How To Deal With The Fear Of Flying

Hands that sweat cold, breathlessness, teeth chattering, our mind that does nothing but transmit images of plane crashes … It is impossible, even if we want to, we cannot organize any travel that obliges us to take a plane, because we have a phobia of flight.

And so, we miss the opportunity to get to know wonderful places, visit friends and relatives who live far away or simply accompany our partner in the dream of his life: visit the pyramids in Egypt, dance the hula in Hawaii or see kangaroos in Australia. .

Did you know that the fear of flying is very common? It is said that one in four people suffer from it. A quarter of the world population, and you too have fallen into this group! The main fear is linked to the fear that the plane will fall, and it is linked to the fact that we are beings of terrestrial nature and, for this reason, we tend not to trust everything that is in the area or in the water.

It doesn’t matter how many times we have been told that “there is less chance of dying on a plane than in a car” or that “modern planes are the safest means of transport there is”. All phrases that seem to have been taken out of a manual to combat phobias, but which make no sense to you.

Like all fears, even that of flying has a close relationship with emotions, past experiences or even with the simple fact of having seen a movie in which the plane fell. And the worst part is that the people around you who aren’t afraid to fly don’t understand you. They think that you are exaggerating or that you do not appreciate the opportunity to go to New York, Rio de Janeiro or Hong Kong just because of a few hours on the plane.

Flying is the only way to eliminate the phobia

We can go to the psychologist, take an area mechanics course to understand any noise or movement of the plane or even use a flight simulator. But the only way to say goodbye to the fear of flying is… to fly!

It is understandable that you feel panic at the very thought. In fact, your knees will probably shake while you are reading this article, you will have started to sweat and your heart will be beating wildly. But, if you want to stop suffering every time someone tells you they’re going on vacation to the other side of the world or to postpone that trip you’ve always dreamed of taking, you need to breathe deeply and decide to start treatment.

Here are some of our tips to do it!

• Sign up for a course organized by airlines. Many airlines run courses to help passengers who are afraid of flying. They start with a personal interview and then offer a theoretical course with pilots and mechanics experts to answer any questions you have. At the end of the course, there will be a session in a flight simulator with all the situations you might face (take-off and landing, turbulence, technical problems, etc.).

• Practice meditation or relaxation exercises . They will help you reduce the stress and anguish that takes hold of you when you think about flying. Practice these techniques several days before planning your trip, until they become automatic.

• Avoid ingesting substances to relax. Many people who are afraid of flying decide to take medicine (mainly anxiolytics) or drink alcohol before boarding the plane. The first choice will not take away your fear, but will allow you to live the situation in a more peaceful way. The second, on the other hand, is very not recommended, because alcohol amplifies the sensations and can cause stomach pain, headache, etc. In addition, your ability to self-control will decrease.

What to do on the day of the flight?

You took courage (or so you said to yourself) and finally accepted your husband or wife’s proposal to climb Machu Picchu or take a camel ride in the desert. Well done! While planning your trip, packing your bags or asking your neighbor to water the plants, you didn’t have time to think about your phobia.

But everything changes when you arrive at the airport, check in and then those unpleasant sensations make their appearance again. You are about to rush out of the terminal and abandon your travel companion. Don’t worry. You can overcome fear. Like? By following these tips:

• Avoid the window seats.  It will make you very nervous at take off, especially on cloudy days. It is preferable to choose a seat on the aisle and close to the wings, as this is the place on the plane where movement is least felt.

• Observe the flight crew. The hostesses and stewards will be laughing, calm and confident. This will make you understand that you have nothing to fear. We advise you to tell a stewardess that you are afraid of flying, she will certainly pay attention to how you feel and will help you to overcome the most critical moments of the flight.

• Breathe deeply and close your eyes if necessary. Remember that turbulence is a simple change in velocity in the mass of air and has no impact on the safety of the aircraft.

• Bring something to hang out with : how about a book by your favorite writer, a crusader magazine or a distracting movie? You can also focus on everything that awaits you when you land.

• Wear light clothes : it is likely that you will begin to sweat and that everything bothers you, that you are hot and want to feel as less “suffocated” as possible. Remember to choose comfortable clothing.

• Finally, try to fly accompanied, if possible by someone who has already taken a plane before. You will feel calmer and it will be useful to be able to shake his hand when you are afraid.

If you liked this article, we propose another one in which we talk about the eight strangest phobias that exist. Did you know them?