Air travel anxiety often makes people dread airport visits and grip the armrests on long flights. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 6.5 % of Americans have particular aviophobia, an extreme fear that causes individuals to avoid flying completely.
If you’re afraid of flying, here are several tactics you may use to prevent terror the next time you want or need to fly.
Consider Medication
You can use medication to help you deal with anxiety. However, keep in mind that certain medications must be used regularly for a long time to be successful in reducing stress. Bear in mind, however, that some drugs must be used daily for an extended period to be effective in lowering anxiety.
Even over-the-counter medication can cause a variety of effects. Antihistamines, for example, might make some individuals tired, but they can also cause panic symptoms in others. If traditional medication is not for you, you could also try some unconventional treatments, such as THC vape pen, which can help you calm down and mellow.
Also, Identify the Source of Your Fear
Are you concerned that the plane will crash? Do you feel stuck? Being powerless? Are you more afraid of certain aspects of flying, such as landing and takeoff? The fear of anxiety itself can compound stress in some people.
So, making a strategy for dealing with different stressors will help you feel less anxious in the days leading up to the flight.
Before Taking a Flight, Avoid Caffeine
If you are apprehensive about flying, selecting the proper beverage is critical. Avoid any drink that makes you nervous; it may increase your stress level, making it even more challenging to remain calm.
Instead, opt for non-caffeinated herbal teas or passion fruit beverages. They could be able to soothe your tensions and perhaps help you sleep.
Use Breathing Techniques or Meditate
While meditation and breathing methods aren’t for everyone, they can help you “separate” yourself from a stressful situation. You would have an entirely different flight experience if you could concentrate on your breathing and enter a state of meditation. It may also assist you in overcoming claustrophobia.
Use Technology or Puzzles to Keep Yourself Occupied
Bring something on the flight that you can finish without requiring a lot of concentration. Reading a book, watching a movie, editing work-related documents, or even performing simple word or number puzzles helps you divert your attention away from the trip while remaining unfazed by the job. Choose a task you can complete over a lengthy period or carry out various activities while flying.
Sleep As Much As You Can
Although some flights are brief, others appear to last an eternity. Sleep is a fantastic way to kill time. Don’t worry if you miss the drink cart or snacks. They’ll generally be accessible throughout the trip if you press the call button.
Sleeper seats may be available for an extra cost on longer flights, such as those that fly across the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean.
If The Plane Experiences Turbulence, Don’t Panic
While it’s natural to become uncomfortable when a flight becomes rough, try to maintain your composure. Let yourself go with the flow of the plane. Try to imagine turbulence as potholes in the road.
You may be able to better deal with the flight if you approach it as a specific event that occurs during a flight.
Select Your Seat Carefully
While some airlines no longer allocate seats, the vast majority do. Select a seat near the front of the plane when reserving your ticket to reduce motion and noise. You should also think about which seat provides the most comfort.
Pick a window seat to see the ground during takeoff and landing. Take an aisle seat if you want to be utterly unaware of what’s happening outside or need to use the toilet regularly. If you require two armrests, take the center seat.
Make Yourself Vulnerable To Triggers
Expose yourself to threatening triggers in low-risk situations. This develops those muscles, allowing you to face future encounters with less dread. These days, you can’t make it far in an airport without a ticket.
Attend a Workshop
Numerous airlines and airports provide frightened travelers with workshops. The John Glenn Columbus International Airport, for instance, hosts daylong courses that involve flight training, tours of airplane interiors and exteriors, and Q&A sessions with medical specialists.
The Columbus airport also offers provisions for families with children who have autism spectrum disorder or other disorders that make new encounters challenging.
Seek Therapy
If a severe phobia causes your flight anxiety, cognitive-behavioral therapy with a mental health professional is the most effective treatment. Take into account that you should schedule your therapy session well before your departure.
New patient appointments are frequently planned weeks, and it may take weeks of therapy to make traveling more bearable for you. Even if you don’t like flying, you may find it worthwhile to learn how to hop on a plane without fear.
Final Thoughts
Although there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to conquering your fear of flying, many terrified fliers have made significant progress by implementing some or all of these suggestions.
Don’t allow your fear of flying to keep you from flying to Hawaii, Australia, Japan, or any other faraway location. Take control of your fear of flying with these suggestions, and start exploring the globe.
