Fear of Flying

By:Stefani Stojanoska

Have you ever felt an immense feeling of fear before flying? There are many symptoms that indicate that you may have aerophobia. Some symptoms include excessive sweating, increased heart rate, shaking, and nausea. These symptoms can occur anywhere between before and during a flight. Typically these symptoms occur during take-off, landing, and while in the air. There can be many reasons why an individual has a fear of flying. These include the fear of takeoff and landing, fear of heights, turbulence, and news stories about violence and crashes.

There are a few ways to get help for aerophobia.

1. One form of therapy is exposure therapy. This type of therapy exposes people to various kinds of air travel. People can use virtual reality tools to help with their fear. People with this type of therapy are put through a simulation of a flight.
2.  Another treatment for aerophobia is cognitive behavioral therapy. This helps individuals change the way they feel about flying.
3.  Hypnotherapy is another great way to overcome the fear of flying. During hypnotherapy your therapist will help you get into a state of relaxation. Your therapist will then work with you to identify and address the cause of your fear of flying. It will be easier to think about flying since you are in a deep state of relaxation.
4.  Another way to help aerophobia is practicing meditation before and during the flight. You can try breathing techniques that will help reduce your anxiety while traveling by air. A great method is the 5-5-5 technique. Breathe in for 5 seconds, hold your breath for 5 seconds, and exhale for 5 seconds.

¹If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ, or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit https://aristapsychiatrypsychotherapy.com/