I'm afraid to fly on an airplane, what should I do? How not to be afraid to fly on an airplane: advice from those who have overcome aerophobia. What you need to know about the plane

The fear of flying in an airplane is called aerophobia, and it is a fairly common fear in the modern world. Since airplanes have long become the main and most convenient way to travel, fear of flying often causes serious inconvenience. Fear of airplanes can have different causes: turbulence, flying over water, periods of takeoff and landing, fear of closed spaces and heights, loss of control over the situation, etc. However, as a rule, the main cause of aerophobia is simply a lack of knowledge about what happens during a flight. To overcome your fear of flying, sometimes you just need to learn a little about airplanes. Below we will tell you how to stop being afraid of flying on an airplane.

Popular mistakes

When thinking about how to stop being afraid of flying on an airplane, many resort to alcohol. This decision may not have the best effect on your condition and will only increase your anxiety. In addition, the dry air on the plane combined with alcohol will cause dehydration, and physical discomfort will be added to psychological discomfort. And since we're talking about drinks, it's worth remembering that caffeine is also not your best friend in this situation: it can lead the nervous system into an excited state.
The fear of airplanes forces many to turn to the study of statistics. What do they see there? There are a lot of phrases about how airplanes are the safest form of transport, and that cases of air crashes are rare. But just one small, even accidentally seen, mention of a plane accident clouds the mind, and now a person is already studying the Internet in search of statistics on accidents of his airline, aircraft model, country. Stop! Focusing on the negative will only increase your fear.

How to deal with aerophobia

First, you need to understand the severity of your fear. If, due to flying on an airplane, you experience uncontrollable panic attacks, not only psychological, but also physical difficulties (muscle tension, difficulty breathing), then the best solution would be to contact a psychologist who will tell you how to get rid of aerophobia completely or reduce its manifestations to minimum.

If you feel that you are able to fight fear on your own, below we will give some tips for combating aerophobia:

Accept your fear. You are far from the only person who is afraid of flying. According to statistics, about 25-30% of the adult population of the planet suffers from aerophobia to one degree or another. There is nothing to be ashamed of, so just admit to yourself that you are afraid. If necessary, you can notify the flight attendants about your fear of airplanes, and they will try to make the flight more comfortable for you.
Distract attention. Don't focus on the process of flying, instead do something that brings you pleasure. Be sure to take an interesting book with you, charge your laptop or tablet, download interesting applications or pleasant music to your smartphone. Anything that will improve your mood will also reduce your fear. In addition, stock up on your favorite treats, because food is a great helper in the fight against stress. Dark chocolate will be especially useful. For more information on what you can do on a plane, read our article "The Road Under the Clouds: Things to Do on a Plane."
Inhale - exhale! Straighten your shoulders and take a deep breath, concentrate on your breathing. This will help you calm down. It’s not for nothing that all meditative techniques emphasize the importance of proper breathing.
Trust the professionals. The aircraft crew are first-class trained specialists in their field. The aircraft board is a mechanism with high safety parameters. Not many people know, but all vital systems on airplanes sometimes have not even one, but several spare copies: two engines, four brake and three fuel systems, three control systems, etc. Should you be afraid when you are in such good hands?

Finally, it is worth mentioning turbulence. What causes the greatest fear, in fact, poses absolutely no danger to flight. It can be compared to bumps in the road, and nothing more. This once again suggests that instead of using your imagination and imagining the worst-case scenario, you should just learn more about flying.

We hope you found this article helpful and learned more about how to deal with your fear of flying.

27.12.2018, 15:00 22205

The number of phobias that a person has to deal with is amazing, and if you are not afraid of spiders or can easily stay in a stopped elevator, it is not a fact that you will not experience fear during a flight. Despite the fact that most passengers experience some kind of fear before boarding a plane, there is still no need to talk about a serious mental illness. If, before takeoff and during the flight, severe anxiety appears, hands sweat, heart rate increases, and death seems inevitable, it is necessary to take emergency measures and begin treatment for aerophobia.

Is flying really that scary?

The reason that many people are afraid to fly is often the media depicting the consequences of a terrible plane crash. In fact, the risk of dying in a plane crash is much lower than the risk of being a victim of a car accident. Meanwhile, a plane crash, which does not happen as often as it seems, is being discussed by journalists of all stripes. Such news, as a rule, does not leave the screen for weeks, and this is deposited under the cerebral cortex. By the way, in our material the pilots themselves gave answers to a number of the most common questions about flying.

