Hi. I'm someone who struggles with anxiety relating to a select few
triggers with my driving test yesterday being a huge one. I've come here
seeking help from anyone who might relate to how I feel. In the past
I've noticed that situations where I'm b...
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Hi. I'm someone who struggles with anxiety relating to a select few
triggers with my driving test yesterday being a huge one. I've come here
seeking help from anyone who might relate to how I feel. In the past
I've noticed that situations where I'm being watched, judged or tested
have triggered a lot of panic and anxiety for me and once the feelings
start, it's like an emotional spiral that I have no control over and
that gets worse every second. School exams and tests used to give me
similar feelings and even panic attacks which I never really found any
methods to cope with them properly. Yesterday was another example of
where my stress got out of control. I did my first ever drive test and
quite literally failed in the first two minutes of driving. I merged in
front of a car in the other lane (despite doing mirror and head check)
in a way that I never would have otherwise. It's almost like my head
completely forgot to compute what I was seeing in my mirrors and I
didn't even process what I had done until I was honked by the other
driver. I have no idea how I managed to do this. I completely accept
that I failed for a very valid reason and that safety must be the number
one priority of a testing officer in a test. Still, I'm finding this
incredibly hard to come to terms with because usually, I'm safe and
sensible driver and even my driving instructor (who I've done a good few
lessons with) agrees. I drove absolutely fine and had that same skill
down pat in the hour immediately before the test, so this outcome is
still a real shock. Going into yesterday I knew that my anxiety was
possibly going to a problem, but I don't think I ever predicted that it
could lead to me making such a painfully simple mistake and so early on
too. This honestly doesn't feel real. Sometimes, if I just have feelings
of stress and anxiety, I'm able to get myself back under control but
when more physical symptoms start (as they did yesterday) like body
shakes, pounding heart and quick or hitched breath, there's been no way
of me getting back to the state of mind that I need to be in from my
past experience. My driving instructor and test officer rebooked me for
the closest test appointment in two weeks' time, but I feel like I've
had all of my confidence shattered. Getting my license is such a crucial
step toward me gaining independence over my life and to be honest, I
actually really need to get it if I'm going to open the doors to more
job opportunities. A few days ago, I would've said that I was confident
in my skills but now, as the perfectionist I am, failure has me entering
a rut where this whole thing feels impossible. I realize that there's no
limits to how many times you try for your license, but the threat of
failing a second time seems unbearable. The point of my post really was
to ask if anyone who might struggle from my same problems could give me
some advice. I really don't have any strategies that I know I can rely
on to handle my feelings. How did you overcome tension and stress of a
situation like this and manage to perform? I've tried breathing
strategies and I've tried to have more helpful thoughts like that trying
to remember that this is low stakes and to look after my current actions
rather than a future outcome. I can't seem to get my body and thoughts
to align when I try thinking strategies like these. Getting to the level
of anxiety I had yesterday, I stopped even really having a negative
thought pattern and rather just turned to having physical symptoms of
stress (that I described above). There almost doesn't seem to be a way
of correcting these negative thoughts because I'm frozen in a relentless
panic state. Thank you to anyone who can read all of these words and
respond. I truly appreciate any help!
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