Fear of airplanes: causes, symptoms, treatment. How not to be afraid to fly on an airplane: advice from those who have overcome aerophobia Fear of flying

We're flying. The plane is chattering, but not much. A flight attendant comes into the cockpit and says that the passenger is hysterical. I ask you to bring her to me. The young girl is all pale and shaking. I sit her next to me and just talk, explaining that everything is fine with us. 15 minutes of calm dialogue - and no phobia. This old incident made me think - why are people afraid to fly?

This is how Pobeda Airlines pilot Alexey Kochemasov, better known on the Internet as pilot Lyokha, began a meeting with passengers in Yekaterinburg. Those who adore the sky and those who adore Lyokha came. The Life correspondent was more likely to belong to the third group of those gathered - aerophobes who want to overcome this disease.

Most people are afraid to fly because they don't know what happens on the plane. Incomprehensible sounds, grinding, steam. For example, I myself am afraid of trains. I travel by train, yes. But over long distances in my entire life (pilot Lyokha is 51 years old. - Approx. Life) I only went two or three times. I can’t say that I have a panicky fear of trains, but I feel uncomfortable, I think trains are dangerous transport, because they constantly go off the rails. And I don’t understand the principle of operation - why don’t the wheels fall inside the rails, especially when turning?

Phobia from ignorance is cured in one go! It is enough to simply explain what happens and at what moment.

The second group of people are those who are afraid because they do not control the flight. They say: I don’t see where the plane is flying, I can’t do anything, nothing depends on me.

But you are a passenger in a car! The driver has a steering wheel and pedals, but you have nothing. And then KamAZ flies head-on. What can you do? Nothing.

The third group is the most difficult - they need to immediately see a psychiatrist. These are those who are internally ready to die. When they find out that they need to fly - two weeks or a month in advance - they begin to eat themselves. Recently, in Cheboksary, a plane skidded off the runway. Although there was nothing terrible there, the media begin to promote: “No one died,” “There were no injuries.” This information catches the eye everywhere, and the person screws himself up. As he prepares to fly, he prepares to die. He thinks: planes haven’t fallen for a long time, so mine will fall. He comes on board already with a feeling of doom.

Such people are very easy to recognize. Men usually get drunk. And alcohol in the air is a dangerous and insidious thing. As one rises to altitude, a person experiences oxygen starvation and alcohol is not broken down in the body, that is, absorption does not occur. Therefore, if 150 grams of vodka drunk on the ground is nothing for a healthy man, then at altitude he is already blown away.

Women are even easier to identify. She yells at the taxi driver, she was given the wrong seat at check-in, her luggage was put in the wrong place, she gets on the plane and insults the flight attendants. The woman begins to make trouble.

I realized that it was useless to say anything to such passengers, and I didn’t know how to deal with them. They are dangerous. The plane shook violently - the panicker jumped up and ran to open the doors. Other passengers, who were not ready to die, panic and also help open the door. Flight attendants often stop at the door those who want to “exit” during the flight.

“As the classics said, knowledge is power,” adds Alexey. That is why he started his pilot Lyokhi blog in the 2000s. He helps people understand the intricacies of aviation, gladly answers all questions, even provocative ones, and does everything so that passengers stop being afraid of flying. For example, after a flight you can ask Lyokha to come into the cockpit. So be sure to listen to the captain’s name, and if Alexey is there, then come in for a look.

In the meantime, he tells the audience about the most popular fears and myths about flying.

Take-off landing

Why are takeoff and landing the most difficult and stressful moments in flight? Due to the proximity of the earth. This is a time crunch. The plane runs along the runway, the speed increases and increases, but it still cannot take off, there is still not enough lift. There comes a moment when the plane is no longer “running”, but is not yet flying, then it takes off - and still it flies, but the speed is low, it only accelerates. And if something happens, the time margin is minimal - you need to react instantly. It’s one thing when a plane flies at an altitude of 12 thousand meters, it will take 20 minutes to fall to the ground - there’s a wagon of time there. And near the ground everything will happen in 20 seconds. And statistics say that disasters most often occur during takeoff/landing. The cases when a plane fell from above can be counted on one hand, and there were always some external factors - terrorist attacks.