Chances of getting into a plane crash

When going on an air trip, if you have not yet felt the signs of complications of the disease mentioned above, try to get tested. Just imagine that the risk of dying in a car accident is 1:8,000,000, if we are talking about prosperous areas of the globe, of course. Think how unlucky you have to be to join the ranks of victims of an airliner crash and become one of the 8 million “lucky” ones. If you think about it, then, by and large, you shouldn’t go out into the street, because a brick can overtake you anywhere.

Modern airliners are safe

Even in the last century, when only heroes from fantasy films talked about computers, a plane crash was very rare. Now imagine how much electronics modern airliners are crammed with. Before buying a plane ticket, some passengers check information about the low-cost airline, and from open sources you can find out how many accidents the planes of a particular airline were involved in. The average age of the aircraft fleet is also easily verified, which means that passengers will choose a modern airliner rather than an outdated aircraft model, which is more likely to crash.

To get rid of the feeling of fear, think about the fact that serious air carriers are doing everything to increase the level of flight safety. They constantly update their fleet of aircraft, purchasing safe models that have passed all possible checks. Many of them have a redundant system, meaning that if one engine fails, the plane can easily fly on the other without passengers even noticing. In addition, pilots undergo serious training, including psychological training, and therefore are always balanced and collected, with rare exceptions, of course.

A few simple rules for preparing for a flight

If you bought a ticket on the most prestigious airline, on the most modern airliner, but the feeling of fear does not go away, and you are almost sure that the plane will fall, you need to prepare for the flight. There are many options to overcome your fear of flying, including using a special computer application.

Before heading to the airport, you need to get a good night's sleep; a good breakfast will help you recover, so experts do not recommend flying on an empty stomach. It is also important to avoid rushing, so you need to pack your things in advance, put your ticket, passport, credit card and phone in a visible place. Most carriers offer online check-in - this is also a good remedy for aerophobia, as you save yourself from tedious waiting in line and possible communication with aerophobes. It is better to arrive at the airport in advance, admiring the views of the city along the way; you also need to go through customs and border control before the majority of passengers.

About the benefits of flight simulators

Flight simulators deserve special attention. They are identical to those used to train airplane pilots, which means that any passenger can temporarily find himself in the cockpit and take control. During a virtual flight, the moving platform of the simulator simulates rolls, and you can even experience the effect of turbulence on the ground. This is a good way to get rid of aerophobia, and the simulator is equally suitable for adults and children.

Sit down “correctly” and get distracted

If you are sure that all this will not help you and are still afraid to fly, take care in advance of choosing a suitable seat on the plane, and for some time now even economy class passengers have this opportunity. Aerophobes feel lighter close to the emergency exit, and this must be taken into account when purchasing a ticket.

Even if the flight does not take much time, a simple crossword puzzle or a game on the phone will help take your mind off thoughts of death and a possible fall, so you need to think about entertainment on the plane in advance. Even simple communication with a positive-minded neighbor can help, if he does not suffer from aerophobia, of course. Also remember how many of your friends have flown to their destination, and from the experience of others you will understand that flying is not scary. It's like the first parachute jump - only scary at first, and then pleasant.

By the way, you can find out whether the pilots themselves are afraid to fly in our

Aerophobia, or fear of flying, is a phobia that affects many people. It refers to the instinct of self-preservation, which is absolutely natural. To go through the path of getting rid of fears on your own and learn how not to be afraid of flying on an airplane, you need to understand the causes and methods of getting rid of aerophobia.

Aerophobia – a disease or not?

Aerophobia is the fear of traveling in any aircraft. It is difficult to control and overcome; it is based on a fear of heights and a fear of closed spaces.

Important! From a psychiatric point of view, claustrophobia is not a disease, but rather a pronounced symptom that can be easily corrected and does not require the intervention of a psychiatrist.

Experts say that the phobia of flying usually appears after the age of 25. For this reason, children always behave calmly on an airplane because they are not aware of the danger. 15% of adults are afraid to fly.

The main symptoms of aerophobia that make it difficult to overcome the fear of flying on an airplane are:

nervousness a few days before the flight;
refusal to travel due to fear;
rapid breathing;
need for alcohol before and during the flight;
analysis of movement in the crew cabin;
imagining pictures of plane crashes;
constant search in the media for information about plane crashes.

