If you live with airophobia, it’s the fear of flying – you’re not alone. According to data from 2024, some 25 million Americans fear flying To some extent, they may interfere with travel plans and even lead them to staying home rather than heading for lifelong adventures.
“The fear of flying can be very uncomfortable to live with. It’s not only a physical discomfort during flight that can make your energy a lot, but also a feeling of shame and shame about this fear that can make life even more difficult.” New York City Psychotherapy GroupI said Travel + Leisure. “There are many different ways to tackle this. Whether you’re past trauma, general anxiety disorders, or simply new to flying mechanisms, it’s important to recognize that each person’s fears are unique.”
Certainly, there are ways to combat this fear that you can see as much of the world as possible. There are a few things to try to overcome the fear of flying from experts. That way you can soar comfortably at 35,000 feet.
Understand the underlying cause.
According to Maenpaa, it is essential to find the root cause of fear and investigate its emotional origins. “This includes understanding past experiences of turbulent flights, hearing from others as a child who exacerbated your fears, and hearing related beliefs that may have contributed to the fear,” Maempa said. “Deeper exploration can reveal hidden triggers and confront them through psychodynamic therapy that brings the past to the present.”
Try exposure therapy.
After you try to understand where your fears came from, you can stand up to it with exposure therapy. “An effective way to overcome the fear of flight is to learn how to gradually expose and calm the nervous system,” Abra, a licensed clinical psychologist, told T+L. “You start by watching a video of your plane taking off, then you’ll visit the airport without getting on the flight and accumulate to get on the plane.” According to Sprung, facing your fear is a step-by-step process that redirects your brain to respond “with confidence, not panic.”
Or think about cognitive behavioral therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is another approach to overcoming your fears, according to Ashley Pena, National Executive Director of Mission Connection. “CBT helps identify and challenge irrational fears about flight,” Pena said. “Many individuals destroy experiences (“planes crash,” “I have a panic attack and feel embarrassed about myself”). CBT helps to replace these ideas with more balanced ideas. “This may be one of the easier approaches. As Pena said, it can be done via virtual therapy, so you can do it from the comfort of your home.
Learn simple breathing techniques.
Sprung provided another simple tip to try next time you feel anxious on your flight. “To practice, inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, hold again for 4 seconds,” Sprung said. “This helps regulate your nervous system and reduce anxiety.”
Or this grounding exercise.
Pena also offered another simple sensory grounding technique: “5-4-3-2-1”. On your flight, identify five things you see, four things you touch, three things you hear, two smells, and one thing you taste. “This doesn’t focus on fear, it keeps the mind in existence,” Pena said.
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Download the appropriate app.
If you need a little more guidance on how to relax before or during a flight, that’s fine. According to Rostirav Ignatov, Chief Medical Officer Haven Detoxthere are many apps that can help you do that. “Tools such as meditation and relaxation apps promote relaxation and reduce stress by providing meditation and breathing exercises to relieve travel stress, such as headspace,” Rostiraff told T+L. “These apps are very accessible and allow you to accompany travelers on flights, and the flight experience is more comfortable and less intimidating.”
Avoid certain triggers.
This is a bit disappointing, but if you suffer from any kind of flight anxiety, I recommend giving up the airport wine or cookies in that glass. “Unfortunately, alcohol and sugar are not solutions to anxiety,” hypnotherapist and psychotherapist Erin Weinstein told T+L. “This can be difficult to accept. Despite providing temporary relief, you can still consume drinks and sweet foods before flight actually increases anxiety.” This is because blood sugar levels spike when alcohol and sugar are digested. “That spike leads to a race in your heart. That unsettling sensation you experience may feel like panic, but it really just your body responds to what you consume,” Weinstein said. And if you already have flight anxiety, you can start flying and relate this “unstable” emotion, causing a potentially painful spiral of thought. ”
You will be hypnotized.
Weinstein also suggested trying hypnosis if he was afraid of flying. “Because it helps people build personal “satisfied buttons.” This is a phrase, image, and sensation that instantly shifts into relaxation mode.” She said you can try it out by listening to guided hypnosis on YouTube or booking custom recordings.
Keep your mind busy.
Michelle English, Executive Clinical Manager Restoring a healthy lifestylemaking your brain busy with flying may be enough to push you aside from any fear. “Bring books, music, movies or anything that can be a distraction,” English said. “The more you focus on something else, the less time you need to think about your fears and live in. It’s an easy trick, but it works for many people.
Talk to the crew.
Sometimes chatting with the crew before taking off can also calm those nerves. “One thing that can help is talking to the flight crew. Asking questions. “This makes flight clear and helps you understand more about things like turbulence. That’s scary for many people. Understanding more about flight, turbulence and other flight-related concepts can make a difference in the world when reducing anxiety.”
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Understand that flight is abundantly safe.
Another important thing is to understand that flight is abundantly safe. “Flying is one of the safest modes of transport,” Sprung said. “Airplanes are built to handle turbulence, and pilots train extensively in every scenario. Turbulence may seem scary, but it’s like a road bump. It’s uncomfortable, but not dangerous.” Sprung added, “The chances of a plane crash are around 11 million, and it can fly much safer than driving, so “trust your data” is a good idea.
Maenpaa also added that those who live in fear of flight should understand that they do not need to control them. “By reconstructing our thoughts, learning more about flight safety, and understanding the systems implemented to keep us safe, people can find comfort in the knowledge that flight is one of the safest ways to travel.” She also showed that planes are designed to withstand direct lightning strikes, citing statistics that show that they only have one in 1.2 million people who encounter plane crash crashes, and that overall survival is over 95% if they are in a plane crash.
Yes, there was an accident, but “millions of planes will depart and land safely and safely,” Maempaa said. “Armbling yourself with this knowledge will help you stay calm in moments of glow and uncertainty in the air, and every time you fly it will greatly improve your quality of life.”
