After 4 years, this is the first time I grab a steering wheel for my driver's exam...

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riahc3

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Hello

4 years ago, I passed my theorical exam for my driver's licence. In October, I had a seizure (first time in my life). Since I wasnt epileptic at that moment, noone knew what it was. I kept on with my normal life and was doing my practical classes before the exam. On my second practical class, I had a seizure during and my professor obviously was the one that saved myself and the students from a accident....

Now 4 years later (and 1 year and 6 months later without a single seizure), I (again) passed my theorical exam and today is the first time Im going to again do a practical class, much less touch a steering wheel (with the same professor I might add)

I am VERY nervious. I know how to drive because its more or less like riding a bike but so many memories that even this post is hard to write! But, as a personal goal, I think I must overcome it and approve my driver's licence. Just to show that I have overcomed it. Its not even about driving anymore....Its just reaching that goal.

Do you guys have any tips on how I can calm down my nerves and at least pass this class? If I pass this class, I imagine my nerves will calm down class after class.........but this first one is completely killing me. Its in about 7 hours.

Thanks!
 
Well, it's normal to be nervous! One thing that can help is to write down everything that you're worried about about ten minutes before the class starts. It may sounds strange, but this process can truly help move the stress out of your system.

It can also help to have a silly word or phrase to say to yourself to break the tension when you start feeling anxious. (for my nephew, this phrase is "boxer shorts"). You could even write it in pen on your hand. :)

And make sure to build in a reward yourself for afterwards!

Good luck, hope it goes well!
 
Nakamova said:
Well, it's normal to be nervous! One thing that can help is to write down everything that you're worried about about ten minutes before the class starts. It may sounds strange, but this process can truly help move the stress out of your system.

It can also help to have a silly word or phrase to say to yourself to break the tension when you start feeling anxious. (for my nephew, this phrase is "boxer shorts"). You could even write it in pen on your hand. :)

And make sure to build in a reward yourself for afterwards!

Good luck, hope it goes well!
Click to expand...
30 minutes....

It does indeed so strange and I believe will actually make me more paranoid; Just thinking of that moment when I was doing a turn and the next moment I am in a ambulance gives me the shivers.

As a matter of fact, that paragraph before made me remind me and just put me again more nervous. Maybe I shouldnt have come to this forum :(
 
Take the piece of paper you wrote down your anxiety on and toss it out. At the same time remind yourself that you are "tossing out" your old anxieties. The nervousness is normal; the main thing is just to notice it, breathe, and then put it aside -- don't let it paralyze you.
 
Did the first lesson........

Horrible expirence (from a mental side, on the driving I just did typical beginners mistakes). Far worst from the first time I took a lesson. My mind was basically blank all the time. I followed the instructor's instructions but I was during and after the expirence thinking, what am I doing.

He said we were basically going to do a class everyday but I told him that mentally I cannot cope with it and I want to do yes-no-yes-no-yes days. I told him that there were A LOT Of memories and a lot of shit Ive gone thru 4 years and its VERY difficult to overcome it.

Not sure I could do it. Right now, I dont see myself driving.
 
Hang in there! Try not to build up the memories that you have into bigger ones. Sometimes when we are anxious, our old memories are changes by us adding on to them. I know that you can do this, but if in the end you feel that it is too much right now, then you have to make that decision. You know yourself best.
 
I want to thank everyone for the positive comments. Helps keep me somewhat better.


huskymom said:
Hang in there! Try not to build up the memories that you have into bigger ones. Sometimes when we are anxious, our old memories are changes by us adding on to them. I know that you can do this, but if in the end you feel that it is too much right now, then you have to make that decision. You know yourself best.
Click to expand...
Today is the second class as like I mentioned Im doing yes-no-yes-no-yes. So lets see how today goes and what I feel thruout the class. Generally, as of right now, Im not that nervous as the first time as Ive seen that I could at least do it once. Lets see the second time as the second time is when the seizure happened I believe while I was driving.
 
Good, that sounds promising. One step at a time...
 
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