Correcting the state of aerophobia involves teaching a person ways of relaxation and self-control. The simplest method that psychologists use is the use of computer technology. To do this, the future passenger is seated in front of a flight simulator and simulated presence in the cockpit or in the cabin. As soon as the blood pressure and breathing are stabilized, we can assume that the fear has subsided.

Why are people afraid to fly on airplanes?

If you ask a person to explain his fear of flying, he will not be able to clearly formulate its reasons. However, they are common to everyone who has aerobophia:

constant viewing of world news, in which messages about plane crashes appear;
a person watched disaster films that showed a plane falling;
have your own negative experience when the ship got into a turbulence zone or had an unsuccessful landing;
fear of heights provokes fear of flying in an airplane in 90% of cases;
fear of death;
a pilot I knew told scary stories;
not taught how to cope with nerves;
fear of confined spaces;
the presence of passengers in the cabin who are noticeably nervous, and this state is transmitted to others.

Important! Scientists have found that most often people with a very developed imagination are predisposed to the appearance of a phobia. During the flight, they imagine all the previously seen scenes from films and reproduce them in their imagination.

What to do if you are afraid to fly on airplanes

The problem of fear of flying can arise in two situations:

before a trip, at the airport when seeing airplanes;
after takeoff on board.

In the first case, it is much easier to overcome the fear of flying. To do this, just go to the nearest bar and drink no more than 150 grams of alcohol. This is no longer possible, since alcohol in the air begins to act much stronger and will double its effect. Alcohol will relax you and cause euphoria.

Stop watching the news before your flight. There are disasters all over the world that are actively discussed in the media. Give yourself a “news vacuum” so you don’t see a situation that will aggravate your fears.

Experts always advise, especially for the first time, to arrive at the airport in advance. Check-in for a flight usually begins 2 hours before boarding. If possible, you should arrive an hour earlier. Stop and watch the planes landing and taking off. You will see that there is nothing terrible, although according to statistics, 70% of disasters occur during takeoff and landing.

This will give you time to calmly drop off your luggage, go through check-in, walk around the airport building and get used to your surroundings. If all procedures are completed in a hurry, this will only add to the nervousness.

Important! If the fear is so great that a panic attack begins, it is better to refuse the flight. In this condition, it is strictly forbidden to board the ship. This is dangerous to health, and panic on board can cause unexpected situations and inappropriate behavior that is difficult to control in a confined space.

If the fear began on board during a flight, you should accept the fact that the risk of dying during a plane crash is much lower than on the way to the airport during a car accident. According to statistics, the plane is the safest mode of transport. There is 1 accident per 1 million flights. 90% of all accidents involve small private aircraft, are due to pilot error and are not related to civil aviation.

Why you shouldn't be afraid to fly on an airplane

The most common fears during a flight are the same for many people.

Turbulence
There has not been a single plane crash due to turbulence; this condition does not threaten modern airliners, which are designed taking into account all physical phenomena and the effects of air flows.

Engine failure
Passenger aircraft have a gliding system controlled by an autopilot. If all engines fail, although this situation is extremely rare, the aircraft will be grounded at the nearest airport or on the ground.

The plane is old and will break down
In aviation there is no concept of “old” or “new” aircraft. There are concepts of “serviceable” and “faulty”. Before the flight, each ship is checked; faulty aircraft are not allowed on the flight.

Pilots are drunk/out of their minds
Pilots undergo a medical examination before departure, so this situation is impossible.

The pilots will start to get reckless
The actions of the pilots are fully controlled by the “autopilot” system, which warns of errors. They also want to live, so they do not intend to risk their lives.

This should help remove the fear of flying. Such thoughts arise in any sane person. Just accept it as a fact that flying is much safer than driving a car. It is worth studying the statistics, which will show the real figure regarding flight safety.

How to overcome your fear of flying

A great tip is to choose your own location in advance. The thought of planning your trip will reduce your anxiety. You will shift some of the responsibility onto yourself, thereby establishing psychological balance due to the understanding that other people do not control your life. This psychological technique gives self-confidence, helps cope with nervousness, reduces fear, and dulls feelings of anxiety.

Don't be scared by new sounds
Those flying for the first time on board are very uncomfortable, as they closely monitor everything that is happening and cannot relax.

