How not to be afraid to fly a plane and what to do with aerophobia

Almost all people experience mild physical discomfort and a sense of anxiety when flying on an airplane from time to time. But if fear becomes so strong that a person tries to avoid flying, experiences uncontrollable panic attacks and is constantly afraid of an accident, it is an aerophobia - fear of heights.

According to the National Society for Transport and Aviation Medicine, about 15% of adults suffer from a fear of flying. Among them there are well-known personalities and those who often have to fly for work. Before you get acquainted with tips on how to not be afraid to fly on an airplane, we suggest you read the real story of a person who experienced a panic fear of flying.

How I Overcome Fear of Flying

“I started flying planes at the age of majority. I had to fly to work in the USSR, and then to foreign countries. All flights were short-lived: no more than three hours. I flew often, the time in flights always passed unnoticed. I was completely not scary: I smoked on board (then it was allowed), walked around the cabin, talked with other passengers, I did not use seat belts during the flight, and turbulence did not cause me any alarm.

Years passed, and smoking was prohibited at first in western airlines, and then in domestic ones. Then, on the airplanes, it was still not possible to watch movies and choose music to listen to with headphones. Therefore, I had free time in flight, and I did not know what to do with it. I began to think that I could not affect the control of the aircraft, about altitude, about accidents. I wanted to constantly listen to all the sounds, track the vibrations and generally monitor how the plane moves. And then the first fears appeared. I realized that I was afraid to fly a plane, but I did not know what to do with it.

After some time, fear began to increase and arise long before the flight. The worst thing was during take-off: I literally squeezed into the chair, felt my pulse quicken and my palms sweat, and my arms clutched my fingers. During the flight, I frantically listened and panicked with turbulence and any "strange" sounds. I was offended that the other passengers were sleeping, and for some reason I was trying to control the plane. As the plane began to decline, my fear abruptly disappeared.

To cope with fear, I started drinking alcohol before flying. But this was not an option, because I flew often, and alcohol did not affect my well-being badly. Then I began to work on my phobia, to analyze the causes of fear. It turned out that the main problem is unoccupied time during the flight and the boredom of being in a confined space. I understood that I could not speak freely with people or get off at the bus stop to warm up. At night, the darkness beyond the porthole was alarming.

I wanted to cope with fear, so I read a lot about how to stop being afraid of flying on an airplane, I went to a psychologist once. Over time, I learned to control my emotions, switch attention and keep myself occupied during the flight. I believe that this phobia can be dealt with: the main thing is to start as early as possible and not start the problem. "

How not to be afraid to fly an airplane: useful tips

1. Give up alcohol

Do not drink alcohol before flying. This will not reassure you, but will lead to the opposite effect. When you are on a plane at high altitude, in conditions of reduced pressure, alcohol penetrates very quickly into the bloodstream and causes severe intoxication. Instead of relaxing, you will feel restless, irritated, weak and depressed. In addition, the abuse of alcohol in flight can lead to lower limb thrombosis, and many airlines adhere to the Prohibition.

Give preference to soothing herbal teas or special soothing remedies. The pharmacy will advise you on drugs suitable for use on an airplane.

2. Learn statistics, not disaster news

Do not look for information on air crashes on the Internet, do not look at scary photos and try to tune in a positive way. To make sure that the plane is the safest transport, statistics will help you. Just imagine that every second there are up to ten thousand airplanes in the air.

More than 50,000 flights are made daily to all countries of the world. More than 5 billion passengers fly by air in one year, and an average of 300 people die in catastrophes during this time. This means that the probability of death during a flight is 1 out of 12,000,000. At the same time, only in Moscow alone about 30,000 people die in road accidents per year. It turns out that traveling by car is much more dangerous.

3. Understand what turbulence is.

Psychological research shows that most people suffering from aerophobia are driven by prejudice. If you do not know why turbulence occurs, and you think that the plane can suddenly rise and fall, this only provokes groundless fears. In order not to be afraid to fly on an airplane, you need to know what shakes in flight.

Turbulence is a common occurrence in the atmosphere where humidity and pressure change. When the air density is not uniform, the aircraft vibrates when moving along it. This is not dangerous, since it is designed for much higher loads. Not a single aircraft has crashed in the past decades or suffered from turbulence. Believe me, the pilots are ready for such zones, so they tell the passengers about this in advance.

4. Choose a suitable place

Aerophobia can be combined with other phobias. Understand exactly what you are afraid to choose the right place. If you are afraid of heights, do not sit near the porthole. If you are afraid of an enclosed space, select a place at the aisle. If panic attacks occur when shaking, sit in front of the plane. Those who are allowed funds can be advised to buy tickets to the first or business class. There you can lie comfortably and it will be easier to relax.

5. Create conditions for a comfortable stay

Create a sense of home comfort. In the salon, put on comfortable clothes, slippers, ask the stewardess for a blanket and pillow. Drink warm tea, eat chocolate or any other treat that you like. Take the most comfortable pose and turn on calm music in the headphones: for example, the sounds of nature. Read a book or imagine the country you are flying to. Ideally, all this should help you if not to fall asleep, then at least relax and calm down.

6. Try to fall asleep

Do not drink coffee on the plane, so as not to provoke anxiety. It is better to use sedatives for sleeping on airplanes (they can be bought in advance in pharmacies). If you follow the previous advice, it will be easier for you to fall asleep. If sleep does not come, listen to music with a calm rhythm and breathe deeply with pauses. Focus on how you breathe in and out. Try to imagine how the air fills your lungs and then leaves the body. Such breathing is used during yoga classes.

7. Fly chewing gum or candy

When taking off or landing, chew chewing gum or dissolve candy. This will help with ear plugging and motion sickness. If you suffer from nausea on an airplane, take special anti-motion sickness pills in advance.

8. Breathe deeply with bouts of fear

As soon as you feel a fit of fear, start breathing deeply and slowly. Inhale through the nose and exhale as calmly as possible through the mouth. Focus on breathing, imagine how with air you release all fears and anxieties from the body. At best, this exercise will help you fall asleep.

9. Tune in to positive

When you are in flight, do not fantasize about the disaster. Think about which country you are flying to. Imagine what you will do after arrival: where you go, where you will live, how you will relax and with whom to meet.

10. Prepare distracting activities

In advance, think up and prepare classes that will help you get distracted during the flight. Watch a movie, talk with a fellow traveler, read an interesting book, solve a crossword or puzzle. If you like to draw, take a notebook and pencils (crayons) with you. Any activities that fascinate you are suitable. Many people are well distracted by games: for example, "Cities", "Contact", etc.

11. Consult a psychologist

If advice on how not to be afraid to fly an airplane does not help you, it means that you have a strong form of aerophobia. In this case, consult a psychologist for help. A specialist will help you find the cause of fear and deal with it.

We hope that our tips will help you, and you will spend time in flight with pleasure!