Tips and treatments against aerophobia or fear of flying

"Value is not the absence of fear, rather, it is the opinion that something else is much more important than fear itself". Ambrose Redmoon

The fear of flying is very common among the population, approximately one in three people experience some kind of fear or anxiety related to this. However, flying by plane represents one of the safest forms to travel, while moving by car has greater risks. As science and technology progress, It has been achieved that the risk of flying in a commercial plane is minimal, In addition to the fact that before the airplanes undertake flight, they pass through various security tests.

Content

• The security of traveling by plane
• Aerophobia or fear of flying?
• Panic Attack or anguish crisis
• Aerophobia and other related disorders
• Aerophobia treatments
• Aerophobic rescue technology
• 5 great tips to conquer your fear of flying
  • Strategically plan your flight
  • Knowledge can give you some peace of mind
  • Tools you can use during the flight
  • Prepare your body for flight
  • Ask for personal assistance
  • Conclusion
  • Links

The security of traveling by plane

According to IATA (International Air Transport Association), the total number of accidents and fatalities was reduced with respect to the average of the last five years, confirming that Aviation is increasingly safe, so it represents the most reliable way to cover long distances in a short time.

To have knowledge about some statistics on safety and aerial accidents, does not make either the fear or anguish that many experience when they have to fly, mainly because Many fears and fears go beyond reason; Knowledge does not always carry a change in behavior or feeling.

Being under fear, we are in subjective and irrational terrain, dominated by the primitive brain, the tonsil is like the "messenger of fear", which tries to arrange the body to respond to a danger or threat (real or perceived) , does it through certain physiological reactions that prepare us to take action such as cortisol, norepinephrine and adrenaline segregation, which put the body in alert state. In addition, The individual can respond with some behavior of avoidance, very characteristic behavior within the phobias.

Aerophobia or fear of flying?

Phobias are a special type of fear, knowing about symptomatological manifestations can help you be better prepared in case you are afraid of flying.  Many people may experience a certain degree of anxiety or fear before and while the aircraft plans for the heavens, this is normal. However, what distinguishes a fear from a specific phobia are some factors such as: intensity, frequency and duration of symptoms.

In Aerophobia, Fear is excessive, irrational and persistent, it is triggered when the person has to fly or knows that he will have to do it in the near future; The individual can present behaviors of anticipatory avoidance and anxiety, which cause significant discomfort, which can affect family and labor relations:

• Why did you not close the deal with the Japanese partners? It was an excellent growth opportunity for the company.
• At the last minute, I decided not to go to Japan to close the treatment of the negotiation, I think it was not so good idea after all.

During the different stages of the disorder, the person can go from the denial of the problem, to the rationalization to try to justify the reasons why it is not necessary to make that flight: "I am not afraid of flying, I just don't like it"; "If I want that gift trip to Europe that my parents give me, but I prefer to postpone it"; "I want to go, but I don't have who accompanies me, it's a long and dangerous trip". When he is a person who does not require traveling by plane regularly, aerophobia will not bring him many problems, especially if he is not linked to other disorders.

On the contrary, When the individual requires traveling via air for work, personal or family reasons frequently, aerophobia represents a great challenge that requires psychological care.  Although love for your family is a lot, fear can be such dimensions that prevents the person from traveling by plane to meet them when there are situations of gravity, such as illness and death in the family or simply to be able to attend an event important relative, to cite some typical examples.

The phobic character arises based on certain fundamental aspects: a constant state of alert, which causes the person to be in an almost permanent attitude of surveillance to detect threats that could come from abroad, but is also aware of those that generate within their mind. The Avoiding attitude and avoidance behaviors are typical of the condition.

Panic Attack or anguish crisis

In the background of these conditions, especially within the specific phobias such as aerophobia, They can manifest anguish crisis (Panic Attack), with your own symptomatology such as: fear that can reach terror, apprehension, lack of breath, palpitations, feeling strong chest or chest discomforts or thoracic discomfort.

Those who suffer such a crisis may have abdominal discomfort, choked or suffocate, so that day is advised and the previous one to make light meals, not drink stimulating drinks and as far as possible do not eat during the flight, and that the symptomatology of aerophobia manifests itself in physical aspects of the person as well; with this certain complications can be avoided that could exacerbate even more anguish and fear, Due to difficulties in the digestive process, remember that other somatic symptoms can be nausea, dizziness and even fainting.

The sociocultural and family situation influence the development of phobias, In fact, when there is a history that a relative has presented a certain type of fear, some relatives can develop it, this can be a series of learned behaviors, since the subject formed to respond in that way to certain stimuli that can trigger conflict , psychologists can help deal with these aspects, so that these conditions do not last in future generations.

Aerophobia and other related disorders

"The fear of flying is rarely just because it is in the air. It is usually a combination of claustrophobia, fear of strange noises, turbulence and the feeling of not having control". Stacey Chance, veteran American Airlines & Creator Pilot

Aerophobia is classified within anxiety disorders, It can be just from Situational type, That is, it has to see with the action of flying and related to this, but can also be combined with environmental phobias with some fears such as: fear of storms, cliffs and water, for example; Which can indicate another type of phobias, in turn, a psychologist can determine this, the most common with which it is usually mixed is related to Fear of heights: acrophobia, So the person experiences greater degrees of anxiety, it can become paralyzing being in the midst of the flight, since the individual cannot escape or avoid the situation, but neither does their discomfort decrease.