During the flight, during takeoff and landing, there will be many new and different sounds. This process is absolutely normal. When landing, the engine operates almost silently, there is no need to be alarmed.

Important! Do not listen to every sound while flying. As a non-specialist, you cannot understand the operation of an airplane, so relax and leave yourself to the professionals.

Listen to music
When flying business class, passengers are offered individual headphones through which they can connect while watching the selected movie. If you are flying on a charter, extraneous sounds will be very distracting. Download several albums of your favorite band, listen to music that will relax you and remove panic.

Prepare for turbulence
Turbulence is when an airplane hits an area of strong wind currents, after which shaking begins. This condition can greatly frighten a person who is flying for the first time. The situation is unpleasant, although it poses absolutely no threat.

It should be remembered: turbulence is not dangerous for the aircraft, the structure of the aircraft is strong, the wings will remain, and so will the skin. The crew knows the rules of flying the aircraft very well, so passengers should relax as much as possible, wait, and calm down.

Important! The only danger of turbulence is the possibility of falling out of the chair. So you should buckle up.

Try to sleep
Sleeping through the entire flight is the best solution. If you can fall asleep, you can get rid of aerobophia.

Download the airplane simulator app
The application is an excellent option that can teach you not to be afraid of flying on an airplane. This helps overcome aerobophia and fears. It clearly tells you about all the processes that are happening around you, explains the sounds you hear, and warns you in advance about turbulence zones. You can assume that an experienced pilot is sitting next to you.

Remember God
If you are a believer, be sure to pray. Prayer has a calming effect, helps relieve stress and dull the fear of flying on an airplane, especially for the first time.

Do pills help with fear of flying?

Before taking any medications, be sure to consult with your doctor, who will prescribe pills that are suitable specifically for your symptoms. All tablets that are suitable for treating the symptoms of aerophobia are divided into three groups:

mild sedative herbal preparations;
tranquilizers;
barbiturates.

Let's start with the fact that barbiturates are drugs that are prescribed by a doctor to provide a strong anticonvulsant sedative effect. This group of drugs is equated to narcotic substances, and therefore is strictly regulated for use. Such drugs cannot be purchased openly; they must be prescribed by a doctor according to a prescription.

Important! Barbiturates cause persistent addiction, so they are used only for severe neuroses, accompanied by panic attacks, convulsions, and insomnia. It is absolutely not worth taking them to overcome the fear of flying; in this state, we cease to be aware of what is happening when sleep overpowers fears.

Tranquilizers are weaker. Your doctor may prescribe a short course to relieve symptoms of a nervous disorder. They affect the nervous system, reducing pronounced emotional arousal. Such pills can be prescribed before a flight to reduce anxiety, relieve emotional stress, overcome fear, and remove phobias.

Important! Tranquilizers last from 6 hours to 2 days; you can take the medicine after a doctor’s prescription if you are very scared during the flight.

Now let's look at mild sedative herbal preparations:

Novopassit.
Persen.
Motherwort tincture.

Herbal preparations are found in every home medicine cabinet. These medications should definitely be taken on a trip to overcome the fear of flying. They have no contraindications, side effects, and do not require a doctor’s prescription.

Important! The disadvantage of herbal sedatives is that they do not save you from panic attacks; for this you need to have tablets with a stronger effect.

We can conclude that the pills help overcome the fear of flying, however, the cause of the phobia is not eliminated. They help temporarily, but are not a panacea.

How to overcome your child's fears of flying on an airplane

Many parents have encountered a situation where a child panics before traveling. To reduce fears and get rid of childhood aerophobia, you should resort to a number of tips given by experienced parents.

Important! The most important advice to all parents: stop panicking yourself. Your nervousness and mood are passed on to your children, who, seeing this, begin to be afraid to fly. Therefore, your calmness in most situations is the most important factor that will help remove the feeling of fear in a child of any age.

It should be remembered: children 1 – 5 years old are intuitively afraid to fly because they feel their parents’ nervousness. Therefore, panic should be strictly stopped even at the subconscious level. From the age of 5, children have an awareness of death, so a vivid imagination can be created on the basis of films they have seen, news, or pictures of a plane crash.

You should also strictly prohibit conversations at home that such travel is dangerous in order to overcome aerophobia. You should limit your viewing of news and films on such topics. Children's imagination can create a picture after which it will be difficult to persuade the child to fly. Screams, panic, scandals on board will be guaranteed for you.

