Written by Alex Gervash, commercial pilot (31 years) and fear of flying specialist (18 years, 16,000+ cases treated)
One of the most unpleasant aspects of anxiety is that it forces us to focus on threats and ignore safety signals.
One of the most unpleasant aspects of anxiety is that it forces us to focus on threats and ignore safety signals. Furthermore, anxiety actually creates resistance to safety. We start suspecting everyone and everything, even safety itself.
This often happens because in childhood, our families could maintain relative "normalcy" for a while, and then suddenly everything crumbled. Many patients with anxiety disorders had, for example, a parent who was an alcoholic.
That's why logical arguments about being "safe" in an airplane don't help. You are no longer a child. You can start looking for safety signs and ALLOW yourself to feel safe.
In Short
One of the most unpleasant aspects of anxiety is that it forces us to focus on threats and ignore safety signals.
The phobia.aero expert team brings together decades of specialized aviation and psychology expertise, having successfully supported over 16,000 individuals in overcoming their fear of flying. By integrating evidence-based trauma recovery tools like Somatic Experiencing and EMDR alongside traditional CBT, the team addresses the root causes of panic attacks on planes and persistent takeoff anxiety. Their comprehensive approach transforms how passengers perceive aviation safety, providing practical neurological strategies to manage turbulence fear and chronic aviation anxiety. This deep clinical understanding of aerophobia ensures that even the most severe fears are met with sophisticated, science-backed solutions.