During takeoff and landing, a roll (tilt) of the aircraft of 30 degrees is allowed. Moreover, I will surprise you, but in the operating instructions for Boeing aircraft it is written that you can perform a “barrel roll” on them. Of course, this is not normal practice. Boeing writes that when your plane turns out to be banked more than 90 degrees (the nose is down or is falling somewhere), you don’t need to take it away, turn the barrel and fly on. By and large, the plane doesn’t care how you fly - even upside down.

Turbulence

Not all companies in the world, in principle, bypass the bumpy plane - Asians always fly directly. Most of the videos of trays and items falling from luggage compartments are from Asian airlines. Probably it’s a matter of mentality - they believe in reincarnation.

Jokes aside, imagine a large glass ball. Let's put a mouse there and let it run into the stream. He floats, he is rocked by the current. What will happen to the ball? Nothing. What will happen to the mouse? Nothing either, but she will be chatted. An airplane flies in an uneven environment - there are air currents. Between Greenland and Canada over the Baffin Sea (about 800 km there, flight hour) the wind blows on average 300-400 km per hour. It's always shaking there. Sausages from the heart.

Why do you need to wear a seat belt? So that your head doesn't hit the ceiling, but nothing will happen to the plane. Therefore, the issue of turbulence should not arise at all. Shakes and shakes.

Old plane

How does a passenger rate the plane? He comes in and sees: a new seat, carpets, a pleasant smell - that means the plane is new. But the interior of an airplane is not an indicator of its technical condition. When there were intensive flights to Egypt (it was on this route that for some reason rowdy passengers flew all the time), in the new cabin, after several flights, the back of the seat was already torn off, chewing gum was stuck on, the inscriptions “I love you, Masha”, a three-letter word. If a pocket on a seat is torn off, the entire row of seats must be dismantled, and the plane must take off in one and a half to two hours. They simply don't have time to fix it.

The age of an aircraft and its reliability are very loosely related. There are still several airlines in the world that operate the Douglas DC-3. They stopped producing them in the middle of the 20th century, but they still carry passengers. American Airlines has one of the oldest fleets in the world: the average age of aircraft is 17 years. The youngest is at Pobeda: our planes are not two years old.

I have had the opportunity to fly on airplanes of both very ancient design and very recent ones. And it turned out that new ones break more often. Surprising but true. It’s like a car: when you take it from the factory, there are “childhood diseases”, and here too, some small dirty tricks come out all the time.

Alexey's words sound convincing. Sometimes he switches to technical details, draws diagrams, writes formulas, uses words I don’t understand. There is no doubt about his professionalism. And he, in turn, vouches for the others: an inexperienced person will never be seated at the controls of an airplane. And in general, it is much more dangerous to smoke near the entrance in the spring. Icicles fall more often.

The fear of flying in an airplane is called aerophobia, and it is a fairly common fear in the modern world. Since airplanes have long become the main and most convenient way to travel, fear of flying often causes serious inconvenience. Fear of airplanes can have different causes: turbulence, flying over water, periods of takeoff and landing, fear of closed spaces and heights, loss of control over the situation, etc. However, as a rule, the main cause of aerophobia is simply a lack of knowledge about what happens during a flight. To overcome your fear of flying, sometimes you just need to learn a little about airplanes. Below we will tell you how to stop being afraid of flying on an airplane.

Popular mistakes

• When thinking about how to stop being afraid of flying on an airplane, many resort to alcohol. This decision may not have the best effect on your condition and will only increase your anxiety. In addition, the dry air on the plane combined with alcohol will cause dehydration, and physical discomfort will be added to psychological discomfort. And since we're talking about drinks, it's worth remembering that caffeine is also not your best friend in this situation: it can lead the nervous system into an excited state.
• The fear of airplanes forces many to turn to the study of statistics. What do they see there? There are a lot of phrases about how airplanes are the safest form of transport, and that cases of air crashes are rare. But just one small, even accidentally seen, mention of a plane accident clouds the mind, and now a person is already studying the Internet in search of statistics on accidents of his airline, aircraft model, country. Stop! Focusing on the negative will only increase your fear.

