How To Overcome The Fear Of Flying, In 5 Easy Steps
Many people are afraid of flying, a phenomenon that appears in situations in which you have to get on a plane, even to undertake a very short trip. Although this means of transportation is one of the safest, the irrational fear of this context causes them to suffer for reasons that are difficult to explain in detail.
In this article we will focus on several tips on how to overcome the fear of flying, taking into account that this is a process that requires some time and effort, and that in some cases that fear will not disappear completely. But first, let’s clarify some concepts.
We must keep in mind that the fear of flying It is not exactly the same as the phobia of flying, or aerophobia The first concept is broader, since phobias are mental disorders (specifically, anxiety disorders) and there are several diagnostic criteria to determine if they are present in a person.
Specifically, the idea is important that for us to be able to talk about a phobia of flying, the fear must be so intense and disabling that it significantly damages the person’s locality of life; For example, causing me to actively avoid taking planes even having the need to take one of these vehicles.
Although the data available is not very precise, it is estimated that around 13% of the population in Western societies has this condition, and around 5% suffer from a fear of flying so intense that it can be considered aerophobia.
Thus, the fear of flying is a phenomenon that can occur at different levels of severity, and aerophobia occupies its most intense extreme. However, this difference between “mild” fear of flying and aerophobia, in which the person can completely lose control and try to get out of the plane urgently, can be understood as something qualitative, not just quantitative. Specifically, there are those who will not be able to overcome this fear of flying by plane. unless you go to a mental health professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist
What we will see below is a series of tips that can help people whose fear of flying is not extreme and who will therefore be able to effectively engage in measures to overcome this fear on their own, although resorting to psychological help. It will always be helpful and will make the process easier.
How to overcome the fear of flying
Follow these steps to maximize your chances of mitigating or eliminating your fear of flying.
1. Learn the basics of what happens during the flight
Have basic knowledge of how an airplane works and how he does it to fly serves two fundamental purposes that help overcome the type of fear we are talking about.
On the one hand, it makes the belief that the plane can fall at any moment, reinforced by an intuitive knowledge about how physics works (from our early childhood we learn that it is normal for objects that are not supported by something to fall to the ground ) is offset by somewhat more reasoned beliefs about the safety of these vehicles.
On the other hand, it helps avoid surprises. Even if we believe we know more or less how an airplane works, if we detect something that could mean that an accident is going to occur, such as shaking caused by turbulence, we can discard that belief in the safety of the vehicle by considering that we are in a case exceptional in which there is a very specific danger. In this way, if we know that it is normal for quite strong shakes to occur during a flight, or that it is common to hear strange sounds produced by the internal machinery of the plane, it is more difficult for this to happen to us.
However, this step is not sufficient in itself to eliminate the fear of flying, since as an emotional phenomenon, cognitive processes based on rational arguments have very limited power compared to the influence that fear has. Ultimately, this emotion makes sense because it has allowed us to increase our chances of survival by making us more likely to flee just in case than to stop and think about whether or not there really are reasons to be cautious. That’s why, it is necessary to intervene on emotions
2. Prepare self-instructions
Most likely, to overcome the fear of flying you will have to go through uncomfortable, even unpleasant, moments. Ultimately, you must expose yourself to the source of that fear to make its influence on you diminish. Therefore, it is important to prepare some self-instructions: a detailed description of how you should manage your care when you feel that fear lurks.
For example, when you feel turbulence you can mentally repeat “roller coaster” in sets of three, then perform a few seconds of breathing techniques, and then move on to repeating the concept again. This way you will be focusing your attention on a series of simple steps that will help you not obsess over fears.
3. Take an object on which to release tension
You are probably going to experience anxiety, so it is good to channel its physiological effects into a specific object, which will allow you to see that that facet of the symptoms is controlled and it won’t make you lose control. For example, squeezing a rubber ball can work.
4. Use visualization methods in your imagination
It is good that, before entering the plane, you close your eyes and imagine what will happen when flying inside. The objective is to expose oneself to a situation similar to that of the real flight (ruling out the possibility of catastrophes, adjusting to what statistically occurs: flights without incidents), have the opportunity to become familiar with these kinds of environments in a controlled environment.
5. If you can, enter the plane in good condition
It is necessary to do everything possible to enter the plane in the best possible condition, which especially implies having slept well the night before, and having eaten well. If not, intrusive thoughts will be more likely to appear related to worries, since you will feel more vulnerable than usual.
