Zoning Out Behind the Wheel: Navigating Driving Anxiety as a Neurodivergent Soul

 

 

As time has gone by, I’ve gotten more severely anxious on the road.  I get an overwhelming feeling of anxiety that comes over me.  It makes me feel uneasy both physically and mentally. It’s not the mechanics of operating a vehicle, I drive just fine.  But over the past decade or so I’ve experienced intense sensory overload. 

My symptoms get so bad that it becomes dangerous, at least to me.  I physically start sweating, my neck and shoulders tense up, my vision becomes blurred, my heart races, and I become frozen.  I get to a point where my leg starts shaking badly, so I have to hold it. 

As a neurodivergent person, driving is more about surviving sensory and emotional strain.  I just don’t trust other drivers on the road, and I believe that fear is valid.  I’ve seen and gone through accidents, witnessed too many reckless lane changes without signals, tailgaters, and people speeding through red lights.  It’s senseless.  My hyper-awareness isn’t just a personality quirk it’s a survival instinct. 

Driving used to be rather easy for me.  When I first started out, I felt a sense of freedom and excitement. I didn’t really have any fears.  I guess when you’re younger you’re more carefree and think less of potential consequences.   But I had one experience in particular that changed everything for me. 

The Trip That Haunts Me

It was a weekend getaway to Las Vegas back in 2009.  We left at dusk.  I was driving just fine in the beginning.  I was with my mom and a friend, and we were having a great time laughing and listening to music.  I was cruising along the 15 freeway—until my nerves hit me like a ton of waves.  

It was pitch black out at this point.  I already had vision troubles, but it was difficult to see at one point.  There is certain stretch of road that doesn’t have any reflectors in the road.  I began panicking because I couldn’t see anything in front of me.  My eyes went wide, my shoulders tensed, and my palms began to sweat.  I was indeed having a full-blown panic attack. The only way that I was able to continue driving was getting behind a semi so I could at least see a car ahead of me.  You have other people driving at 70 plus miles an hour, so they disappear in the distance quickly.  

Once I reached the state line, I had to have my friend take over the last hour of the trip.  I was so frightened by the experience that I was still shaking.  I had zoned out so hard that I barely remember entire stretches of road.  It was like my brain had completely shut down in order to protect me from the anxiety, and sensory input just so I could make it to an exit. 

 I realized I had experienced highway hypnosis and have experienced the sensation to this very day.  Here is some info:  

Key Features of Highway Hypnosis:

• Zoning out or dissociating while still technically operating the vehicle
• Feeling like time has passed without realizing it
• Blurred or tunnel vision
• Muscle tension or stiffness
• Reduced conscious awareness, but still responding reflexively (e.g., staying in lane, stopping at lights)

Why Driving Feels Different for Neurodivergent Minds

There’s something uniquely exhausting about driving when you’re neurodivergent.  For me, ADHD and autism mean that I’m constantly filtering out distractions, trying to stay focus, and managing sensory input. When you add in anxiety, it becomes a mental marathon. 

The noise of the traffic, the unpredictability of other drivers, and the pressure to make snap decisions under stress is dreadful.  

Driving Is a Trigger—And That’s Okay to Admit

There is a sense of shame and embarrassment around driving anxiety, especially when you’re an adult.  It’s triggering for me, but at least I’m being honest about it.  My friends and family know that I typically avoid highways if I can.  I often have other people drive my car or theirs if I’m going somewhere long distance.  I have to do what makes me most comfortable. My safety matters more than anyone’s opinion of my driving.  

What Helps Me Cope (Even When It’s Hard)

Here are a few things that have helped me manage (though not eliminate) my driving anxiety:

• Avoiding highways when I can – It may take longer, but it eases the fear of zoning out or getting trapped in fast-paced traffic.
• Driving with a trusted passenger – Having someone with me to talk to or help navigate keeps me grounded.
• Noise management – Sometimes silence helps. Other times, soft music or a familiar podcast can keep me centered without overstimulation.
• Taking breaks – I no longer push through long drives. Pulling over to stretch, breathe, and recenter is necessary.
• Naming the fear – Telling myself “This is driving anxiety” helps me separate the fear from reality and feel less ashamed of it.

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.”

Mary Anne Radmacher

Here is a helpful resource: http://www.gervelislaw.com/blog/how-to-get-over-driving-anxiety/