How to deal with aerophobia

First, you need to understand the severity of your fear. If, due to flying on an airplane, you experience uncontrollable panic attacks, not only psychological, but also physical difficulties (muscle tension, difficulty breathing), then the best solution would be to contact a psychologist who will tell you how to get rid of aerophobia completely or reduce its manifestations to minimum.

If you feel that you are able to fight fear on your own, below we will give some tips for combating aerophobia:

• Accept your fear. You are far from the only person who is afraid of flying. According to statistics, about 25-30% of the adult population of the planet suffers from aerophobia to one degree or another. There is nothing to be ashamed of, so just admit to yourself that you are afraid. If necessary, you can notify the flight attendants about your fear of airplanes, and they will try to make the flight more comfortable for you.
• Distract attention. Don't focus on the process of flying, instead do something that brings you pleasure. Be sure to take an interesting book with you, charge your laptop or tablet, download interesting applications or pleasant music to your smartphone. Anything that will improve your mood will also reduce your fear. In addition, stock up on your favorite treats, because food is a great helper in the fight against stress. Dark chocolate will be especially useful. For more information on what you can do on a plane, read our article "The Road Under the Clouds: Things to Do on a Plane."
• Inhale - exhale! Straighten your shoulders and take a deep breath, concentrate on your breathing. This will help you calm down. It’s not for nothing that all meditative techniques emphasize the importance of proper breathing.
• Trust the professionals. The aircraft crew are first-class trained specialists in their field. The aircraft board is a mechanism with high safety parameters. Not many people know, but all vital systems on airplanes sometimes have not even one, but several spare copies: two engines, four brake and three fuel systems, three control systems, etc. Should you be afraid when you are in such good hands?

Finally, it is worth mentioning turbulence. What causes the greatest fear, in fact, poses absolutely no danger to flight. It can be compared to bumps in the road, and nothing more. This once again suggests that instead of using your imagination and imagining the worst-case scenario, you should just learn more about flying.

We hope you found this article helpful and learned more about how to deal with your fear of flying.

Aerophobia is the fear of flying, and in a broader sense - the fear of cold air and drafts.

Aero (English) – airborne, phobia (English) – phobia, fear, fear. Psychology identifies another type of phobia – aviophobia. Aviation – aviation, associated with aircraft. The concepts of aerophobia and aviophobia are close in meaning, so they are most often used to imply a single format of fear - the fear of flying.

According to statistics, about 25% of the population over 25 years of age are afraid to fly.

In this regard, many deny themselves the pleasure of seeing the world, visiting loved ones, changing their place of residence, etc. The main reason that provokes the emergence and development of aerophobia is the fear of a possible plane crash. At the moment of boarding the plane and during the flight, such people experience severe stress, which can only be experienced again if absolutely necessary.

Often a person has a fear of flying together with other similar phobias: fear of closed spaces, heights, fires, death. People are afraid not so much of flying as of the conditions in which the flight takes place. Therefore, it is considered a symptom and not a disease.

Causes

Due to the prevalence of fear of flying, psychology is actively researching this type of phobia. And, before prescribing treatment, it is necessary to understand the causes of panic conditions. They vary from person to person, but there are the most common causes found in the majority of the population:

1. Stress experienced during flights often provokes the emergence of a phobia. This can happen during periods of severe turbulence, hard landing, or bad weather conditions. At this moment, a person is immersed in negative associations, imagining a plane crash, the death of people. Fear can be so strong that it becomes “fixed” in the psyche, and it becomes scary to fly.
2. Real plane crashes covered in the media. In Soviet times, such information was kept secret, so we thought that our planes would not crash. Now, every event of this kind is actively discussed on television, in newspapers and magazines. And with the development of the Internet, concealing the crash has become almost impossible. Our psyche is structured in such a way that any negative information is stored in the subconscious, forming a wary attitude towards flying.
3. Fear of your own body's reaction. Most often, this cause of fear of flying occurs in people with a weak cardiovascular system. The plane rises in the sky to a height of about 14,000 m, so that the body can withstand such a load and can fly at high speed, the pressure inside decreases, and when landing it increases again. From such an impact, a person’s blood pressure changes.

People who are unsure of their health should carry pills and medications that keep their blood pressure normal, because... In addition to feeling unwell and bleeding, there is a risk of a heart attack.

