Ask Kari: How can I manage my stress on the road when I’m frustrated with terrible drivers?
Dear Kari,
Help, I am finding myself more frustrated than ever when I am driving around town. Each day I feel my temper getting hotter at the terrible drivers I engage with when I am going to and from work. There are so many terrible drivers in this town! Do you have any suggestions for me to have a better day?--Done Driving
Dear Done Driving,
This is a very hot topic, no pun intended. There are a lot of cars moving around our city on daily basis, which can cause stress for most people. I suggest that you make your travels in your car as soothing as possible. First, try and listen to music that makes you feel good (or no music if silence works better). Try and remind yourself that there are both good and bad drivers on the road each day, and that you will likely encounter both; thinking this thought can lead to acceptance vs. frustration. I know that encountering a bad driver leads one to feel heated, but I do not recommend engaging with them in an aggressive manner. Instead, go back again to the previous frame of thought, “There are both good and bad drivers and I accept them both”. Follow that up with redirecting your thoughts again to the good music that you were listening to.
–Kari
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About Kari: Dr. O’Neill is a Doctor of Social Work, and a board-certified licensed independent clinical social worker. Dr. O’Neill completed her undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Washington and her doctorate at Tulane University, and currently serves as an affiliated medical staff member at Swedish Hospital Issaquah.