Our body , especially in the modern era , so frenetic and “accelerated”, is usually subjected to particular phenomena to the point that it is almost common for some of our actions to be carried out fully automatically without even remembering that we have thought about they. One of the most curious cases is that of “road hypnosis” or “highway hypnosis” that we explain in detail what it consists of and why it occurs.
Highway hypnosis: what it is and why it occurs
It may seem momentous or mysterious, but in reality highway hypnosis is a more common phenomenon than it seems. First studied in 1921, this type of hypnosis is increasingly common in people who drive their car on long, monotonous roads.
It is by no means a real illness, but a kind of psychosomatic disorder: according to researchers, it is increasingly common for people in cars (not necessarily exclusively the driver) to separate the conscious part from their subconscious . While the first performs the classic and everyday actions (also responding to stimuli from the outside world), the second takes a totally different path, experiencing a real dissociation.
How many times has it happened to us, while driving our vehicle, that although we are wide-eyed and attentive to the road, our mind “floats” among thousands of thoughts? How many times have you driven without losing attention, complying with all road safety regulations but still you can be thinking about “your stuff”? This is precisely highway hypnosis.
It is as if the driver is “daydreaming .” In fact, it is not a coincidence that at the end of this trance, the subject who has been subjected to hypnosis does not even remember anything about the trip he has just traveled, being amazed by his own automated work since he has reached his destination without practically realizing account.
Although this momentary disturbance is often amusing, it can actually turn into a rather dangerous condition , and as early as the late 1950s, it was hypothesized that several explainable accidents could be justified by highway hypnosis. In fact, in the most extreme cases, hypnosis can cause sudden bouts of drowsiness.
Why Does Highway Hypnosis Happen?
Researchers still do not have concrete evidence on what causes this “escape of consciousness” to arise, but it is clear that the dissociation is linked to some sudden stimulus: it can be a sound, a word, a color, a stress condition or even the self-generated thinking.
Among the external causes, we must consider the factor of automation : performing the same action, many times identical, leads our brain to not worry too much about what is happening and to “fly” over other thoughts.
It is one of the reasons why American or Siberian highways, which are usually very long , even though they can travel straight lines for thousands of kilometers, actually have seemingly pointless hairpin bends : it is a way to draw attention to the who are behind the wheel, avoiding potential disasters.
Has this happened to you? Have you ever experienced any of these effects? In any case, always remember to hit the road only with excellent physical and mental health and, above all, check that you have had enough rest and make stops from time to time on those routes that are very long .
