Humans are not naturally built to fly and many of us create a fear of this. This horror of flying when putting into scientific terms is known as aviophobia or aerophobia. Most of the people develop this phenomenon at a very early age and many times this happens due to a tragic incident that might have occurred in childhood. But as time passes, you should take every possible measure to overcome this fear. In the article, we would talk in length about the most basic ways in which one could overcome this trauma.
Firstly, you should understand something very fundamental, fear is just an element in mind. Our soldiers and heroes have overcome great fear and fought many battles. Flying in comparison is a very trivial thing and if a person sets his or her mind right, it can be done. But the fear should not be underestimated at any cost, one should start with essential steps to overcome it. There are two types of fears, one is logical and the other one is illogical. Logical fear is dependent on the high possibility that a thing might happen while illogical fear is based on ridiculous assumptions.
For people who are extremely scared to fly, one thing that you can do is learn about all the safety procedures so that you can implement them when you feel unsafe, moreover, knowing about these features will make you feel comfortable. These things are simple like where is the emergency exit and what to do when you have trouble while breathing etc.
Contents
- Why is it so crucial to eliminate this fear?
- Choose an Aisle Seat
- Do not watch any disastrous clip before the plane takes off
- Have positive thoughts in mind
- Meet the crew personally
- Occupy yourself during that long flight
- Relax and breathe
- Have alcohol in the right quantity
- Avoid caffeinated beverages
- Use sleeping pills
- Choose a good airline
- Avoid possible triggers
- Weighted blankets – a magnificent stress buster
- Get on with it and just attempt it
Why is it so crucial to eliminate this fear?
Many people like to travel to different places or their work requires them to do so. In this situation, you could even lose your job over this. Imagine a situation where a lawyer has to go to another country to fight a case on short notice and the person has a fear of flying. This situation can be very problematic and he or she might also miss out on a huge opportunity. Those people who just love exploring new places shouldn’t be restricted by this fear. Travelling in itself is fun as it involves meeting new people, eating street food, learning about different cultures and what not. No person should be denied this opportunity and this is why it is so imperative to eliminate this fear.
Here are some steps to overcome your fear of flying:
Choose an Aisle Seat
Choosing an aisle seat is the best thing you can do if you have a fear of flying as it gives you the perfect peace of mind and freedom of movement. You can escape quickly if something goes wrong, moreover, if you are claustrophobic, the aisle seat will give you more room. It also helps you to avoid looking out of the window in case you are fearful of heights. You can comfortably walk around when the plane has successfully taken off and can also enjoy drinks at the back of the cabin.
Do not watch any disastrous clip before the plane takes off
Many people have this ridiculous habit that they assume the worst and that is why they start watching aeroplane malfunction videos before heading off to the flight. These clips can be of place crash, malfunction, technical errors, etc. This is a very bad thing to do as it triggers your mind and brings out the fear in you. You should always think of positive things before heading to the plane so that you would feel good and have pleasant thoughts in mind.
Have positive thoughts in mind
The most primary thing that one should do is to fight this fear and this is the most initial stage to do it. If you are surrounded by negative thoughts, then you are bound to feel insecure and unsafe. We know that it is hard but you have to take this step in order to eliminate your fear. You can watch videos that give you a positive vibe or just talk to the people around you. Additionally, you can also think about all the exciting things you’re going to do once you reach your desired location.
Meet the crew personally
The crew of an aeroplane is quite friendly and if you make an attempt to meet them, they would surely not deny. Moreover, this would go a long way in making you feel secure as these people are professional and engaging a conversation with them would ensure you that they know what they are doing. These are experienced people who are specialised in their job and their main objective is to make you reach your destination safely.
Occupy yourself during that long flight
Do not let your mind wander at any cost, and the best thing you can do about this is to keep it occupied. One way to do is to watch an interesting movie or listen to your favourite artist, either way, the end goal is to have a great time on the flight. Talking to other people is a great way to travel through a journey with ease.
Relax and breathe
With so many things on the list, a person can get confused but the end goal here is to relax. Think about the fact that all other people are also travelling with you and they are sitting peacefully, so should too. Breathing is scientifically proven to be a big stress reliever so exercise that in your favour. If you still think that you are getting too stressed, do not start to panic, talk to the staff and they would surely help you out. Pull out the oxygen mask in case you’re having a lot of trouble while breathing.
Have alcohol in the right quantity
It’s proven that consuming alcohol in the right amount can calm your nerves and help you relax. In case you start feeling stressed out go to another side of the cabin, most of the business class aircraft have a bar. Make sure that you don’t end up overconsuming it; otherwise, you would regret it later. The right quantity always depends on your ability to handle liquor so it would vary person to person.
Avoid caffeinated beverages
Caffeine is directly related to providing a person with a massive amount of energy and in a flight, it is going to make you more anxious about things. The best thing you can do is to avoid and find its replacement. It can be anything from a juice to even a green tea.
Use sleeping pills
Sleeping pills are crucial if you suffer from a high intensity of flying fear, the trick of using this tablet is to take them on the way to the airport so that there is adequate time for them to work. By using these, you won’t even know where did the time of the journey go and then you can peacefully enjoy the destination. However, it’s essential to go for a proper medical consultancy before you start with the consumption of any such pill before heading to your flight.
Choose a good airline
If you are someone who is badly scared of flying, then make sure to choose an airline that is excellent in its operation and would provide you with good services. Don’t look at the price of the ticket as comfort comes first, a bad experience with an airline can scar you for life in this delicate situation of yours. Some examples of good Indian based airlines are Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air India, Sahara, etc.
Avoid possible triggers
In case you have established some known triggers that set you off, take extra care to avoid them. These can be anything from a specific type of video, music or even a small tone. Triggers have a considerable impact on your mind as they can re-active that fear in your mind and cause you multiple types of troubles.
Weighted blankets – a magnificent stress buster
What are weighted blankets? As the name suggests, these are blankets which have an extra weight attached to them. They are provided mainly in the aircrafts these days and according to research, they have proven to be a great stress buster. The weight of the blanket makes the person feel secure in the surrounding and it comforts him or her. This further makes the body release serotonin and dopamine which is responsible for the relaxation of the human system. If you are looking to buy one of these, make sure not to choose a blanket that is extremely heavy or really big in size as both are going to cause problems for you.
Get on with it and just attempt it
Many people have this ridiculous habit that they keep on researching things about overcoming their fear but never take any concrete steps in order to tackle it. Yes, it is crucial to determine an action plan but without implementation that would just be futile. Start slow and small, take a flight that is of small duration and check whether you can sustain it or not. After that keep moving to the next step until you are finally comfortable with boarding a long flight.
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