You have an invitation to MPU and your feelings are initially mixed. Whether you're confused, anxious, or perhaps even a little angry—you know that you want and must pass the MPU because you can no longer do without your mobility these days. Perhaps even your job depends on it. MPU counseling therefore makes sense for many reasons, but not only in relation to your mobility.
A MPU consulting can offer more than just competent preparation for the MPU. If you're open to it, it also offers you the opportunity to gain deeper insights into your life that extend beyond traffic. The MPU offers you the chance to make positive changes to aspects of your life. Why and how? We'll explain below.
The tip of the iceberg
You may not have had any major problems with traffic, drugs, or alcohol, or have committed any crimes in your past—but now something has happened that requires you to undergo an MPU (Medical Performance Test). Many of our clients are initially skeptical and even a bit annoyed, calling the MPU a "money-making scheme" or nonsense.
But no matter whether it is a Alcohol MPU, Points MPU, Criminal offenses MPU or Drug MPU Something has gone wrong. We want to and can help you figure out what "something" is wrong. It's essential for you to understand the reasons.
You may not have had any major problems with traffic, drugs, or alcohol, or have committed any crimes in your past—but now something has happened that requires you to undergo an MPU. Many of our clients are initially skeptical and even a bit annoyed, calling the MPU a "money-making scheme" or nonsense, and simply passing it is nonsense. The MPU examiners have no sympathy for your apparent lack of understanding and want to see genuine insight from you.
The perspective we take during our MPU preparation regarding your behavior and traffic offenses often goes deeper than our clients expect—and this is perceived positively by them as a great opportunity. In many cases, the MPU represents only the tip of the iceberg—an iceberg of personal problems that may have accumulated over weeks, months, or even decades and found their outlet in traffic violations or alcohol/drug use.
In our countless consultations, we repeatedly find that the order for an MPU is in no way solely related to reckless driving behavior, but often represents the culmination of a personal crisis for some people. It usually has its origins in deeper motives or a chain reaction of events.
Problems with a spouse, job dissatisfaction, unemployment, or psychological components and issues that have not yet been addressed are just some of the diverse reasons we frequently explore with our clients in our confidential and personal consultations. Naturally, we also frequently discuss their personal circumstances. Because if you don't identify these reasons, you will most likely fail the MPU.
What is the reason why someone has resorted to alcohol/drugs or committed a crime and this has become noticeable in traffic?
Alcohol and cannabis — two toxic friendships
Surely every one of us has had a sip of beer or a glass of wine to relieve a little stress—whether it was simply due to a stressful day at work, a problem with our employer, or a visit from our mother-in-law. Many people use alcohol as a stress reliever. This doesn't always work, depends on various factors, and may even lead to more problems and grief in the long run.
Another similarly used addictive substance is marijuana. Smoking a joint or consuming cannabis is not uncommon, especially among young people and often even among adults. The goal is often to “calm down” or relax, avoid the problems of everyday life and take everything a little easier.
However, the amount and the motivation for alcohol and/or cannabis consumption make a significant difference. While alcohol and cannabis can help some people—not always or generally—to temporarily clear their minds or even become more open and articulate during consumption, the effect can quickly reverse and lead us into a vicious cycle that may have cost us our driving license or even led us to undergo a medical examination (MPU).
Shutting down feelings, ignoring problems, and bottling up grief are not lasting solutions—especially when achieved with alcohol or drugs.
Let’s take an example:
There's tension with our partner. This makes us unhappy, stressed, and some people might prefer to address it with a joint, which they then ignore for the time being. For many, it's the quick and easy way to relax, but it's only temporary.
There is probably no communication with the partner at first — or it happens too late — and perhaps the use of cannabis is yet another point of contention that adds to the original problem that has not yet been resolved.
The consequences? Even more problems and even more stress. A vicious cycle develops, and behavioral patterns become entrenched. The unresolved issues then often seek other outlets for release.
Alcohol, drugs or points — the car convicts us
"It'll be fine," is a thought many people have, only to be quickly disabused of that notion during a traffic stop or speed trap. If you attract attention with unusual or careless driving behavior, or in the worst-case scenario, cause an accident, it's even more serious and should definitely prompt you to reconsider your driving habits. This may now have been mandated for you through a medical-psychological assessment (MPU).
Another very common scenario is that, due to frustration, anger, or subconscious emotions, we give our feelings some space through our driving style, and in turn, we use the car as an outlet for our suspicions—this often happens subconsciously. We want to really put our foot on the gas, feel free, and vent our anger.
Our suppressed feelings are rarely directed against strangers on the road, but often at the boss who treated us unfairly, at the partner with whom we had an argument, or we step on the gas to release negative feelings that we were unable to let out at the relevant moment.
“After an argument with my boss, I started driving faster,” we heard just a few days ago during an MPU consultation.
In particular, working conditions, which for many people make up the largest part of their everyday life, are a common cause of negative emotions, stress and consequently misconduct in traffic.
About high-flyers and people-pleasers
We live in a meritocratic society, and it's not for nothing that the German work ethic is highly valued in other countries, or even somewhat ridiculed. "Can you finish the report by Friday?" or "Can you help me move on Friday?" are just a few examples of many where we often prioritize the needs of others and forget to think about ourselves, or neglect our own needs.
Are the demands at work realistic, or do I even have the time to help with the move? Will my health or personal life possibly suffer from excessive pressure to perform? How much space am I giving my needs?—these are questions we should ask ourselves, but don't always.
Often, those affected are exploited for years by friends, acquaintances, or their employers—not necessarily consciously. They constantly work overtime to please their boss or out of fear of losing their job. They help friends move so as not to disappoint them.
We don't say "no" because we want to please—this phenomenon, in which a person ignores their own boundaries and needs in order to please others, is also called "people-pleaser." This behavior pattern is often found in very helpful and friendly people of all genders, who often subconsciously want to fulfill other people's expectations and fall by the wayside in the process.
Experience has shown that many people, especially in sales, schedule so many appointments in a row that they're either virtually impossible to achieve or can only be met under extreme time pressure. A combination of performance pressure and the "people pleaser."
This pressure is then released in traffic: ignoring all dangers in order to meet the unrealistic deadlines on time, the driver then presses the accelerator.
A very high level of commitment or the inability to set boundaries or simply say "no" is a very common reason that we work through with our clients. "I wanted to be the best" and "I get praised for my good results" are statements we frequently hear from our MPU participants. Unrealistic expectations and unhealthy boundaries rarely help us—not even during our MPU exam.
What helps, however, is that in our MPU sessions we reveal such ingrained behavioral patterns together with you, and this is the first step towards a solution and improvement — this consists of passing your MPU and making positive changes in your life so that something like this hopefully doesn't happen again.
MPU uncovers and offers opportunities
In our MPU preparation, we help you uncover these potentially problematic behavioral patterns and work together to find healthy alternatives. Ideally, we'll even work together to identify the life-history or biographical causes that led to these behavioral patterns in the first place. You can then apply these insights more broadly to your life to improve your quality of life and live a healthier life.
If you commit to MPU counseling, together we will turn a negative experience into something positive. You will not only pass the MPU, but you may even gain something positive for your personal life. In a free MPU initial consultation we can discuss your individual case.