Fear in children and problems with flying manifest themselves differently depending on age:

A preschooler may be frightened by the roar of engines, noisy neighbors, and begin to cry. He may be hungry or thirsty and tired. Therefore, before the trip, you should feed your child and ensure proper sleep.
Children often cry because their ears are blocked. To do this, you need to take lollipops, which should be sucked during takeoff. A newborn baby should be given breast or bottle feeding.

To learn not to be afraid of flying on an airplane, follow these tips:

Tell us about all the stages, watch a film together about the structure of the aircraft. Such actions will interest the child, relieve tension, fear, and distract from terrible thoughts.
Older children should be told the stages of preparation: check-in, baggage check-in. You can trust him with the winding process so that he feels important and proud of himself.
Come up with a joint activity that will distract your child. Most flights take 2-3 hours, which is enough time to keep the kids busy. You can read a book, sculpt plasticine figures, draw, put together puzzles, or play a board game quietly.
If possible, you can go to the airport in advance, show it working, takeoff/landing.
During the flight, choose seats closer to the aisle so that the child does not see frightening images of heights.
Focus on the benefits of relaxation, sea, mountains, hotel. It will be fun there, a lot of new friends, ice cream, sweets, a beautiful water park.
A great idea to combat your child’s fears is to buy him a new toy to give him on the plane. This will significantly distract attention.
Older children can be told about the structure of the cockpit.

An airplane is the safest mode of transport, so you need to learn to accept facts and get rid of fears after 12-13 years.

People who were able to overcome their fear of flying on an airplane tell different ways to stop being afraid of flying. Some people find it helpful to drink before a flight; this method is suitable for oblivion and relaxation. Others suffer because they have seen cases where the ship crashed, so it is very difficult to overcome the reasons to take off after such a thing. Also, many phobias are generated by ourselves. Tips on how not to be afraid of flying from real people will help you cope:

Try to sleep
Choose a place that is located near the porthole, closer to the tail. Passengers with children are rarely seated here, so the noise level will be very low. The chair near the window is the most comfortable; you can lean against it, closing the curtain and removing the extra annoying light. Even if you fly low-cost, you can add 10 - 15 euros, choose a convenient place to fly comfortably.

The seat needs to be reclined as much as possible, this position will relax your back and you will be able to fall asleep much faster. If the neighbors behind you are uncomfortable, ask for a blanket, roll it up so that your lower back is as relaxed as possible, then you can fall asleep quickly. The legs should be kept slightly bent and a support should be placed under them.

The inflatable pillow needs to be fixed between the chest and chin; often the chair is quite ergonomic, you can sleep without a pillow. A properly fixed chin will prevent you from waking up suddenly if turbulence begins.

Important! Many people find it difficult to relax, so falling asleep can be difficult. Therefore, before the flight, spend a sleepless night, after which it will be easy to overcome the feeling of nervousness, the body will simply fall asleep on its own.

Alcohol
Many people are helped by the advice to drink to overcome their fears of flying on an airplane and reduce nervousness. This method of combating aerophobia does not help everyone, so it is better to drink green tea, which contains microelements that help relieve stress.

Food
Overeating should be avoided; it is better to have a light snack.

Overcome jet lag in advance
Jet lag is a syndrome of jet lag that occurs after crossing long distances. It is felt worst of all if you fly to Asia, because the daylight hours are reduced, and the person is technically going “back”. Flights to Europe are easier to endure because jet lag makes daylight hours longer.

If there is a long flight ahead, the syndrome may manifest itself especially acutely. To avoid this, you should walk as often as possible during daylight hours for several days before the flight. This will help the body tune in to the right mood.

These are the main ways to stop being afraid of flying on an airplane and safely set yourself up for an easy journey. Millions of people fly every day, although they, too, were frightened by news that was better not to watch. Everyone has learned to deal with their phobias, so you will learn too.

This is a serious problem. Fear of flying often prevents us from discovering new cities and countries and simply relaxing. We’ll figure out what to do about it together with a professional pilot and aviation psychologist, head of the “Fly Without Fear” center Alexey Gervash.

