Fear of flying - What is it?

The fear of flying on airplanes (aviophobia or aerophobia) is hypertrophied, uncontrolled and irrational. It can either be a separate psychological disorder or a part of another phobia. The connection with fear of heights, panic attacks, and claustrophobia is common. Don’t confuse full-blown fear of flying with normal pre- and in-flight anxiety. Anxiety is a natural protective mechanism in humans, which warns us about dangers and helps us to prepare better for unusual situations. Traveling by air is not natural for humans, that’s why some level of anxiety or fear during a flight is not abnormal. 

Statistics show that the chances of dying in a plane crash are very low -approximately 1 in 23 million. Considering such numbers, the average brain realizes that the risk is minimal and gives an adequate response, switching off the anxiety system almost completely. With the development of fear of flying (aerophobia), the fear becomes irrational and doesn’t decrease when it receives information about flight safety and risks.

Moreover, every rare case of an air crash is perceived by the brain as a confirmation of the supposedly high danger of air travel.

The origin of the fear of flying

Fear of flying has very deep roots. It may not show for a long time, but will usually show up after certain life conditions are met. People with generally high levels of anxiety are the most likely to develop the fear of flying. 

Fearful fliers are often strong, smart and successful people with a strong tendency for perfectionism and hyper-control. They are also more likely to develop panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and claustrophobia. The fear of not having control is a core fear in a lot of cases of flight anxiety.

Being involved in an emergency, hidden phobias, mass media influence and many other things may become a trigger for fear of flying. Although, general mistrust is the one that makes a person predisposed to develop the fear of flying. Usually, people tend to fly calmly in their early parts of life. Full-blown fear of flying usually shows around the age of 25. 

Children and teenagers are rarely suffering from fear of flying. If this disorder shows up early, this is a probable sign of a not optimal relationship between the child and his parents.

The treatment of fear of flying

There are many methods to fight the symptoms of flight anxiety and the fear of flying itself: medications, different psychotherapeutic approaches, hypnosis, and many others. Nevertheless, only cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy has proven evidence of efficiency in phobia therapy. 

Travelers often try to get rid of flying anxiety by using medications or alcohol. They are forgetting that such methods don’t solve the problem, but only temporarily suppress its symptoms. Others can try doing distracting things during the flight, to hide their inner anxiety. But if you are really scared of flying, you’ve tried all advice, and nothing helped — Pilot and psychologist Alex Gervash will solve your fear of flying problem! 

For more than a decade, Alex and his team have been studying and developing effective courses that help people of all ages get rid of the fear of flying. Set yourself and your loved ones free from constant anxiety in just a few days.

Welcome to life, free of flight anxiety. We promise that you’ll forget about the words “I’m scared of flying” very soon.