How To Overcome The Fear Of Flying

Fear of flying is the fear of flying. It can take a number of different forms, but in most cases it does not mean being able to travel.

In this article, we will tell you more about the fear of flying and how you can treat it.

Fear of flying: Symptoms and causes

The fear of traveling by plane is more common than you might think. One in three passengers has a fear of flying.

For this reason, many airlines have developed courses (many of them free) so that people can confront this fear and get over the phobias. After all, you may have an air phobia (flying in an airplane) or a combination of other phobias, such as claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) or acrophobia (fear of heights).

Fear of flying gets more attention than any other fear because of its implications.

Many people who are afraid of flying do not go on holidays that include long-distance travel (such as those that cannot be reached by highway or sea), they do not visit relatives who live in another country or continent and they do not go on business trips, which means that they does not advance in his professional career.

Although air transport is the safest way to travel, the problem with a serious fear of flying is that they are unsure of what can happen during departure, flight and landing.

Not being able to have “feet on the ground” increases anxiety.

People with fear of flying experience different types of fear. These include:

• “The plane is going to crash”

• “I want a panic attack”
• “I can not get out”
• “I want to be claustrophobic”
• “It will be turbulence and nice sounds”
• “They will not be able to help me if I have a heart attack”
• “I will fly over water or at night”
• “The whole situation will be out of my control”

A previous trauma can also cause fear of flying

For example , you may develop this phobia if someone you know or a family member has died in an accident, or if there was a lot of turbulence or an emergency landing was required the first time you traveled by plane. You may have also seen movies about plane crashes.

The media can also trigger fear of flying. The news often shows plane crashes, and they report the number of victims in a shocking way and not as if it were an isolated incident.

It is important to understand that more people die as a result of car accidents than plane crashes.

How to overcome the fear of flying

People who are unable to travel to remote locations due to fear of flying should seek treatments that will help them overcome their fears.

Some methods that can be very helpful are:

1. Learning about aircraft

You do not have to be a pilot or a flight attendant to understand how an airplane works.

Learn how it works during takeoff and landing, what happens during the flight, what safety precautions you can take in advance, what you should take into account during the flight, how many checks planes must pass before taking off, etc.

It can also be useful to find out how the wings and all other parts of the aircraft work.

Aircraft are continuously inspected and maintained. Before the pilot takes off , everything must be in perfect condition.

For every hour that the plane is in the air, it must also go through 11 hours of maintenance to ensure that everything works properly.

2. Compare aviation safety

It is true that the majority of passengers die when there is a plane crash. However, you are less likely to be involved in a plane crash than to be in a car accident.

Look for statistics to calm your nerves. Although we can see different cases of plane crashes on the news, the media definitely portray them as highly publicized issues instead of something out of the ordinary.

3. How to overcome the fear of flying: Prepare for normal flying movements

In many cases, the fear of flying is caused by the unknown.

What happens when there is turbulence? What happens during departure? Why do they make us fasten our seat belts?

When our sense of security changes, we automatically believe that something bad will happen. However, it does not have to be this way.

For example, you should be prepared to:

• Using earplugs (for the change in cabin pressure)
• Experience an empty feeling in the stomach (because the plane moves fast to take off)
• Feel the movement from the wings of the plane (to change direction or to fly when there is wind)

4. Do not worry about turbulence

Although you may think it’s the worst part of the flight, turbulence is actually very common.

• If you travel for more than 6 hours, the plane will at some point move a little more.
• This happens when the aircraft passes through a low pressure area and then passes through a high pressure area. It can be compared to driving on a rocky or bumpy road.
• Passengers are asked to fasten their seat belts for safety reasons.

5. How to overcome the fear of flying: Control your anxiety

You have to realize that the flight does not depend on you. This means that you should not worry about anything beyond your control.

You can practice relaxation techniques or breathing exercises in the moments leading up to departure or during the flight.

Imagine the place you are going to, the places you are going to visit and who you will meet when you get there. Watch movies, read a book, listen to music, play sudoku or talk to the person sitting next to you.

That way, you will not be so aware of what is going on around you.