While being healthy is the goal for most people, there will come times in your life where your health, both mental and physical, might not be where you want it to be. In these kinds of situations, you’ll want to be very careful about the kinds of activities you participate in, as you don’t want to hurt yourself or others even further.
One task that you want to make sure you’re mentally ready to take on is driving. When you’re behind the wheel, you take your life and the lives of everyone else out on the road into your hands, as getting in a car accident could be detrimental. Because of this, you shouldn’t be behind the wheel if you’re not in a good mental state.
To help you know when this might be happening, here are three signs that you might not be in a good mental state to be driving.
You’re Experiencing Emotional Distress
Anyone who is experiencing an intense situation that’s causing them emotional distress should be very wary about driving. Because you may not be in a position where you can make rational choices or be as aware of what’s going on around you as you should be when you’re behind the wheel, it’s usually best to find a different way to get around during these times.
Some examples of experiencing emotional distress could include things like not having as much energy as you usually do, feeling hopelessness, having a lot of worry or anxiety, excessively crying, and other such intense emotional responses.
You’ve Been Using Certain Substances
While there are plenty of medications and other substances that you can be taking and still be safe to drive, there are others that you put and other people on the road at risk of having something dangerous happen.
While most people know that drinking alcohol or using illicit drugs isn’t something you should do before driving, taking medications like antipsychotics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and mood stabilizers can also affect your ability to be a safe and cognizant driver. So if you’re taking anything like this, make sure you speak with your doctor and monitor your own health before driving.
You’re Too Tired To Drive
Being tired can also have a big impact on your ability to be a safe driver. So if you know you haven’t been getting enough sleep in the past few days or you notice yourself doing things like yawning a lot, rubbing your eyes, or being overly cranky or restless, these could all be signs that you’re too tired to safely be driving at this time.
To help ensure that you’re always in the best possible mental state to be behind the wheel, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know if driving might not be the safest choice for you right now.
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