1. Internal, psychological reasons. These include the lack of control over the car and the need to trust the pilot. Most often, it affects self-sufficient and successful people who are capable of doing business and managing hundreds and thousands of subordinates, who at first glance are not afraid of anyone. Excessive self-confidence and responsibility does not allow them to allow someone to manage and influence their lives. The fear of flying may be the only fear in their life, but it has a serious impact.

Based on what aerophobia is and why people are so afraid to fly, psychology divides the fear of flying into several types, depending on the main cause and prevalence:

• Fear of disaster, fear of death is the most common type of fear of flying;
• Fear of heights. There is both a separate type of phobia (acrophobia) and one in connection with flying. People suffering from this type of fear are also afraid of high-rise buildings, bridges, elevators, etc.;
• Fear of enclosed spaces, or claustrophobia;
• Fear of trusting other people, losing control over the situation;
• Tendency to panic and obsessive states;
• Fear of losing control of oneself;
• Fear of turbulence. Usually associated with people’s technical illiteracy and ignorance of physical laws;
• Fear of large crowds of people.

Symptoms

In most cases, a person does not immediately realize that he is inclined to experience a fear of flying. Initially, he diagnoses himself with mild anxiety, which he attributes to stress, fatigue, new experiences, etc. Over time, the number of symptoms increases; a person always takes a sedative with him when traveling. If the disease worsens, it is necessary to prescribe treatment that combines taking medications and working with a psychologist.

Aerophobia, like any other mental illness, manifests itself individually, but also has common symptoms by which it is defined

1. Physiological. These include all bodily manifestations:

• Tension in the muscles, trembling of the arms and legs, when it is difficult to make the simplest movements - in the form of tying shoelaces;
• Breathing becomes difficult, becomes rapid, the symptom may manifest itself as a lack of air;
• Pain in the chest, heart pounding;
• Abdominal discomfort, nausea;
• Makes me sweat, it gets hot;
• You feel dizzy, feel weak, any movements are difficult;
• Dry mouth;
• The face turns red or pale.

1. Psychological:

• Panic long before the flight, difficulty switching attention;
• Obsessive negative images in the mind, a plane crash, the death of loved ones is depicted in the imagination;
• Excessive attention to any actions of the crew, the technical condition of the aircraft, search for negativity;
• Memory deteriorates, all thoughts are focused only on the upcoming flight;
• A person studies in detail all cases of plane crashes, pays close attention to them;
• The desire to run away from the airport, to cancel the trip.

In most cases, if it is not possible to take a sedative, people try to fight panic through alcohol. It fogs the brain and reduces anxiety and fear of flying. In recent times, the media has received a lot of information about the instigators of quarrels and fights on board the plane due to heavy alcohol intoxication. Psychology does not recommend using this method of calming - the relief is temporary and brings a lot of inconvenience to passengers and crew, and can also negatively affect the human body.

If left untreated

In its extreme manifestations, aerophobia is dangerous for humans. The mental state becomes more and more unstable with each flight; a person begins to feel panic more often, even when he is on the ground. He is haunted by nightmares in which the aircraft crashes, killing all the passengers on board. As a result, insomnia may occur, the patient becomes nervous, irritable, and stops performing daily duties. Relationships with loved ones deteriorate, problems arise at work. Vacations take place in the same way, within the limits of rail or road traffic. In terms of health, the picture doesn’t look any better. Sufferers of phobias often have problems with the cardiovascular system of the body. They are more likely than others to suffer from strokes and heart attacks and are treated by a neurologist.

If a person suffering from a panicky fear of flying is still forced to use this type of transport and does not accept pills, then alcohol becomes the only way to relieve anxiety. Frequent use can lead to alcoholism, treatment of which is rarely effective unless the cause is addressed. This is why among alcoholics there is a high percentage of people suffering from various types of fears.

In conclusion

Even if you find yourself with many of the listed symptoms, there is no need to panic. Understanding what aerophobia is, where it comes from and why it has a strong impact will be an advantage in the fight for mental and physical health. Aerophobia is a very common phenomenon, especially in our troubled world, during times of war and terrorist attacks. It can be associated with other types of fears, such as fear of heights, enclosed spaces, crowds of people, etc., and can also exist independently. The intensification of the phobia can be influenced by unpleasant events that happened during the flight with friends and loved ones, flight delays, information about technical problems, negative fellow travelers, etc.

