I don’t tend to drive as you suggest but I take your point about being too close to what is not healthy and frightening. Normally, I have no problems confronting my fears. Speaking to an audience is not a problem for me having done it on many occasions. I just have these issues associated with standing up for myself within the context of my marriage which is a fear I face every single day. Unlike most fears, it doesn’t seem to get any easier even with daily exposure. That is what abuse does unfortunately. It causes psychological problems from constantly being on edge over the long term resulting in complex PTSD. The feelings keep on returning even in the absence of the stimulus.