Written by Alex Gervash, commercial pilot (31 years) and fear of flying specialist (18 years, 16,000+ cases treated)
When her travel companions backed out, she panicked. The reason traced back to a traumatic attack years earlier.
She was planning to fly out with her group after a training course. Everything was set.
Then a few people in the group decided not to fly. They said they were scared.
Something inside her broke. "They're scared, so I must be in danger on this flight."
During therapy, she remembered a traumatic event from her past:
She was walking with a female friend when a drunk man attacked her, trying to strangle her. Her friend got scared and ran away, leaving her alone to fight him off.
Her nervous system learned: "When others show fear and abandon me, I'm in real danger."
So when her travel companions backed out, her brain didn't think "They have their own issues." It thought: "They sense danger and they're abandoning me. I'm unsafe."
The fear had nothing to do with the flight. It had everything to do with a memory of being left alone in a genuinely dangerous situation.
Her brain was trying to protect her. It just couldn't tell the difference between a drunk attacker and a commercial flight.
In Short
When her travel companions backed out, she panicked. The reason traced back to a traumatic attack years earlier.
Alex brings an unparalleled dual perspective to the phobia.aero team, blending 31 years of aviation mastery with 18 years of clinical expertise treating over 16,000 cases of aviophobia. As a dedicated fear of flying specialist trained in psychology, Alex utilizes evidence-based modalities like EMDR, CBT, and Somatic Experiencing to help every nervous flyer regulate their nervous system through the lens of polyvagal theory. Having developed the SkyGuru app to provide real-time in-flight support, Alex is uniquely equipped to help passengers dismantle flying phobia and manage everything from intense takeoff anxiety to sudden panic attacks on planes. This deep specialization ensures that individuals struggling with fear can find lasting relief through the comprehensive resources available at phobia.aero.
