Coping with the fear of flying
Understanding the reasons for your distress
To free yourself from fear you must, first of all, understand its origin.
• a shocking event
See also
A plane crash, a movie highlight, an aviation safety documentary, or the events of September 11, 2001 can encourage or cause airplane psychosis.
• a bad memory
Particularly turbulent flights, delays that multiply, more and more security checks that make you aware of a possible risk are other elements that can decrease your desire to get on a plane once again.
• a contradiction
The equation is simple: a plane = very heavy = impossible that it can fly! Psychologists call "terrestrials" people who think that flying falls within the sphere of the supernatural.
• ignorance
Above all, you are afraid of the unknown. There are few passengers who are perfectly familiar with the basics of aviation. This often induces a form of panic caused by the slightest noise that may seem suspicious.
• hidden fears
Very often a fear (such as that of flying) is a symptom that can hide a real, deeper fear.
- Claustrophobia or agoraphobia
You are afraid of closed places (the cabin of the aircraft) of open spaces (the sky).
- The loss of control
Psychologists define "decision makers" as people who are frustrated by the "impossibility of taking control of the device in the event of the unexpected.
How to manage your fear?
• before departure
- A basic therapy: those who suffer from a real fear that paralyzes and hinders them, must envisage psychotherapy or behavioral therapy to better understand the origins of their fear and find an adequate solution.
- An internship offered by some airlines. It begins with an individual interview with an aeronautical stress specialist, followed by a theoretical course on aviation with professionals who answer any questions, and ends with a flight simulation session that allows you to recreate various situations (turbulence, take-off sensations, any technical problems ...).
- No stress: learn to manage stress and fear thanks to the method that suits you best (sophrology, yoga, relaxation ...) to use these exercises on the day of the flight.
- The prescription of anxiolytics to those who really cannot control fear. These drugs do not cure you, but they allow you to face the moment of flight more calmly. Warning: it is strongly not recommended to take alcohol because it can increase the feeling of fear during the flight.
-Day X arrive early to choose your seat at check-in: in the center of the plane to feel less jolts and next to the window if you want to see what happens outside. reactors, so as not to focus your attention on their operation!
Once on the plane
- Before take-off: do not hesitate to express your fears to the cabin crew. Sometimes, the fact of externalizing a state of mind allows you to get rid of it a little. "You have to take possession of the space, slowly get used to this new environment. To distract yourself, read, discuss with your neighbor, concentrate on crosswords, on lists ( Italian regions, presidents of European countries ...) or try to remember the poems you learned in elementary school.
- The take-off phase is the most feared, even if only 28% of accidents occur at this time. However, this phase remains impressive (roar of the engines, increase in their power, silence ...). You have to trust the technology and the pilot, who knows his job, just like you do when you go to the doctor.
- In flight the voltage tends to drop. However, it can happen that turbulence can disrupt the cruising speed, as happens in a train or car. In this case, try to consider the air gaps as if they were holes in a "road" in the sky: a little annoying, but not dangerous.
- The landing phase is experienced as badly as that of the take-off: jolts when the clouds cross, noises of the landing gear coming out ... but remember that all this is normal and smile at the idea that the flight turns to the its end!
Did you know that?
• there is a 90% more chance of dying in a car accident than in a plane.
• According to statistics, one would have to fly every day for 35,000 years to be sure of having an accident
• in 2006, the European Commission adopted a list of airlines banned in the European Union. To consult this list (updated regularly): http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/list_it.htm
