About 15 percent of Germans suffer from fear of flying (aviophobia). As the name suggests, fear of flying is the pathological fear of flying. This fear is so pronounced in those affected that it has a major impact on their lives: just thinking about an airplane causes some people’s hearts to start racing, and shortly before takeoff they may also experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, diarrhea or panic reactions. We give you tips on how to combat and overcome your fear of flying.
Fear of flying originates in the head
Statistically, an airplane is the safest means of transportation – safer than a car, bus or train. Nevertheless, many people are afraid of flying. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that flying is less commonplace for many people than driving a car. On the other hand, various fears collide in an airplane: one feels cramped and confined (claustrophobia), one is afraid of heights and feels at the mercy of the pilot and crew. Our own (negative) imagination is responsible for the emergence of fear of flying: even before or at the latest during the flight, we begin to imagine what disasters could occur. These scenarios are vividly played out in the mind, one can already see the plane crashing on the ground or sinking into the sea.
Causes of fear of flying
But why does the thought of an airplane cause such a negative mental cinema? Fear of flying in itself can be caused by a variety of reasons. For example, you may have had a bad experience flying yourself: Perhaps you have already caught a flight with stronger turbulences or had to wait longer until you were given permission to land. If you have never flown before or have had no negative experiences so far, you probably have a generally anxious disposition. You feel at the mercy of others on board, confined and completely overestimate the dangers of the flight: Harmless noises or normal operating procedures are judged by you to be dangerous, although they are not. In addition, a bad experience of another person or their strong fears can also be a cause of fear of flying. Although you yourself had no problems with flying before, you suddenly no longer feel safe in an airplane. This process is called imitation learning – you mimic the other person’s behavior.
Typical symptoms of fear of flying
Those who suffer from fear of flying usually feel uncomfortable days before departure. When boarding the plane or at the latest when taking off, stronger symptoms then appear. However, not everyone who does not particularly like flying immediately suffers from fear of flying. Only when typical signs such as the following occur, it is spoken of fear of flying:
- They avoid traveling by airplane and prefer to use other means of transport – even if it makes the trip more inconvenient.
- Already at the thought of a planned flight anxiety symptoms occur in you.
- When boarding the plane, you feel panic and paralyzed. You are afraid to die.
- You are irritable, nervous and aggressive. You are particularly sensitive to sounds and smells.
- You feel tense, shaking and sweating. You suffer from heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, ringing in the ears and dizziness.
- You behave differently than usual: you drink too much alcohol and take tranquilizers, you bite your fingernails or drum your fingers on the table.
Fight fear of flying
Only people who consider a flight dangerous suffer from fear of flying. For them, the body shows a completely normal reaction to a dangerous situation. With a few tricks and a little practice, the fear of flying can be controlled in most people. However, you can only overcome your fear of flying when you no longer perceive the flight as dangerous. The most important thing for this is that you build up confidence in the technology of the aircraft. Some airlines offer special seminars on fear of flying in which special attention is paid to the technical aspect. In the seminar, a pilot informs you in detail about the technical procedures during the flight. In addition, various relaxation techniques are rehearsed in such a seminar. At the end there is usually a small test flight on the program.
9 Tips: How to overcome your fear of flying
Not only a fear of flying seminar, but also a few small tips and tricks can help you overcome your fear of flying. If possible, start fighting your fear of flying a few weeks before you fly:
- Study the subject of airplanes and flying intensively. Obtain literature or go to the nearest airport and observe planes taking off and landing there.
- Perform regular relaxation exercises or autogenic training. Select specifically relaxation exercises that you can also exercise on the plane.
- If your fear of flying is extremely pronounced, you should think about attending a fear of flying seminar. Do you generally suffer from strong fears, you should seek the conversation with a psychologist. Under certain circumstances, an anxiety therapy can help you.
If you have missed a long-term preparation for your flight, you can also shortly before and during the flight still do some things to combat your fear of flying:
- Design the way to the airport as stress-free as possible: check in already online and leave early to save yourself unnecessary stress.
- Refrain from alcohol and coffee on the plane.
- Focus on something positive during the flight: read an exciting book or listen to an audio book – this will distract you from minor noises. Try to be happy about the good view and enjoy the service of the stewardesses.
- Turn on the air vents on the plane. Especially if the confinement in the plane stresses you, a little fresh air will do you good.
- If you notice that you are panicking, try to stop the negative thoughts with a conscious ‘stop’. Instead, focus on a particularly beautiful event.
- Relax and control your breathing. Breathe in and out slowly as well as deeply. Imagine how the air flows into your body. After exhaling, pause for at least six seconds to breathe.
Conquer fear of flying with medication?
In general, it is rather not recommended to fight fear of flying with medication or alcohol. On the one hand, this does not actively combat the fear of flying, and on the other hand, taking medication can make the loss of control in the plane feel even stronger. Those who want to resort to medication should prefer herbal sedatives such as valerian or St. John’s wort. These agents should be taken over a longer period of time before the flight in order to develop their full effect. Anyone who absolutely wants to take a sedative should talk to a doctor about the dosage beforehand. In the long term, however, taking tranquilizers during the flight should not be a solution. If medication is taken on board, it should be noted that its mechanism of action may change due to the altitude. In addition, since people usually drink more than usual due to the dry air in the airplane, the medication is excreted again more quickly. Many people who suffer from fear of flying turn to alcohol before or during the flight. But be careful: due to the altitude, alcohol not only has about twice the effect when flying, but can also cause those affected to become downright panicky. Anyone who suffers from a fear of flying should keep their hands off alcohol and instead combat their fear of flying professionally.
