Overcoming Fear of Flying

In the modern world, fear of flying significantly limits the opportunities open to a person, which is why overcoming fear of flying should be a high priority for anyone suffering from it.

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People without such a fear can take advantage of the remarkable ability to travel huge distances in the short period of time that modern air travel makes possible. This dramatically expands the personal, social and career opportunities available to them.

For example, in times past "The Grand Tour", that is traveling through continental Europe was considered an essential part of an aristocrat’s education. They felt that direct exposure to different cultures and experiencing first hand the treasures of antiquity was necessary to give a person a clear understanding of the world.

Unfortunately, only the very rich could afford such trips, both in terms of time and money.

That's completely different today. Today, more people than ever have the financial ability to travel abroad and gain this cultural perspective firsthand.

On the career front, more and more desirable jobs require that a person travel. Whether it's to visit satellite offices, explore new markets, meet with clients, or attend conferences and business shows, the need to fly is very likely to be part of the job description.

I could go on and on about other missed opportunities. We could discuss the limitations of vacation possibilities, the inability to visit friends that moved out of town, the parts of the country we can never explore and so on...

I think you get the point. If you suffer from fear of flying, overcoming it will greatly improve the quality of your life.

Fear of Flying and Its Various Forms

To be certain that we're talking about the same thing, let me be clear what I mean by "fear of flying". I consider fear of flying an irrational fear about the possible consequences of flying to the point that a person is extremely uncomfortable at the idea of flying or even completely unwilling to get on an airplane.

The exact nature of the fear varies from person to person. For some people, it's just the idea of being at high in the sky and what would happen if the plane somehow fell apart.

Airline crashes are exceedingly rare, but when they do happen they always get extensive news coverage. This wide media exposure certainly doesn't help to ease these kinds of fears.

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For other people their fear is based more on the loss of control. They realize that once they board the plane their safety and well-being depends on the skills and actions of others and is beyond their control. Some people find this very distressing.

Still other people battle claustrophobia when they get on a plane. Even though modern airline cabins a rather spacious, they still have a trapped feeling when the airline door slams shut and locks into place. Let's face it, the cramped seating arrangements in most economy sections doesn't help this sensation.

Whatever the exact nature of the fear, it's often a combination, it's enough to make someone miserable at the very idea of getting on board a plane.

This fear can manifest in many ways. Some people become fixated and filled with worry anxiety and dread for days and even weeks before the actual flight. As flight gets closer the intensity increases. The fear can be associated with nausea, hyperventilation and irritability.

Sometimes personal make a flight reservation and discomfort gets so bad in the days leading up to the flight that they cancel it. If they are able to force themselves to get on the plane, it's a horrifying experience reinforcing their dread of future flights.

Overcoming Fear of Flying

Airlines used to offer coaching sessions to help people overcome fear flying, but these have become less common with recent budget cutbacks. Still you may want to inquire if such sessions are available with the airline you intend to use.

However there is much you can do on your own.

There are a few ways that you can desensitize yourself to the idea of flying. You might want to go out to the airport just to visit. A look at all the hundreds and even thousands of people traveling without any fear of flying. Most are more concerned about their luggage getting lost than having a problem on the airplane.

Take a look at the departure boards and imagine all the places you can visit and experience as you could have if you were able to comfortably fly.

Go to the observation area and watched the stream of planes smoothly, routinely landing and taking off.

Visualization can also help. To use this technique, get in a comfortable quiet place, perhaps put on some relaxing music and establish a calm state of mind. Then imagine yourself going through the process of taking a trip on an airplane. Start your imaginary trip with something that is not at all threatening, such as packing your bags.

Then imagine yourself traveling to the airport, checking in, going through security, waiting for the boarding call and everything else while remaining calm and relaxed. Imagine yourself going through the entire flight not only remain calm but actually enjoying it.

If at some point during this process you find yourself becoming anxious, backup a little bit, calm down and reimagine the process.

In this way you can gradually desensitize yourself to the idea of flying being fearful.

When you are first overcoming your fear of flying, it's a good idea to book your flight on one of the larger airplanes rather than on a smaller plane such as those used for short commuter flights. The larger planes tend to have smoother flights and also have larger cabins so claustrophobia is less of an issue.

It's also a good idea to bring along books, magazines, CD player or even a DVD player to help distract yourself during flight.

You should also let the airline attendant know that you are  working on overcoming a fear of flying. They are well trained to help people deal with anxieties and can be a great resource during the flight.

Don't be afraid to ask them about your concerns ("Is that noise normal?").

Avoid sugary snacks and coffee or other caffeinated beverages before and during your flight. Both high blood sugar levels and caffeine will make you feel more agitated and over-stimulated.

If you really want to be proactive and do everything you can to overcome your fear of flying once and for all that I highly recommend that you look into a new program designed to help you do just that. You can read a review of it at Takeoff Today Program Review.

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