing cars behind to slow down and once stalled on second gear in the middle of a busy roundabout causing someone to get really angry at me, he followed me for a while before overtaking and swearing out of the window.

[Carnation]

Skyblue it's the car. I had the same experience with a hire car. I got myself in to such a state with it. Gears seemed so tight to one another I dreaded using it.

[Anglo]

Have you had anything happen when in a car in the past that could be triggering these anxious symptoms, perhaps even to a family member or someone who is very close to you?

Those more recent moments which might have caused you embarrassment understandably can stress you out even more if you're already uncomfortable driving. Of course you can already drive and have passed your test, would taking a couple of lessons from a driving instructor help boost your confidence on the road? My partner can drive but she isn't too familiar with a manual gearbox, so I plan on putting L-plates on the car when we're driving around to help her take her mind off "holding people up" and to make it less likely for others to be bothered if she does happen to stall the car.

[SkyBlue252]

Hi, no, I haven't had bad things that happened driving in the past that could trigger these anxious symptoms, someone I know did crash in a car and did witness a car crash, but they never really affected me much to the point I feel to anxious to drive.

I did in the past get anxious driving to unknown places or known places that I'm not used to driving in.

I have considered trying out some driving lessons with an instructor in a town not far from here.

I think the feelings get to me the most when my eyes start feeling hot and start getting tension headaches and if I start feeling stiff, not tgat my legs and feet stiffen up.

After opening the windows I feel a bit better.