Let's say right away that there is nothing shameful or abnormal about fear of flying. About 30% of people are afraid to fly, more than 5% completely refuse to fly because of this. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali nearly ruined his career by refusing to fly to the Olympics. For two hours, the coaches persuaded Ali to take a plane ticket. And the boxer agreed, but only on the condition that he would fly wearing a parachute. This is how our brain works. Neuroscientists say that we know how to be afraid from birth. The amygdalae are responsible for fear - areas of the brain that, to put it simply, determine which situations are unusual for us and how to react to them. Flying at an altitude of 10 thousand meters, of course, is not the most common situation for our entire body, hence the corresponding reaction. What to do about it?

“A plane is the safest form of transport.” We hear this phrase so often that it has ceased to have any meaning at all. Especially for an aerophobe. But there are numbers behind it that may surprise you. And maybe even reduce your fears. On average, about 140 thousand passenger flights are carried out around the world per day. That's about 48 million flights a year. The annual passenger traffic is about five billion people. To see how many planes are in the sky at the moment, just open one of the special services on the Internet (there are several of them, for example) and find out not only the number of flights (there are really a lot of them), but also the directions, the speed of the planes, the altitude at which they are flying.

Unfortunately, plane crashes do happen. And the statistics on those killed in such disasters are on average 500 people per year. A lot, of course. But taking into account the annual flow of five billion, it comes out to one person per 15 million. For comparison, in Russia alone in 2015, 23 thousand people died as a result of car accidents. In the US alone, every year an average of 450 people die from falling out of bed.

Learn more about aviation

If you believe the statistics, it turns out that the chance of dying on the way to the airport is much higher than on the plane. But even knowing this, we are still afraid. We are afraid, if only because we don’t understand how “this huge thing” can stay in the air. Instead of once again looking at incident reports before your flight, it’s better to read about how “everything works.” And then you will know that turbulence has never caused a plane crash that the plane can “chatter” not only in cloudy weather and that Wings shaking during turbulence and landing are normal and even good, because it is the flexibility of the wing that provides the vehicle with maximum strength and the ability to withstand the strongest loads.

Alexey Gervash

Finding out as much as possible about the object of your fear is a good recommendation. But I can say that very often in such situations, common sense, unfortunately, stops working. And you are afraid, even though you seem to understand that everything is fine. Fear of flying is irrational, and there is little more logic in the fear of flying than in the fear of the dark or clowns. The fact is that the main causes of aerophobia are not related to aviation at all. The main reasons are a global lack of trust in life, increased anxiety, and perfectionism. Therefore, you need to work with aerophobia seriously, with the help of specialists. Aerophobia has long been studied and responds well to therapy. But people with anxiety and trust deficits do not always agree to this therapy. Many people think that they will get by with sedatives. Some people don’t believe that therapy can help. Some people even think like this: “I’m afraid to fly because flying is dangerous. I’ll turn to a specialist, he will help me think that it’s safe to fly. I will believe him, fly and something will happen to me. Because flying is dangerous." Typical logic of an aerophobe. Some believe that this is not a phobia at all, but common sense. And sometimes only over time does a person begin to realize that the problem is in himself.

Stop thinking that you control everything

“On the plane, nothing depends on me. Not like on earth. If an unforeseen situation arises while I’m driving in a car, I can always stop” (get out, dodge, brake - underline what is necessary). This is what aerophobes most often say, contrasting the situation in the air with the situation “below.” It seems to us that here we control everything, and therefore nothing bad will happen to us. We are used to thinking that if we behave correctly (don't talk to strangers, cross the street when the light is green, don't come home late), we will be completely safe. Unfortunately, this is an illusion, and a person, no matter how correctly he behaves, is not immune from anything. We are talking about this not to scare you and force you not to leave the house, but so that you understand that there is no complete control not only in flight, but also on the ground. You need to think about it, accept it and learn to live with it.

Try to understand your body

Remember that flying is not a normal situation for your body. Nature did not expect us to fly at an altitude of 10 thousand meters. Hence the numerous errors of the vestibular apparatus, which can really scare you. For example, sometimes it seems to us that the plane is banking very much to the side when turning. We begin to worry that something is wrong and mentally prepare for the worst. In fact, it is our own vestibular apparatus that deceives us, and the roll is not as strong as we think.

Or a strong heartbeat and trembling legs. It may seem to you that something is wrong with you, you may panic. Here, too, it is better to be aware that trembling knees and heartbeat are the body’s reaction to the release of adrenaline. The body reacts to a threat (and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a real threat or an imagined one) and believes that the threat needs to be fought or run away from it, so breathing quickens. To alleviate this condition, or at least not to make it worse, you need to close your eyes, lean back and do a simple breathing exercise. Inhale for four counts, hold your breath for four counts and exhale for four counts. This will not help cope with aerophobia. But it will help relieve a panic attack here and now.

