Aerophobia – How to overcome the fear of flying next time? 20^th September 2021

Roughly around six million people are flying somewhere every day. Air travel has become a necessity for most of us for multiple purposes; study, work, holiday, and different other reasons.

Air travel brings in a different excitement of seeing the world from a bird-eye view. But some of us are still terrified of travelling on an aeroplane. Air travel is not an easy game for all. These are all signs of aviophobia, from feeling groggy to having a panic attack during or before a flight. And this fear and anxiety can hold you back in your life. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you overcome the fear of flying before and during your flight.

1. Recognize your fear: Extreme avoidance of planes or anything in association with flying like airports is considered the fear of flight. According to psychologists, people with severe aerophobia organize their life around avoiding flying. When stepping onto a plane, you may be afraid of a single or a range of things like noises and sensations during takeoff and landing or sudden or prolonged turbulence. Therefore, it is crucial to figure out what triggers your flight-related anxiety so you can take steps to anticipate or avoid it.

There can also be underlying reasons for aerophobia such as claustrophobia – fear of enclosed spaces, agoraphobia – fear of crowds, acrophobia – fear of heights, or simply uneasiness of not being in control. It is necessary to treat these baseline anxieties. You can try taking small steps to deal with them; for instance, choosing the aisle seat will make you feel less restrained by giving you the freedom of movement. It will also help you avoid looking out of the window if you are uncomfortable with heights.

There can also be underlying reasons for aerophobia such as claustrophobia – fear of enclosed spaces, agoraphobia – fear of crowds, acrophobia – fear of heights, or simply uneasiness of not being in control. It is necessary to treat these baseline anxieties. You can try taking small steps to deal with them; for instance, choosing the aisle seat will make you feel less restrained by giving you the freedom of movement. It will also help you avoid looking out of the window if you are uncomfortable with heights.

2. Distractions can be saviours: Keep your mind off it. Many people can sleep the moment they are on a plane, but typically, people with aerophobia find it difficult to relax, let alone sleep. Therefore, to keep your mind occupied, we suggest you pack many distractions. Of course, it is sometimes impossible to concentrate on something when you have high levels of anxiety. But stuff like music, movies, books, magazines helps you pass the time and refrain from overthinking.

3. Educate yourself: If your aerophobia has got nothing to do with other phobias, then you are probably paranoid thinking anything, and everything is going wrong with your aircraft mid-flight. Instead of indulging in scary, unrealistic fantasies, educate yourself on some other interesting stuff, such as the reasons behind the switched-on seat belt sign. There are multiple resources offline, and online that educate you on what happens during different flying conditions. YouTube videos are always a great help. Many airline employees like pilots and air hostesses have their channels to explain how turbulence is uncomfortable and what safety measures are taken from their side that you might not know.

Of course, worrying about a person's well-being while flying is digestible, but it would be best if you did not fuss over the possible financial loss as there is online GENERAL INSURANCE available to secure your valuables.

So, are you ready to work on your fears to enjoy a good flight this year? For sure, it won't be easy at first, but eventually, you will overcome your fear. Some techniques may be helpful to you, and some downright not effective. So, you might want to experiment a little to find a strategy that works best for you.

Click HERE to know about health insurance policies that are the best for you!

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.