Synonyms
Aerophobia, Aviophobia, Aeroneurosis
Symptoms
In addition to the symptoms of specific anxiety (link), the following symptoms in particular occur in about 1/3 of all persons affected by the fear of flying: The fear of flying can manifest itself on different levels: Even before a person suffering from fear of flying is in the aircraft, fearful thoughts appear. The contents of these thoughts usually include the idea that something bad will happen to the aircraft (e.g. due to technical defects). There may also be thoughts about one’s own behavior, for example the fear of showing embarrassing behavior in the plane that could be seen by the other passengers.
In the latter case it is useful to check whether social anxiety should be considered. When a person suffering from fear of flying is confronted with the fear-inducing situation, the thought of escaping from the situation usually appears immediately. As soon as the person has withdrawn from the situation, the unpleasant feeling of fear subsides.
Through the positive feeling that arises when fleeing from the situation, the person learns a way out of the fear of flying. Avoiding the situation therefore no longer leads to the strong feeling of fear. Since there is no longer an encounter with an airplane (or even the airport) due to the avoidance behavior, the fear remains.
The affected person has no possibility to have a positive experience with flying. It is possible that the person transfers the avoidance behavior to other fearful situations (tall buildings, elevators, public transportation). The person often suffers from a very limited life.
In the respective situation, physical symptoms signal the person’s anxiety noticeably in the respective situation. Possible symptoms are trembling, circulation problems, gastrointestinal complaints, palpitations, feelings of tension, shortness of breath. These symptoms occur due to the strong feeling of fear in the respective situation.
After the person has removed himself from the anxiety-stricken situation, the symptoms disappear on their own. All three areas (thoughts, behavior, physical symptoms) can be noticed in the context of the fear of flying. However, it is not a mandatory criterion that all three levels are affected.
For a successful treatment, however, it is necessary to deal with all levels, since each level can individually contribute to the maintenance of the fear of flying.
- Circulatory complaints
- Tachycardia
- Shortness of breath, shortness of breath
- Stomach/intestinal complaints
- Panic Attacks
- Excessive sweating (Hyperhidrosis)
- ThoughtsNot before a person suffering from fear of flying is on an airplane, fearful thoughts appear. The contents of these thoughts usually include the idea that something bad will happen to the aircraft (e.g. due to technical defects).
There may also be thoughts about one’s own behavior, for example the fear of showing embarrassing behavior in the plane that could be seen by the other passengers. In the latter case it is useful to check whether social anxiety should be considered.
- BehaviorIf a person, who suffers from fear of flying, is confronted with the fear-triggering situation, the thought of escaping from the situation usually appears immediately. As soon as the person has left the situation, the unpleasant feeling of fear subsides.
Through the positive feeling that arises when fleeing from the situation, the person learns a way out of the fear of flying. Avoiding the situation therefore no longer leads to the strong feeling of fear. Since there is no longer an encounter with an airplane (or even the airport) due to the avoidance behavior, the fear remains.
The affected person has no possibility to have a positive experience with flying. It is possible that the person transfers the avoidance behavior to other fearful situations (tall buildings, elevators, public transportation). The person often suffers from a very limited life.
- Physical symptomsIn the respective situation, physical symptoms signal to the affected persons their fear noticeably in the respective situation. Possible symptoms are trembling, circulation problems, gastrointestinal complaints, palpitations, feelings of tension, shortness of breath. These symptoms occur due to the strong feeling of fear in the respective situation.After the person has moved away from the anxiety-stricken situation, the symptoms go away on their own and disappear.
