Hi everyone and welcome back to another episode of the savvy psychologist.

I'm Dr. Ellen Hendrickson and every week I'll help you meet life's challenges with evidence-based research, a

sympathetic ear, and zero judgment.

So it is summer, which means it's time for beach trips and mountain getaways, most of which involve the great open

road. But for many of us, heading out on the highway feels like an ordeal, not an escape. So this week by request from Maryland in Massachusetts will cover fear of

driving and how to kick it to the curb. Now as fellow base dators, Maryland and I know that Massachusetts drivers are not called

massholes for nothing. Indeed, of the cities with the dubious distinction of having the

worst drivers in the nation, three of the top five are in Massachusetts. But no matter

where you live, being scared to drive can really get in the way. Indeed, if life is a highway, it's easy for a phobia to push you into the breakdown lane.

And unless we're lucky enough to live in a city with great public transportation, driving

is necessary for basic freedom and independence. But not all fear of driving looks

the same and there are generally four reasons that people are afraid to drive. So let's go

through them. The first is a traumatic

experience. So let's take Nora for example. When Nora was 25 she was

driving home from a night out and got hit by a driver who was texting. She was

relatively unscathed and just needed a few

her car was totaled.

Nora was relatively unscathed and just needed a few stitches.

But three years later, she hasn't driven since.

So if your stories like Nora's, it makes sense that you don't feel safe in a car.

For you, the possibility of an accident is all too real and all too salient. And if you're having

nightmares or flashbacks, also called re-experiencing, are on edge, tense, easily

...