You need to get rid of aerophobia - overcome your fears on your own or undergo treatment from a psychologist, because Over time, it will begin to affect your lifestyle.

There are examples where successful and famous individuals stopped making an effort on themselves and lost promising projects, career opportunities, or even loved ones because of their fear. There is no need to be afraid of airplanes - after all, according to statistics, the likelihood of a plane crash is extremely minimal, and hundreds or thousands of times more people die in road accidents every day. Aerophobia, like any other fear, should not interfere with living a full and rich life.

Not all travelers who have to fly are afraid of flying. Unfortunately, about 70% of those on board experience this fear. How not to be afraid of flying on an airplane? Is it possible to cope with fear? Let's try to figure it out in this article.

Why are people afraid to fly on an airplane?

There can be many reasons for such fear. And in each case they will be individual. Not everyone can cope with fear and panic, which already indicates the development of a phobia. There are several reasons for this behavior.

Firstly, the fear of flying can be transmitted at the genetic level. Perhaps one of the ancestors experienced such fear and was unable to cope with it in time. Fear may not bother the passenger until a certain moment. For example, it may appear after listening to news about a plane crash.

Secondly, self-hypnosis. Fear, which is developed precisely on its basis, is considered conscious. It is enough for a passenger to watch a movie about a plane crash or about the hijacking of an airliner by terrorists, and he begins to race thoughts in his head and imagine everything that he saw on the screen in reality.

Thirdly, many people say: “I’m afraid to fly on an airplane because of the unpleasant physical sensations.” And this is not uncommon. The plane takes off into the sky. The body experiences certain physical stress at this time. The passenger begins to treat everything with caution, his blood pressure rises, his pulse quickens, and thoughts arise in his head that provoke panic. People who experience such sensations are predisposed to developing aerophobia.

Some tourists have fear before their first flight. And this is not surprising. The body does not yet know how to perceive this. And the psychological state is constantly at the limit. And here the most important thing is not to listen to news about plane crashes. If you don’t overcome your fears on your first flight, they will develop into a phobia. It's much more difficult to deal with.

Further, many people have a disease such as claustrophobia or fear of closed spaces. Others are afraid of heights, which prevents them from fully enjoying the flight. Someone else gets worried when they are among a large crowd of people. Professional psychologists will come to the rescue in solving all situations.

Dispelling fears

Since many tourists are afraid of disasters, the design features of the aircraft will help dispel such fear. It is designed in such a way that even if it breaks, it can land safely. All systems are duplicated. Duplicates start working after the main system fails. The aircraft is equipped with the latest security systems.

Further, the professionalism of the aircraft crew is always at a high level. The staff knows how to act in a given situation. In addition, the serviceability of the aircraft is the air carrier’s priority. This is the only way he can make good money on flights. Therefore, all systems and mechanisms are always checked after landing and immediately before takeoff.

What is aerophobia

It represents an uncontrollable, exaggerated fear of flying in an aircraft. It can appear both during air travel and several hours before it.

Its characteristic features are as follows:

• rapid pulse and tachycardia;
• increased sweating;
• pain in the chest area;
• frequent urge to urinate;
• psychological tension;
• feeling tired;
• weakening of muscles;
• restless and nervous emotional state;
• inability to concentrate on anything.

These signs can also accompany simple excitement before takeoff. But both the phobia and this anxiety must be fought.

What to do before the flight

If an airplane trip cannot be cancelled, you need to prepare for it properly. You should not read sad news about plane crashes and other airliner accidents. It is better to check in for your flight in advance. This will help get rid of unnecessary anxiety. When checking in, you can ask for a chair that is located away from the porthole.

Advice! It is better not to choose places in the tail zone. It is on them that turbulence is felt.

Before the flight, you should not consume alcoholic beverages or psychotropic drugs. They can cause an inappropriate reaction to a seemingly simple situation that arose on board. It is also better not to drink coffee, as it has a stimulating effect on a person’s psychological state.

