Tips to Reduce Anxiety When Flying by Daniel Garrido – Getty Images
I often say yes first and deal with the consequences later when it comes to agreeing to travel by airplane. I enjoy exploring new cities and experiencing different cultures, but the thought of flying can be daunting. I know I’m not alone in feeling anxious about flying, especially with recent tragic incidents making headlines.
In the days leading up to a trip, I experience overwhelming worry and dread, playing out worst-case scenarios in my mind. During the flight, physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweaty palms, and trembling fingers set in. Despite appearing calm on the outside, inside, I feel like a total mess. This fear may have been inherited from my mom, who avoided flying for over two decades before overcoming her fear recently.
Licensed psychologist Rebecca B. Skolnick notes an increase in referrals for flight anxiety. This could be due to decreased flying during the pandemic and heightened fears from recent events in the news. Psychologist Andrew Rosen explains that flying can trigger anxiety because it goes against our natural instincts as ground-based creatures. Understanding the safety of flying is crucial to easing these fears.
Flight anxiety can stem from various factors, including discomfort with the flying experience or pre-existing sensitivities to noises, sensations, or smells. Clinical psychologist Kimberly Fishbach emphasizes that when anxiety starts affecting daily life, it becomes a concern.
Remember, flight anxiety is common, and there are strategies to help alleviate it.
Flight anxiety can stem from various triggers, such as the vibrations and engine noise on a plane or the fear of experiencing panic symptoms in public. The lack of control while flying can exacerbate these feelings. When we perceive a lack of control as a threat, our nervous system becomes dysregulated, leading the mind and body to believe it’s in danger. Over time, this association can develop into a full-blown phobia.
Fortunately, there are strategies to ease flight anxiety. One approach is to fill the information gap by learning more about flying. Understanding why turbulence occurs and how planes are designed to handle it can provide reassurance. Similarly, gaining knowledge about aerodynamics and flight safety statistics can help alleviate fears of crashing.
Regulating the nervous system is another key aspect of managing flight anxiety. Techniques such as yawning, progressive muscle relaxation, and creating a calming environment can help calm racing thoughts and physical tension. Airlines now offer in-flight meditation sessions and entertainment options to promote relaxation during flights. Breathing exercises, like exhaling for six seconds and inhaling for four seconds, can also help calm the nervous system.
By utilizing these expert-approved tips, individuals can mitigate flight anxiety and enjoy a smoother travel experience.
“The parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for relaxation in the body,” she explains. I have found this technique incredibly helpful for calming my heart rate during moments of turbulence. When encountering rough air, I experience heightened nervousness, but I have discovered that focusing on deep breathing intentionally helps me detach from negative thoughts. It is also perfectly acceptable to seek assistance during a flight. “Flight attendants understand that passengers may have anxieties,” Fishbach notes. “Many individuals may feel isolated in their distress, yet in reality, there are millions of others going through the same experience.”
Seeking Professional Help
For those dealing with severe flight anxiety, self-administered strategies may not provide relief, and professional help from a therapist or mental health expert may be beneficial. If flight anxiety significantly impacts daily life, triggers panic attacks, immobilizes you, prevents you from attending important events, or hinders your ability to travel, seeking help from a licensed mental health professional is advisable, according to Fishbach. Initial sessions typically involve an evaluation to devise a treatment plan. Exposure therapy is often utilized, gradually exposing individuals to feared situations or stimuli in a controlled setting.
Individuals with a fear of flying may need to eventually board a plane as part of exposure therapy, but the process can begin with simpler tasks like visualizing being on a plane, engaging in pre-flight preparations, and imagining worst-case scenarios. Desensitizing the brain to these triggers can help rewire thought patterns. Hypnosis, conducted by a trained therapist or physician, can also be effective in alleviating anxieties by inducing deep relaxation and fostering receptivity to new ideas and behaviors.
Implementing These Techniques
In my personal battle with flight anxiety, my passion for travel often outweighs my fear of flying, especially for shorter flights within a six-hour range—though I aspire to extend this to seven or eight hours. While I am still working on building my mental resilience to visit dream destinations like Europe and Thailand, these strategies have already proven helpful.
During a recent trip to Turks and Caicos in June, I experienced the usual pre-flight jitters, but found comfort in the company of friends. Takeoffs, landings, and turbulent moments remain the most anxiety-inducing for me, and my journey to Turks and Caicos was no exception. Midway through the flight, when turbulence struck, I initially struggled with negative thoughts. However, following expert advice, I explored JetBlue’s guided meditation options, and after a 10-minute mindfulness exercise for flight anxiety led by a calming male voice guiding me through breathing techniques, I managed to drift off to sleep for a brief period. While seemingly insignificant, this marked a significant milestone for me, as I typically struggle to sleep on flights, even during red-eye trips or with sleep aids.
I remain hopeful that continued practice of these strategies and more frequent air travel will eventually enable me to visit all the distant places I dream of exploring, conquering my fear in the process.
The fear of flying will never prevent me from buying a plane ticket again. Check out Jennifer Garner’s favorite retinol eye cream, and these new sneakers can help you achieve your cross-training goals.