Don't Make These Mistakes

Don't do those things that seem to help, but in fact only increase your aerophobia.

do not try to escape fear with alcohol or sleeping pills;
do not spend hours on the Internet searching for information about disasters;
Don’t invent signs for yourself.

Alexey Gervash

pilot, aviation psychologist, head of the “Fly Without Fear” center

In the first stages, a person, in principle, can cope with aerophobia on his own. Read books, learn how planes fly. Learn to breathe correctly and not concentrate on negative thoughts. But very often people make all kinds of mistakes imaginable and only make the situation worse. Why, for example, is alcohol bad? By drinking (or taking some sleeping pills), you seem to remove yourself from the environment in which you are. By the next time, a certain picture has already formed in your brain: since you needed methods to get away from this place, it means this place is bad. And aerophobia is intensifying. Another mistake is to constantly look for information about disasters, investigations of these disasters and try it all on yourself. Our brain is designed in such a way that it will filter information and you will only concentrate on the negative. And then aerophobes gradually acquire signs - for example, they go to the airport only in a certain car (they say, they drove it before, and it brought good luck - they didn’t crash). All this ultimately only makes the situation worse.

download special applications for aerophobes.

If you're already on a plane and starting to panic

do not let your body tense, close your eyes and consciously relax your muscles (as in meditation);
normalize your breathing with simple breathing exercises;
concentrate on your inner feelings and try to stop trying to find out about the situation in the cabin by the faces of the flight attendants, and also allow yourself not to follow the sounds that the plane makes;
Mentally imagine your anxiety scale. It may look like a thermometer or numbers on a scoreboard graduated from one to ten. Imagine how your anxiety level on the scale decreases;
As soon as the first signs of panic have been relieved, switch to something that will occupy your attention - a book, work, a movie, a conversation with a neighbor, or even just breakfast.

Not all travelers who have to fly are afraid of flying. Unfortunately, about 70% of those on board experience this fear. How not to be afraid of flying on an airplane? Is it possible to cope with fear? Let's try to figure it out in this article.

Why are people afraid to fly on an airplane?

There can be many reasons for such fear. And in each case they will be individual. Not everyone can cope with fear and panic, which already indicates the development of a phobia. There are several reasons for this behavior.

Firstly, the fear of flying can be transmitted at the genetic level. Perhaps one of the ancestors experienced such fear and was unable to cope with it in time. Fear may not bother the passenger until a certain moment. For example, it may appear after listening to news about a plane crash.

Secondly, self-hypnosis. Fear, which is developed precisely on its basis, is considered conscious. It is enough for a passenger to watch a movie about a plane crash or about the hijacking of an airliner by terrorists, as he begins to race thoughts in his head and imagine everything that he saw on the screen in reality.

Thirdly, many people say: “I’m afraid to fly on an airplane because of the unpleasant physical sensations.” And this is not uncommon. The plane takes off into the sky. The body experiences certain physical stress at this time. The passenger begins to treat everything with caution, his blood pressure rises, his pulse quickens, and thoughts arise in his head that provoke panic. People who experience such sensations are predisposed to developing aerophobia.

Some tourists have fear before their first flight. And this is not surprising. The body does not yet know how to perceive this. And the psychological state is constantly at the limit. And here the most important thing is not to listen to news about plane crashes. If you don’t overcome your fears on your first flight, they will develop into a phobia. It's much more difficult to deal with.

Further, many people have a disease such as claustrophobia or fear of closed spaces. Others are afraid of heights, which prevents them from fully enjoying the flight. Someone else gets worried when they are among a large crowd of people. Professional psychologists will come to the rescue in solving all situations.

Dispelling fears

Since many tourists are afraid of disasters, the design features of the aircraft will help dispel such fear. It is designed in such a way that even if it breaks, it can land safely. All systems are duplicated. Duplicates start working after the main system fails. The aircraft is equipped with the latest security systems.

Further, the professionalism of the aircraft crew is always at a high level. The staff knows how to act in a given situation. In addition, the serviceability of the aircraft is the air carrier’s priority. This is the only way he can make good money on flights. Therefore, all systems and mechanisms are always checked after landing and immediately before takeoff.