To distract yourself a little, you can chat with your neighbors and get to know the aircraft staff. It would be a good idea to download relaxing music to your phone or other gadget before the flight. You can listen to them while waiting for departure and during the flight.

No one forbids sleeping in the cabin of an aircraft. Therefore, to pass the flight time, you can take an inflatable pillow with you. If it is not available, the ship's staff will provide it.

You can take a book or an interesting magazine with you. Do not forget that if a passenger gets motion sickness during any trip, he needs to take motion sickness pills and fruit lozenges. They will help you cope with unpleasant sensations.

If you cannot cope with fear on your own, it is better to seek help from a psychologist. He will conduct several sessions and also prescribe certain medications if necessary. Some psychologists advise their patients to use aerostimulators. They simulate the flight of an aircraft. With regular exercise, you can get used to turbulence, as well as accustom your body to such stress.

What to do during the flight

Passengers who are afraid of heights are not recommended to choose seats near the windows. If this cannot be avoided, the window can be covered with a special curtain. During the flight, it is better to enjoy listening to music or reading your favorite book.

You can invite your neighbor to talk about various topics. Time will pass interestingly and quickly. You can take a nap on a chair, lowering its back slightly. In Business Class, passengers are provided with bed linen. It is better to subconsciously divide a long journey into several parts:

• takeoff;
• serving drinks;
• lunch/dinner/breakfast.

By mentally noting these points, time passes faster.

During turbulence

Turbulence occurs quite often during flight. Many passengers are afraid of her. But she gives no reason to panic. An experienced pilot sits at the helm and can easily navigate the turbulence zone. But at this time you need to follow certain rules. They will help you cope with fear.

• you must follow the instructions of the flight attendants;
• fasten your seat belts and do not unfasten them until permission is given;
• to calm down, you can do breathing exercises;
• it is forbidden to leave your seat until the plane leaves the turbulence zone;
• you need to follow the inscriptions and instructions that are broadcast on the electronic display in the aircraft cabin;
• If things fall from the top shelves, you need to cover your head with your hands.

There is no need to worry. It is better to mentally convince yourself that everything will be fine. Self-hypnosis helps in almost any situation.

My child is afraid to fly on an airplane, what should I do?

Children almost always experience some kind of fear. Only parents or professional psychologists can help cope with them. Parents panic when they hear: “I’m afraid to fly on an airplane.” What to do to get rid of fear?

So, you need to tell your baby about the upcoming trip. But don’t mention that he will be flying on an airplane. It's better to talk about pleasant moments. For example, about how he will run on the warm sea sand. Or go on an exciting excursion.

The child needs to be told what exactly awaits him at the airport: check-in, going through security, waiting for the flight, etc. Parents need to come up with something to do for him during the flight: draw something, make something, etc. You can play a simple game with your child, read a book or listen to a fairy tale. It must first be downloaded to the gadget. Adult children are helped by stories about the safety of the aircraft, its design features, etc.

Firstly, you need to prepare for the flight in advance. Secondly, it would be useful to read magazines or books about the design of aviation equipment. Such publications contain diagrams of aircraft systems and components. Thirdly, you need to arrive at the airport in advance to go through the registration procedure. Next, you need to think positively and be confident in your actions.

Watch a video about what to do if you are afraid of flying

Conquering the sky is one of the achievements of mankind. But many people cannot fully enjoy it because they experience a pathological fear of airplanes: the phobia categorically does not allow using air transport. Where does it come from? And how to get rid of it?

What is the fear of airplanes called?

Fear of flying on an airplane is the most striking case of aerophobia. This is exactly what the fear of flying is called, and it also applies to other types of air transport - helicopters, hang gliders, paragliders.

The word "aerophobia" comes from the ancient Greek language. It was created by combining two terms - “air” (ἀήρ) and “fear” (φόβος). Literally – fear of air. Naturally, an aerophobe is unlikely to want to jump with a parachute or be on board a hot air balloon. Being outside the earth is too scary for him.

Fear of flying as a component of other phobias

In some cases, aerophobia is an independent fear. But sometimes pathological fear is complemented by other phobic disorders of a similar nature. Among them:

1. Claustrophobia is the fear of a closed space and the inability to quickly leave it (being on board an airplane is associated with a closed “trap”).
2. Acrophobia is a fear of heights (flying several kilometers above the ground will not leave an acrophobe indifferent, making him afraid of airplanes).

