Dyspraxic Adults

Hi l am 25 have dyspraxia attention deficient disorder low confidence self esteem have been learning to drive for 2yrs or more have a great instructor who l feel comfortable with have done my test 4 times failed its always different reasons each time but l drive well with driving instructor once examiner gets into car l feel uncomfortable and panic when l make mistake any ideas feel like give up

Hi Dolly

Quite possible it's not your thing but some have tried hypnotherapy

I'm visually impaired so have evaded what I suspect would have been a tortuous journey with a number of test failures

It’s different for everyone clearly. As a therapist (who also has dyspraxia) I wonder if some CBT might help you to look at what you’re thinking and feeling when the driving instructor sits in the car with you during a test? Or perhaps in general just normal talking therapy.

For me I was learning to drive for a while, spent a lot of money but when it came to the theory, I revised like hell with the multiple choice test to the point where I more or less had the questions and answers memorised and I only got one question wrong, which I kicked myself for! Stupid.

When it came to the practical, oh my god, I failed every practice test for little things which were a result of my nerves under pressure I’d imagine. Yet I passed the real thing first time! God knows how! I love driving now, it feels like muscle memory, automatic.

I wonder if you’ve spoken to your driving instructor, not the examiner about the fact that this happens and whether they’ve been able to give you any advice? I really can’t remember, I’m sure I would’ve told my instructor about my dyspraxia but I don’t know nowadays do they vary the way they teach at all to accommodate you? Guessing not.