Millions of people, including me, have suffered from a fear of flying. The fact that I’ve conquered it proves that it can be done. Before that, I was the lady strapped into the aisle seat next to the Emergency Exit, ready to parachute out of the plane, if need be. I couldn’t even get out of my seat to go to the restroom because I was afraid that the door would open and I’d be sucked out.
Stats – Stats – Stats:
If you look at the statistics, you will find that air travel is exponentially safer than riding in a car, bus or train. One of the things that scares us so much is the news coverage that airplane crashes generate. We are given a Birdseye view of flames and mangled wreckage and dead bodies all over the tarmac. No small wonder that we’re scared! But the reason that airplane crashes get so much coverage by the media is because they are so rare. Pilots receive extensive training and today’s planes have back-up procedure after back-up procedure for any emergency that could possibly arise. Trust me – a pilot would never set one foot on a plane, if he thought that there was a possibility of crashing. But, still, that smoking plane wreckage on T.V. isn’t very comforting.
Here are some proactive steps that you can take to begin conquering your fear of flying:
Educate yourself.
“Flying Without Fear” – Sponsored by Virgin Airlines – (www.flyingwithoutfear.com/) is a site dedicated to people like you and me.
Here you can:
* Read an airline captain’s blog,
* Devise a fear of flying strategy,
* Read hints and tips to get you over your fear of flying,
* Utilize audio help for your fear of flying,
* Order their bestselling book to help with fear of flying,
* Order their new fear of flying DVD,
* Order their fear of flying Pocket Guide to take on your next flight,
* Join their online fear of flying forum and community,
* Learn about fear of flying therapy and counseling,
* Watch their fear of flying videos,
* Learn about fear of flying sounds and how to conquer fear of turbulence,
* Watch fear of flying helpcasts for nervous flyers,
* Visit their blog for the latest news on helping fearful flyers.
There also free courses for fearful flyers at:
Practice Makes Perfect:
The way that I conquered my fear of flying was to take off and land as many times as possible on my next trip. There was an important event I had to attend in another state. So, I summoned up all my courage and booked as many take-offs and landings as possible to and from my destination. There were six to get there and six to get home! Now I no longer feel like I’m having a near-death experience every time a plane takes off or lands. I handle turbulence better, and I can even get out of my seat and walk to the restroom during flight.
Get Outside Support:
There are online forums through the Fear of Flying site mentioned above. If you look through the newspaper, you will find support groups for persons with a fear of flying. Take advantage of this because every step you take will make your next flight much more bearable.
Therapy and Medication:
Psychologists and psychiatrists are well versed in counseling people who are trying to conquer their fear of flying.
The website for the American Psychological Association is: www.apa.org/
The website for the American Psychiatric Association is: www.psych.org/
In my state, psychologists cannot prescribe calming medications, but psychiatrists can. If you see a psychiatrist for help, he/she may prescribe a tranquilizer for your first few flights as you working through conquering your fear.
You Are Not Alone:
Remember that millions of people have conquered their fear of flying and you can, too. Take advantage of the tools offered on the Flying Without Fear website and, if you need more help, get some group and/or individual therapy. Before you know it, you will be able to take off, land, and handle everything in between with great success!
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