How to Overcome the Fear of Flying

The fear of flying is a highly complex issue and affects significant numbers of people but there are ways and means of dealing with the inordinate and unrealistic fear of flying.

It is either the onset of a dedicated phobia, also known as aerophobia or aviatophobia, or it is a combination of one or more specific phobias that manifest in the air. If you consider the constraints to an individual’s freedom whilst flying, then it is easy to understand how these pathological anxieties can be so crippling to some.

Pathological phobias

Freedom of movement in an airborne vehicle is largely restricted and can lead to fears of deep-vein thrombosis for instance. Then there is the fear of heights that can also manifest in psychical symptoms like sweaty palms, dizziness and shortness of breath; the fear of closed spaces, referred to as claustrophobia, is also a direct spin-off of flying and can lead to muscle tension, heart palpitations and stomach discomfort.

There are any number of specific anxieties that can and do have a marked effect on the well being of a passenger. In these instances, the best practice would be to deal with each symptom on its own. If you are experiencing a panic attack, breathe deeply and slowly into a bag and try a relaxation technique. If you are convinced you are going to faint, put your head between your knees and ask the stewardess for a cold drink.

Anxiety may not be related to flying at all

Fear of flying can also be a direct result of something unpleasant occurring prior to or after the flight itself. If, for instance, you fly to your head office for a meeting and are told you have been fired, your mind may well trigger off these unpleasant feelings all over again every time you fly. It is in this case clearly not the fear of flying that is the problem but the associated anxiety of losing your job.

This is all quite intricate to think through, but it would benefit you to explore the psychodynamics of the anxiety and to try and determine the circumstances in your life when the anxiety first developed if you suffer from these phobias.

Generally manifests in adults

As we get older we seem to become more aware of our mortality and often dwell on dangerous aspects of life or possibly life-threatening situations, and flying certainly falls into this category for many.

While it may not help us to completely overcome our fear when we are told that it is about 60 times safer to fly than to drive in a motor car in South Africa, we can use this information to influence our negative thoughts and feelings attached to flying in a positive way.

Tips to help you overcome the fear of flying

Don’t dwell on the negative possibilities; expand your awareness to embrace positive things. Take your mind off your fear by chatting to someone, or by concentrating on how beautiful the view is out your window.

Be well informed as to the relative safety of an aeroplane. Many uninformed passengers are under the misconception that it is the engines that keep a plane above the ground and therefore assume engine failure will lead to the plane plummeting to the ground. This is not true, as a plane can glide quite safely without engines for a distance and an accomplished pilot will be able land the plane without too much ado.

Instead of fighting the fact that you are not in control, resign yourself to this fact and rather do something positive like reading, sleeping (tablets can assist you with this) or even a cross-word puzzle.

If your fear of flying is attached to a fear of dying, look at a spiritual solution and if your fear of flying is a definitive phobia, seek clinical help.