Can be sustained by other behavior disorders in turn, such as anguish disorder, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, where compulsive behaviors are aimed to neutralize anxiety. Other commonly associated conditions are the acute stress disorder and post -traumatic stress disorder, What happens for having experienced an unpleasant situation on a flight or something that could link the experience, this can cause them an extra dose of fear, called “Resignification A posteriori".

Aerophobia treatments

"Inaction cultivates fear. Action cultivates trust and value. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home thinking about it. Salt and take care of him."Give Carnegie

There are currently several types of treatments that have tried to have good results. The Exposure therapy and the Desensitization techniques They help again program cognitive and physiological responses, through the strategies provided by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TCC). It can be in group or individual modality, there are help programs of different classes, for different tastes and needs, the best systems to lose the fear of flying also include part of this in their methodology.

The Virtual training programs They have environments simulators and even characteristic sounds of a flight, such as the engine with its changes and turbines, whose noise can shiver some passengers. This type of systems also uses exposure technique. One of the pioneers in this type of treatments is the pilot and psychologist Tom Bunn, who He established the first “fear of flying” program and worked with him until the foundation of Soar (1982). Thus developing more effective methods to treat fear problems.

Aerophobic rescue technology

Technology can be your great ally to take flight. Today There are many applications that have been developed by aviation experts in alliance with some behavior professionals, creating tools that you can comfortably carry on your mobile devices. Not all require Internet connection and have proven to have good results.

Some of them, for example, describing users what is happening at the time of the flight, indicates the places where they are happening, takes into consideration the climate, the direction of the wind and its strength to calculate the time of arrival, In the event that there is some setback for which they are delayed, the program explains the reasons.

So much Climatological conditions such as turbulence can be a trigger for anxiety for people suffering from Aerophobia, Therefore, most of these mobile applications in their established programs can detect these types of movements and provide the user with an explanation, as well as some tips and exercises ready to apply that they can be useful. This type of technologies can be an excellent complement to your psychological treatment, which should not be replaced, given the nature of the condition.

5 great tips to conquer your fear of flying

If you are afraid of flying, these suggestions can be of great help to you; If you suffer from Aerophobia, it is recommended in addition to this, that you decide to start a psychological treatment for you.

Strategically plan your flight

1. Choose appropriate airlines that have the Security standards. Aircraft that bring seats for more than 30 passengers have to go through strict certifications.
2. If you can choose, try to select a seat in the hallway and that you are close to those who can give you attention in case you require it.
3. It is advisable that The day of the flight or a day before you have everything prepared, In order to eliminate other sources of unnecessary stress and anxiety, you can: leave all the necessary documentation prepared, the load and hand luggage that you will carry, as well as your mobile devices with recharged battery from a previous night.

Knowledge can give you some peace of mind

• It is convenient that you report how the aircraft operates, the safety equipment and systems that make up the airplanes.
• As soon as you climb, pay attention to the indications, try to meet the staff and pay attention to what should be done in case of emergencies.

Tools you can use during the flight

1. Use neurobiology in your favor! Release oxytocin counteracts feelings of fear, while reducing stress and anxiety a bit. As? Do activities that you like to do how to listen to your favorite music and read, for example. Remembering events and pleasant people, who are significant in your life and who make you smile can also help you.
2. Learn techniques from management anxiety and stress, By reducing cortisol and adrenaline levels in your body, you can be less dominated by fear and act with more reason.
3. Applies Techniques of meditation and of relaxation, To perform long and deep breaths, can be very useful for emotional regulation.
4. The music with slow and soft rhythms They remind the heartbeat, they can help bring a little calm and move away anxiety, at the same time, avoid the perception that can produce in you the sound of turbines or motor, when using your headphones.
5. If you like reading, Read a good book or a magazine of interest to you, You can make your attention focus on that task and think less about what worries you.
6. Some of the applications for mobile devices that are used to treat aerophobia are: Skyguru, Take me up, Turbcast and Fear of Flying-Soar, among many others; The last one was developed by Tom Bunn.

Prepare your body for flight

1. Avoid stimulating drinks The day of your departure and even from about 24 hours before your flight.
2. During the trip, it is advisable that Do not take too many liquids. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is not a good option, as many believe; It is preferable to avoid any variable that might make your anxiety levels shoot through the clouds.
3. Carries a healthy and balanced diet. If you can, avoid eating during the flight if you suffer from Aerophobia. If it is a long trip and you cannot avoid it, try to eat light, then carry your stomach totally empty is not a good idea.

Ask for personal assistance

Having a phobia is no reason to be ashamed, Many people suffer from different kinds of phobias and fears. Whoever talks to someone qualified in this regard can avoid unnecessary complications during the flight, denotes maturity of your part and that way they can support you, since they have the necessary experience and training. Remember that you are not just!

Conclusion

The fear of flying is frequent. However, aerophobia is a disorder that framed in the classification of anxiety disorders, within the context of this condition, anguish crises and other serious disorders may appear, as well as avoidance behaviors in situations that can represent a problem for the individual , so it is important that aerophobia is treated.

There are several therapies and types of training that some psychologists can provide to people with this condition. To cope with the flight, when there is some fear or anxiety, it is advisable emotional balance The user weakens or reduced to a minimum, thus having the probability of having a more pleasant or at least not so tortuous trip.

Links

• https: // www.Fearofflying.com/about/about-chaptain-toom-bunn.SHTML
• https: // drminkseif.com/pdfs/anticipatoryanxiety.PDF
• https: // www.AEPA-SPAIN.com/
• https: // www.psychoactive.com/blog/index-dsm-v-con-codigos/