Therapist Overcomes Driving Anxiety After a Decade, Shares Steps to Rebuild Confidence

A British psychotherapist who spent a decade avoiding the driver’s seat describes a deliberate, stepwise approach that helped her return to driving and maintain a regular presence on the road for more than a decade. Anna Mathur says driving anxiety, or amaxophobia, is more common than many realize and affects a substantial share of adults, with women in midlife particularly affected. She notes that the process requires time, patience and a willingness to reframe fear as a signal from the body rather than a predictor of danger. Today she drives multiple times a day and says the sense of freedom she experiences on the motorway remains one of the most meaningful changes in her life.

More than a third of people feel anxious behind the wheel, according to research by Aviva, with separate surveys showing around 10% experience it so severely that it qualifies as a phobia. The condition is noted as particularly prevalent among women, with those in their 40s and 50s often most likely to be affected. The figures help frame why many people, including mothers juggling family responsibilities, may experience repeated avoidance that heightens fear over time.

The author’s own trajectory begins with a 2004 accident on a country road that compounded existing worries about safety. After the crash, she and her then-boyfriend were involved in a rollover that, while not resulting in injuries, planted intrusive thoughts about what could go wrong. She continued to drive briefly after obtaining a driver’s license, but fear rapidly grew, and she gradually withdrew from driving and relied on alternatives, including walking long distances with a double buggy and avoiding car trips that would have been routine before. The pattern persisted for years, during which time she moved around and eventually settled in Surrey, where access to public transit was less convenient and daily life required more driving to manage family schedules.

The turning point came in 2016, when the daily realities of parenting underscored the need to reclaim driving as a practical tool rather than a source of threat. The plan she adopted emphasized lowering the bar first: she started by simply sitting in the driving seat outside her home or driving to the end of the road while being coached by a trusted friend. Those small, manageable steps created a feedback loop in which each success signaled to the body that the activity was doable. Over time, she learned to sequence journeys into smaller, less intimidating segments rather than treating a single trip as a monumental test.

A core element of the method was pairing driving with positive experiences and predictable routines rather than worst-case scenarios. Mathur describes bringing pleasure into the car by listening to a podcast or planning a comfortable destination rather than visualizing disaster. She also emphasizes practical planning, such as mapping out stop-offs to break up longer trips and using breathing techniques to regulate the body’s fight-or-flight response. When anxiety spikes, a few steady breaths can communicate to the nervous system that there is no immediate threat. She notes that this reframing—replacing catastrophic what-ifs with ordinary, near-certain outcomes—helps retrain the brain toward safety rather than danger.

The longitudinal payoff has been measurable in daily life. After starting with small, achievable trips, she reports a steady expansion of road time and confidence. Today she drives dozens of times each day and describes the experience as exhilarating and liberating rather than terrifying. She still acknowledges that vulnerability can surface—an expected byproduct of a long history of avoidance—but the overall trajectory is one of regained autonomy and reduced fear.

Experts say that driving anxiety can stem from a range of factors, including trauma, learned behavior, and the cumulative sense of vulnerability that can accompany midlife and parenting. Mathur notes that the fear is not a sign of weakness but an alarm system designed to keep a person safe. With patience and persistent practice, she argues, it is possible to shrink the fear enough to rejoin everyday life on the road.

Her approach also highlights the role of deliberate exposure and self-regulation strategies. By starting with easily achievable goals, replacing fear-focused thoughts with neutral or positive associations, and embedding the activity in a supportive daily routine, many people can gradually rebuild a driving routine that fits their life. The method is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it offers a framework that patients and clinicians can adapt to individual needs. In Mathur’s case, the result has been a sustained return to regular driving and a demonstrable improvement in her quality of life as a mother balancing family logistics with personal independence.

For readers seeking more guidance, Mathur points to a resource-rich approach that includes her Driving Anxiety video workshop and related work. The broader literature on odds of recovery suggests that while recovery timelines vary, consistent, small-scale exposure paired with coping strategies can yield meaningful improvements for many individuals with amaxophobia. The psychology of fear supports this: gradual exposure, combined with skills for emotional regulation and cognitive reframing, can reduce the salience of threat cues associated with driving and restore a sense of safety in familiar environments.

The experience shared by Mathur aligns with findings in health communications that emphasize practical, action-oriented advice for anxiety-related challenges. By grounding recommendations in concrete steps—start small, plan for ease, breathe, and celebrate progress—clinicians and patients alike can translate insights into daily life. The broader public health takeaway is that fear of driving, while common, does not have to dictate a person’s mobility or independence. With accessible guidance and supportive networks, many individuals can reclaim their ability to navigate the road and participate more fully in daily life.

Anna Mathur’s personal journey underscores the broader message that driving anxiety is a treatable condition. Her story adds to a growing body of work that encourages people to decode fear, adopt patient, incremental strategies, and seek out resources that help them progress at a pace that feels safe. The road, once a place of dread, can become a space of freedom with the right approach and a persistent commitment to gradual growth. For those seeking additional support, the author’s materials and ongoing practice offer practical avenues for learning to drive again on one’s terms.

The Good Decision Diary, by Anna Mathur, is available, and her workshop materials are designed to support readers who want to pursue similar steps. These resources reflect a broader trend in health-focused self-help that prioritizes actionable habits, measurable progress, and compassionate guidance for individuals navigating anxiety-related challenges.