Public attention is focused on aerophobia due to the frequent need to fly in the modern world: refusing a business trip or vacation because of fear is not the best tactic.

Symptoms of aerophobia

The signs of the phobia are so obvious that they make normal flying impossible. The main symptoms of fear are:

1. Severe nervousness a few days before the planned flight.
2. The ability to cancel a flight and lose money/time just to avoid going up the ramp.
3. Studying information about plane crashes.
4. Constant thoughts about a possible catastrophe.
5. Scary dreams about a plane crashing.
6. Somatic symptoms during takeoff/flight/landing – shortness of breath, lack of air, change in skin color, tremors in the limbs, muscle tension, sweating.
7. The desire to “forget” by taking alcohol or sedatives.

Anxiety before a flight does not always indicate a disorder. If a person is simply nervous but can cope with himself, then he does not have a phobia. Pathology is considered to be the occurrence of irrational horror, panic attack, severe fear, which cannot be “persuaded.” Even if an aerophobe understands the absurdity of his experiences, he will not be able to overcome his fear of flying on an airplane: it is not he who controls the fear, but it controls him.

Causes of aerophobia

To overcome the fear of flying on an airplane, you need to understand why the phobia develops in the first place. Most often, fear occurs for the following reasons:

1. The presence of concomitant phobias (claustrophobia, acrophobia).
2. Negative experiences related to airplanes (death of a loved one in a plane crash, feeling unwell in the past while flying, etc.)
3. Abundance of information in the media about aircraft crashes.
4. Suspicion, an innate tendency to increased anxiety, a negative attitude.
5. Physical illnesses that may worsen during the flight.

Most often, people over twenty-five years of age try to overcome the fear of flying. It is at this age that the phobia becomes active, and approximately 15-30% of all adults suffer from a fear of flying to one degree or another.

Is the fear of flying an airplane a phobia or a premonition?

There is an opinion that the fear experienced before a flight is a premonition that should be heeded. Of course, no one canceled intuition. But if it “aggravates” just before flights (and before every flight), then it is more likely that we are talking about aerophobia.

And it needs to be recognized. Although it is much easier to believe in the power of a premonition than to pull yourself together and overcome the fear of flying on an airplane. However, everyone is free to decide for themselves.

How to overcome the fear of flying on an airplane with the guidance of a psychotherapist

It is best to conduct therapy under the supervision of a competent psychotherapist. The main direction of treatment is to allow the person, “under the supervision” of a specialist, to make as many takeoffs and landings as possible. In this case, the patient should practice relaxation (using breathing exercises, visualization, meditation, slow counting, etc.)
Gradually, flying will begin to be associated not with horror, but with relaxation. This way you can overcome the fear of flying on an airplane even in the most advanced cases. The only thing is that at the first success you need to be ready to “let go of the psychotherapist’s hand” and go on board on your own. There are stories of patients sticking to their doctors, asking them to always fly with them. Even in the absence of financial problems, such a scenario is undesirable, since it does not allow a person to face his fears and cope with them.

How to overcome your fear of airplanes with virtual reality immersion

Many people manage to overcome their fear of flying with the help of computer technology. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy is used for this purpose.

All kinds of simulators in which the player is in charge of the pilot will also be useful. This way you can roughly understand how takeoff/landing occurs and make sure that everything is under the control of an experienced person.

How to overcome the fear of flying on airplanes using positive attitudes

An aerophobe has not the most joyful thoughts in his head, consistently associated with the danger of flying. But they can be replaced. You need to make simple affirmations for yourself, for example:

1. "I like to fly".
2. “Flying by plane is completely safe.”
3. “I experience relaxation while flying.”
4. “I find it very easy to climb the ladder.”
5. "I like airplanes."

Any settings are suitable. The main thing is to repeat them as often as possible in order to “download” them into consciousness.

Overcoming your fear of airplanes means discovering a new side of life. Transport restrictions are the last thing that should affect a person’s plans. And you should not postpone therapy until later: treatment should begin immediately after the problem is recognized - then it will be most effective.