Airplane phobia - 10 tips to overcome your fear of flights
Many travelers are afraid of boarding planes, and they wish they could travel across continents by car, which is certainly impossible, and the impossibility of achieving it prevents thousands from seeing the world, seizing better job opportunities, or putting them in front of the challenge of boarding a plane, horror, increasing anxiety, tension, and the rising number of passengers. Heartbeat, difficulty breathing sometimes with the moments of take-off and landing, and the feeling that he is in constant danger with every turbulence in the air.
"I suffer from a phobia of flying, how do I get rid of a phobia of flying, fear of flying, phobia of flying Wikipedia, pills to treat fear of planes, symptoms of phobia of flying, a book overcoming the fear of flying pdf". These sentences were repeated a lot, topics searched by many on The Internet in an effort to overcome the phobia of flying, which indicates that the feelings of fear of flying are affected by many and not by a few people.
This type of fear is common, and a statement like "You're more likely to die in a car accident than in a plane crash" - although true - does not calm someone who is frightened on the plane. So, for anyone who is afraid of flying, these tips will make you a transcontinental traveler.
Symptoms of phobia of flying
- Paleness.
- Severe pain in the abdomen and chest.
- rapid heart rate.
- shortness of breath.
- Circulatory disorders.
- general weakness.
- heavy sweating.
- dry mouth
- muscle spasms.
The symptoms of flight phobia vary according to each case, and sometimes it need medical intervention during the flight if the traveler feels shortness of breath or a heart attack, and some may go to psychiatrists in an attempt to find a cure for the flight phobia.
10 tips to overcome your fear of flying
1- How do planes fly?
Zoe Galloway wrote to The Independent about her advice after taking a British Airways course at Heathrow Airport for self-control during times of crisis, and after this course Zoe actually got on a plane for the first time in her life.
Zoe's most important advice was to know how airplanes work, because the lack of knowledge of how a plane stays in the air is the main reason people fear flying; The plane, like a submarine and a car, is designed in a way to perform its function of flying in the air, meeting air turbulence, and every part of it works according to a physical equation.
2- Trust the pilot
The profession of a pilot may be one of the most difficult professions on earth, perhaps because it is the profession that opposes the force of gravity, and its impact on us and the inanimate objects around us; The pilot goes through rigorous tests to reach this position, and spends two years of hard training, and pilots are usually tested and retrained every six months over the course of their entire career, along with physical and psychological examinations and statements, and strict rules in daily life to avoid any sudden ailments during flight, and above all that He is committed and passionate about his work, and you should not doubt him if he assures that there is nothing to fear.
3- The difference between fear and danger
Separating feelings of fear from the possibility of danger is often difficult, because your body reacts to both in the same way; So always remind yourself that feeling anxious does not mean that you are in danger, you are safe even when you feel very anxious.
4- The bumps of the sky
You don't have to worry if a bump in the road hits you, or if you hit some twigs with your wheels; Also in the air, there are many disturbances by nature in the atmosphere, but it is completely safe. The plane is designed to withstand these turbulences, no matter how severe and powerful, it can even complete the flight in the air if its engines stop.
5- Control your negative thoughts
Some people may watch videos of the latest and horrific plane accidents days before they travel, which is a bad idea, but those who are afraid of flying cannot resist these bad ideas.
If you think about reading about aviation accidents and the likelihood of them happening, you can compare them to car accidents. The difference is huge, plane accidents are really rare, and you can think of your trip as being safer than a car and a ship, and this positive outlook will help you relieve stress during your trip.
6- Manage your anxiety
The tension may start as soon as you enter the plane, at the moment of take-off, and when you feel the pressure of air in your ears; Feel your heart rate increase, uncontrollable tremors and difficulty breathing. These symptoms can be skipped if you control your breathing before the plane takes off.
You can start inhaling the air for four seconds, then exhaling for four seconds. Repeat this step in parallel with firm contraction of your muscles, such as the buttocks, chest and abdomen, with the back straight. This increases the nerve signals that reach the brain; Which helps you calm down and control your nerves and symptoms of anxiety.
You can also try distraction exercises to distract yourself from feelings of fear, such as opening a quiet conversation with those around you, reading a magazine, or watching a movie from the one on the device in front of you. Alternatively, you can press firmly on the skin between the index finger and thumb, and this area is responsible for tension, and by pressing it, it will send a signal to your brain to calm down.
7- Avoid sedatives
Don't think about taking sedative medications before your flight, unless your psychiatrist advises you to do so to calm your nerves during the flight.
8- Get help from the flight crew
If your stress builds up and you can't control it you can turn to the cabin crew, they are trained to meet these situations every day, and are there to answer your questions and keep you safe.
Calmly you can point to the hostess, and without disturbing the passengers, you can ask for her help, and heed her advice.
9- Take flying lessons
It may be strange, but the best way to overcome your anxiety about something is to confront it, and to solve your crisis with flying, some airlines offer training and lessons to simulate a real flight.
10- A short trip
Now you know everything you can do to get over your fear of flying, so start your first trip, but don't be in a hurry and book an airline ticket for a long trip across continents. Try to make your first trip short, such as a domestic flight, or to a nearby country. And try to avoid looking out the window if you find that it increases your terrifying imagination.