What is aerophobia

It represents an uncontrollable, exaggerated fear of flying in an aircraft. It can appear both during air travel and several hours before it.

Its characteristic features are as follows:

rapid pulse and tachycardia;
increased sweating;
pain in the chest area;
frequent urge to urinate;
psychological tension;
feeling tired;
weakening of muscles;
restless and nervous emotional state;
inability to concentrate on anything.

These signs can also accompany simple excitement before takeoff. But both the phobia and this anxiety must be fought.

What to do before the flight

If an airplane trip cannot be cancelled, you need to prepare for it properly. You should not read sad news about plane crashes and other airliner accidents. It is better to check in for your flight in advance. This will help get rid of unnecessary anxiety. When checking in, you can ask for a chair that is located away from the porthole.

Advice! It is better not to choose places in the tail zone. It is on them that turbulence is felt.

Before the flight, you should not consume alcoholic beverages or psychotropic drugs. They can cause an inappropriate reaction to a seemingly simple situation that arose on board. It is also better not to drink coffee, as it has a stimulating effect on a person’s psychological state.

To distract yourself a little, you can chat with your neighbors and get to know the aircraft staff. It would be a good idea to download relaxing music to your phone or other gadget before the flight. You can listen to them while waiting for departure and during the flight.

No one forbids sleeping in the cabin of an aircraft. Therefore, to pass the flight time, you can take an inflatable pillow with you. If it is not available, the ship's staff will provide it.

You can take a book or an interesting magazine with you. Do not forget that if a passenger gets motion sickness during any trip, he needs to take motion sickness pills and fruit lozenges. They will help you cope with unpleasant sensations.

If you cannot cope with fear on your own, it is better to seek help from a psychologist. He will conduct several sessions and also prescribe certain medications if necessary. Some psychologists advise their patients to use aerostimulators. They simulate the flight of an aircraft. With regular exercise, you can get used to turbulence, as well as accustom your body to such stress.

What to do during the flight

Passengers who are afraid of heights are not recommended to choose seats near the windows. If this cannot be avoided, the window can be covered with a special curtain. During the flight, it is better to enjoy listening to music or reading your favorite book.

You can invite your neighbor to talk about various topics. Time will pass interestingly and quickly. You can take a nap on a chair, lowering its back slightly. In Business Class, passengers are provided with bed linen. It is better to subconsciously divide a long journey into several parts:

takeoff;
serving drinks;
lunch/dinner/breakfast.

By mentally noting these points, time passes faster.

During turbulence

Turbulence occurs quite often during flight. Many passengers are afraid of her. But she gives no reason to panic. An experienced pilot sits at the helm and can easily navigate the turbulence zone. But at this time you need to follow certain rules. They will help you cope with fear.

you must follow the instructions of the flight attendants;
fasten your seat belts and do not unfasten them until permission is given;
to calm down, you can do breathing exercises;
it is forbidden to leave your seat until the plane leaves the turbulence zone;
you need to follow the inscriptions and instructions that are broadcast on the electronic display in the aircraft cabin;
If things fall from the top shelves, you need to cover your head with your hands.

There is no need to worry. It is better to mentally convince yourself that everything will be fine. Self-hypnosis helps in almost any situation.

My child is afraid to fly on an airplane, what should I do?

Children almost always experience some kind of fear. Only parents or professional psychologists can help cope with them. Parents panic when they hear: “I’m afraid to fly on an airplane.” What to do to get rid of fear?

So, you need to tell your baby about the upcoming trip. But don’t mention that he will be flying on an airplane. It's better to talk about pleasant moments. For example, about how he will run on the warm sea sand. Or go on an exciting excursion.

The child needs to be told what exactly awaits him at the airport: check-in, going through security, waiting for the flight, etc. Parents need to come up with something to do for him during the flight: draw something, make something, etc. You can play a simple game with your child, read a book or listen to a fairy tale. It must first be downloaded to the gadget. Adult children are helped by stories about the safety of the aircraft, its design features, etc.

Firstly, you need to prepare for the flight in advance. Secondly, it would be useful to read magazines or books about the design of aviation equipment. Such publications contain diagrams of aircraft systems and components. Thirdly, you need to arrive at the airport in advance to go through the registration procedure. Next, you need to think positively and be confident in your actions.

Watch a video about what to do if you are afraid of flying