How to get rid of your fear of flying
Once upon a time people dreamed of flying across the sky like birds. Modern realities give us this opportunity - for a relatively small fee, you can find yourself anywhere in the world in the shortest possible time. But another problem arose that prevented the free dissection of the airspace - aerophobia.
The fear of flying on airplanes is not a fiction or a whim. This is a very specific disease, because of which people have to abandon such a convenient and fast form of transport. Every person experiences a slight excitement before the flight. But if it goes beyond all boundaries, it is a disease. A person with aerophobia feels anxiety and anxiety on the way to the airport. His heart rate increases, sweating intensifies, his speech is incoherent, and his arms and legs become numb. The face turns red and pale, the head is spinning, concentration of attention is lost, all sounds are heard like an echo. Women can go into hysterics, cry and scream. If a person has to give up the flight out of fear, then this is a serious phobia, which must be dealt with, not without the help of a qualified psychologist.
Where does the fear of flying an airplane come from?
Fear is a natural reaction of the body to a certain danger. The instinct of self-preservation warns us against possible risks to life and health. But why does one person calmly endure flights, while the other shakes like an aspen leaf throughout the entire journey? Who is susceptible to aerophobia?
- As scientists have established, aerophobia, like other fears, is inherited. That is, there is a certain percentage of the likelihood that your brothers, sisters, parents and children will suffer from the fear of flying if you yourself are afraid to fly. It was found that identical twins in 70% of cases suffer from the same phobias.
- Living conditions, upbringing and the foundation laid in childhood for the perception of the world is also an important factor in relation to various subjects. For example, if in childhood your parents once dropped the phrase that an airplane is dangerous, you can fall and crash, etc., then an attitude towards this iron bird begins to form.
- The existing unrest can be exacerbated by the influence of the media. Often in the news they talk about a tragic plane crash, we take everything to heart, empathize and unwittingly put ourselves in the shoes of these people. We do not think that there were a million other successful flights on other liners per day, we only think about this tragic departure. And getting on the plane once again, we believe that the tragedy can happen to us. Such impressionable people should not watch the news about plane crashes.
If the fear of flying is strong enough, if it does not go away for a long time, tormenting your nerves, it must be treated. Usually, in the treatment of aerophobia, they use the methods of neurolinguistic programming (NLP), medications (sedatives) and hypnotic suggestion. But sessions with a psychotherapist and psychologist are considered especially effective, which will help to identify the true cause of fear and, with the help of conversation, eliminate the phobia forever. To be sure of the successful result of the conversations, some psychological clinics have rooms that simulate the cabin of an airplane, takeoff, landing, etc.
- During check-in, ask to be seated in a place where the porthole will not be visible, because looking outside will increase your fears. A seat in the center of the plane will help you step back from the problem. Some people calm down when they sit closer to the emergency exit - perhaps this will make it easier for you.
- Try to distract yourself during the flight. Read a book, watch a movie, eat. Even a simple chocolate bar can increase the level of endorphins, which will improve your psycho-emotional state.
- When buying a ticket, pay attention to the choice of the airline, find out about its reputation. If in its entire history this team has not "dropped" a single plane, it is worth something. The thought of the reliability of air travel will reassure you.
- If you are in fear during the flight, try to communicate with the person sitting next to you. If you are not flying alone, this is great. Talking to a stranger is even more interesting. Perhaps you can practice learning foreign languages?
- At the moment of takeoff, many are gripped by fear due to the roar of the engine. Use headphones to prevent the noise of a running engine from confusing you. Play your favorite melody to avoid hearing the scary sound.
- Try to relax in your chair. Unbutton the top button of your shirt and loosen your tie. Imagine that you are at home on your favorite couch after a long and hard day at work.
- Another great remedy for a relaxing flight is sleeping pills. Take the pill you need before your flight and it will pass unnoticed. Just keep your money and documents with you.
- Usually, the most disturbing moment in a flight is the time when you have already sat down in your seat, settled down comfortably and are waiting for the plane to start and take off. To speed up anxiety, you can view photos, play games on your phone, tablet, or laptop. If you don't have any gadgets at hand, you can just count. Count to a hundred, a thousand, it calms the nerves perfectly.
- Bring chewing gum or candy with you on the plane. They will distract you from what is happening.
- If you are afraid of shaking and turbulence, then you should pay attention to the choice of a seat on the plane. Sit closer to the nose - in the tail, as a rule, it shakes harder.
- To get rid of the tormenting feelings, you need to do something pleasant before the flight. Meet your friends, go shopping, devote your time to your favorite hobby, play with your pet. And then you will not have time for experiences and excitement - positive emotions are stronger than negative ones.
- If none of the suggested remedies work, try relaxing with alcohol. After all, a small dose of alcohol can really relieve stress, relieve anxiety and fear. Just don't overdo it - it can be fraught with unpleasant consequences.
- To finally get rid of aerophobia, you need to fly as much as possible. It is deposited in your mind as a positive experience. You understand that nothing has happened to you, that it is safe and very convenient to fly.
And the last thing. Think about what you can do if the flight does not go according to plan? Are you a pilot? Will you be able to change the current situation? Of course not. After you get on the plane, you should understand that nothing further depends on you. Therefore, you need to calmly perceive the situation - your worries are still in vain.
An airplane is a huge multi-ton machine that is capable of taking off into the sky and carrying more than a hundred people over long distances. Remember that planes were built by eminent scientists and engineers. During the design, assembly and construction of these machines, calculations were carried out a thousand times with a huge reserve of mass and overload. During operation, all variants of the machine's behavior have been calculated. The operation of the aircraft makes it possible to land this aircraft, even if its main and spare engines have failed.
But disasters do happen, you say. Do happen. However, against the background of multimillion-dollar successful flights, tragedies in the sky are extremely rare. Of the 45 million flights, only one is tragic. By the way, a lot more people die in car accidents, but you are not afraid to get behind the wheel. Remember that all fears are in your head, you just need to overcome them.
Very often people are afraid of the unusual roar of the engine, some knocks and stops. They think the plane's machinery is failing and feel panic attacks impending. In fact, this is absolutely normal, because the plane does not always operate continuously. Sometimes the motor "howls", rumbles and stops. Do not pay attention to this, because there are people on board who are responsible for the operation of the aircraft, for their own and yours. Be optimistic and calm - everything will be fine!
