The big day is arriving and you are about to put all those hours of driving practice to work as you prepare for your driving test.
Many people about to take their driving test feel nervous, and a certain amount of anxiety can actually help prepare your body to perform at its best. However, if you are regularly feeling anxious and find it hard to think about anything else, there are ways you can learn to manage your anxiety.
Spotting the signs of anxiety
Much like performing on stage or giving a presentation in college or work, the type of anxiety that your feel before taking your driving test is known as performance anxiety.
This happens when your thoughts about being watched and evaluated during the test become irrational or harmful, and you may be thinking something along the lines of “I don’t think I’m good enough to pass”, or “What if my instructor is really strict?” which only serve to increase your levels of anxiousness.
While it can be hard to stop yourself from worrying about what may happen on the test, such thoughts can make it difficult for you to focus on the task at hand, and can stop you from being calm and composed during your test.
Some of the signs that pre-test anxiety has become a problem include:
Negative thoughts when anxious
- Become forgetful
- Difficulty concentrating
- Racing thoughts
- Difficulty making decisions
- Worry about your performance
Physical symptoms of anxiety
- Dry throat
- Muscle tension
- Muscle shaking or tremors
- Fast breathing
- Headaches
- Stomach upset
If you think you have a few of the above symptoms, try not to worry, as there are range of stress-busting techniques which can reduce the effects anxiety has you and can make a big difference to your performance during your driving test.
Techniques to reduce driving test anxiety
It may seem that external factors influence your anxiety, but in reality your levels of anxiousness are affected by you and what you think you can or can’t do.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
While it is perfectly normal to worry about what may or may not happen on your driving test, you can change how you respond to these thoughts. CBT helps you to challenge any negative thoughts you may have that lead to excessive anxiety, and help you to reflect on whether your beliefs about a situation are helpful or not.
For example, if you assume that you are going to fail your test, remember that this is only an assumption and not a fact. During your lessons and mock tests, it can help to write down and reflect on how you thought, felt and behaved in the below order:
- Remember what made you feel particularly anxious
- Think about what you thought at this time
- How did these thoughts affect your driving performance?
- Challenge the initial thoughts you had – such as “I’ve had plenty of praise from my driving instructor”
- Consider more positive ways you could think about the situation next time – such as “I’m going to do the best I can”
- Jot down a positive affirmation such as “I’m good at driving”
- Make an action plan – what are you going to think and do next time you feel anxious
Positive self-talk
Anxiety can occur and worsen as a result of negative self-talk, where you essentially make yourself believe the worst possible outcome, such as failing your test.
Trading these beliefs for positive self-talk can help you to manage your anxiety better on the day:
Prepare – as you are entering the situation, prepare with positive statements like “It’s going to be difficult but I’ll feel great afterwards when I pass”.
Cope – If you feel a wave of anxiety coming on during your test, such as when you approach an aspect of driving you find particularly difficult, reassure yourself with thoughts such as “concentrate on the task and not on how I feel”, or “these feelings will pass and I’ll be fine”.
Review – whether you get the result you want or not, it can help to focus on the positive aspects of the test and acknowledge the areas you need to work on to improve.
If you are struggling with symptoms of anxiety surrounding your driving test or in any other aspect of your life, Priory’s specialist team of consultants and therapists can help reduce the impact it has on your life.
