Aerophobia: Fear of Flying
People who suffer from a fear of flying feel a great fear of flying . Often the mere thought of boarding a plane causes anxiety and discomfort.
The fear of flying is a major burden, especially when the flight path often has to be chosen for professional reasons . But the fear of flying can also be a major obstacle for vacations and dreams of certain vacation destinations remain unfulfilled forever. We give tips for fear of flying and explain how aviophobia can be treated.
- Author: John Miller | Updated: September 16, 2022 by John
- Medical reviewed by Benjamin Preston
Fear of flying usually causes physical symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, nausea or headaches. Some sufferers also suffer from stomach or intestinal cramps or even get a panic attack. This can occur before the holiday, when boarding the aircraft or even during the journey.
Some people are afraid of heights or claustrophobia and therefore do not want to get on a plane. Others, on the other hand, are afraid of the technology and therefore do not feel safe on the plane. Trauma and stories of accidents can also increase a fear of flying. The cause is often unfounded, since statistically aircraft accidents are still very rare.
Anyone who suffers from a severe fear of flying can get medical or therapeutic help, with behavioral therapy approaches being particularly effective. Medication can also be prescribed for exceptional situations.
For many of those affected, tips against the fear of flying can already help to alleviate the symptoms and thus survive a longer journey.
Fear of Flying Triggers
Fear of flying often begins in childhood or adolescence , for example when the parents are also afraid of boarding an airplane.
Even if the fear is not directly expressed by the adults, the children still notice that their parents are nervous and tense. This can lead to aviophobia, although the children themselves have never been on board an airplane.
Another cause of fear of flying can be a traumatic experience such as an emergency landing, which can trigger fear of death in those affected. Negative feelings are then always associated with the flight and also stored in the brain.
If the affected person sees an airplane, then these feelings of fear come up again, which is also known as negative conditioning.
Furthermore, aviophobia can also be triggered by negative information or films . For example, many people find flying through turbulence uncomfortable, but not life-threatening.
Afterwards, if they see a plane crash in a movie that was caused by turbulence, it can create a strong feeling of anxiety.
The biological factor that can possibly trigger a fear of flying is the autonomic nervous system, which controls and regulates organ functions.
When people suffer from a phobia, the autonomic nervous system becomes excited very quickly and symptoms of anxiety appear within a short period of time.
In addition, individual factors can also be considered for the development of a fear of flying…
- Anxious attitude
- Lack of travel experience
- Stress
Symptoms of Fear of Flying
- tachycardia
- Shallow and rapid breathing
- feelings of suffocation
- Dizziness
- weak knees
- Tremble
- stomach pain
- Increased urination
In addition, those affected usually imagine before the flight what could happen, which causes their heart rate to rise and their fear to increase . If the fear of flying is very pronounced, it can even lead to panic attacks that cause great anxiety.
If left untreated, anxiety symptoms can also worsen. If the following tips do not help against the fear of flying, it is advisable to counteract an extreme fear of flying and seek professional help.
The sooner you treat aviophobia, the higher the chances that you can board a plane again without fear.
Tips Against Fear of Flying
Anyone suffering from aviophobia should never board a flight unprepared . It is important to arrive at the airport early enough to avoid stress. It is recommended to wear comfortable clothing. A suit with a tie can add to the tightness in the chest and around the neck. You can also change after the flight.
- Provide information about the aircraft (size, safety, etc.)
- Don't fly on an empty stomach. This could increase discomfort.
- light food. e.g. fruit / yoghurt.
- Drink enough Water!
- Listen to soothing music. No fuss or action.
- If you want to watch a movie, choose a comedy.
- Avoid coffee or caffeinated drinks as they make you nervous.
- Calm breathing against feelings of anxiety. Exhale long.
- Feet should touch the aircraft floor during flight.
- Communicating with neighbors or the stewardess can help.
It may be advisable to choose a suitable seat on the aircraft. The fewest flight movements are noticed on the spots above the wings.
Seats in the middle of a row, on the other hand, can trigger a feeling of being trapped. An aisle seat is therefore popular with people who also suffer from claustrophobia.
A window seat is individually an advantage or a disadvantage. Basically, nobody has to look out the window just because they have a window seat.
If you are not afraid of heights, you can try a window seat, because there are reports of people who are afraid of flying but find the view out of the window calming.
Sporting activities in your free time are recommended, as they convey a sense of achievement, increase self-esteem and promote relaxation. Sufficient workload and exercise before a long flight can help to stay stress-free and relaxed. Meditation can also help keep negative thoughts out of your mind. Through the exercises in meditation to consciously perceive or reject thoughts, bad thoughts can be consciously pushed aside in everyday life.
Professional Therapy for Fear of Flying
Cognitive behavioral therapy is very effective here , and even a few therapy sessions can help. As part of cognitive behavioral therapy, those affected are confronted with their fear and their thoughts are then restructured.
Usually the client has to imagine a flight situation in his mind and then get used to this idea. In the course of time this succeeds better and better and the feelings of anxiety decrease . Another course of action would be to immediately face the biggest challenge, which is to board a plane.
This form of therapy is also known as ” massed confrontation “. In this way, the person concerned can experience that nothing life-threatening will happen to him during the flight, which also means that the physical symptoms will decrease.
The client is initially accompanied by the therapist, but should be able to cope with the respective situation independently at the end of the treatment. In addition, as part of a therapy, unreal thoughts such as “The plane will definitely crash” are questioned and this assumption is checked with the help of specific questions or replaced by realistic thoughts.
In addition, relaxation techniques are often used, which can be learned under supervision and then carried out independently at home. Breathing exercises are often used, other helpful methods are progressive muscle relaxation or autogenic training.
Extreme fear of flying can also be reduced with medication. In extreme cases, doctors can use sedatives or sleeping pills (benzodiazepines). These drugs act very quickly and reduce anxiety on the plane. It should be noted here, however, that drugs only suppress anxiety, but do not overcome it, and that benzodiazepines have a relatively high potential for addiction. If you still have a few weeks until your flight, you can also use herbal remedies such as valerian or St. John’s wort.
Find Online Help
If the fear of flying does not improve with simple tips, a doctor can be consulted for a prescription or medication, or even a psychologist for behavioral therapy.
If you are reluctant to go to the doctor because of a doctor phobia or feelings of shame, you can also use online video consultations. Psychological counseling is now also possible via the Internet.
Freelance Medical Writer.
Sources:
Clark GI, Rock AJ. Processes contributing to the maintenance of flying phobia: A narrative review. Front Psychol. 2016;7:754. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00754
Eaton WW, Bienvenu OJ, Miloyan B. Specific phobias. Lancet Psychiatry. 2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-X
Campos D, Bretón-López J, Botella C, et al. Efficacy of an internet-based exposure treatment for flying phobia (NO-FEAR Airlines) with and without therapist guidance: A randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry. 2019;19(1):86. doi:10.1186/s12888-019-2060-4