What is Aerophobia?
Aerophobia is a term broadly used for people who have a phobia of flying, anxiety, and nervousness. Approx 21 million UK citizens have aerophobia.
For such individuals, the thought of flying is scarier than actual boarding of the aeroplane. Some even have panic attacks, which often leads to serious medical issues.
Veteran pilots and crew members run dedicated online courses to help these people with fear of flying by making them aware of safe air travel. Also, train them for various calming & meditation techniques.
What Causes Aerophobia?
Whenever the thought of flying comes in the mind, a state of anxiety and fear takes over, and we can attribute aerophobia to several reasons. As the level of fear increases, the anxiety develops into a panic attack, making the person feel terrible.
As a matter of fact, no human is born to be afraid of flying, there is something triggering it, and here we’ll discuss some of them in brief. So, read on to find out.
● Lack of Knowledge is the Mother of Every Fear
The mother of all fears the lack of knowledge itself.
Some people have bad thoughts about what will happen if the aeroplane runs out of fuel in mid-air?
What if someone keeps their cell phone on during the takeoff?
The autopilot mode can scare many people.
The list is long, but the central idea is not having proper knowledge that eventually fuels the fear.
Therefore, it is highly recommended that whatever doubts and concerns you are having, Google it, ask the experts.
Check the videos of aeroplane testing; you’ll know how rigorous testing an aeroplane has to undergo before they get a green signal for flying.
Each commercial aeroplane is provided with adequate fuel, so you don’t need to worry about it.
In the autopilot mode, the computer only gives suggestions, and the actual human pilot is still flying the aeroplane.
Also, don’t fear if the guy next to you doesn’t switch off his cellphone, your plane won’t crash. In the aeroplane, they tell you to switch off their phones so that the passengers can pay full attention to the guidelines being said before the takeoff.
● Bad Personal Experience
Another prevalent reason for developing flying phobia is because you had a bad previous flight. It can be anything, the flight was delayed for hours, and you were stuck at the airport on a wintry night.
You were shocked after air turbulence that made you remember all the Hollywood movies you watched where the plane crashed. Even though the plane was safe, you’re still traumatized.
The fear of not controlling your life won’t let you ever board a plane next time.
So, if you’re having a memory of a bad flight where you felt uncomfortable, you’ll have difficulty dealing with it.
● Claustrophobia
If you fear being confined, boarding an aeroplane could be terrifying, no matter how composed you think you can be.
Even a short trip of an hour or two can seem a never-ending creepy journey.
Claustrophobia is a common anxiety issue with no clear cause and no foolproof treatment. However, there are techniques to tame it, such as practice deep breathing, and keep yourself distracted,
● You Heard Some Random Stories
Random stories you heard some take back from our friends, relatives, and neighbours regarding their personal flying experience or any in their known can be the compelling cause of your phobia of flying.
We best advise you not to believe in any of such stories, as they may not be true or somewhat people tend to hype it.
Flying Phobia Treatment
The most prescribed treatment for your fear of flying is to join a phobia of flying course; it helps people with fears ranging from mild nervousness to complete terror. Such a course is generally run by veteran pilots and crew members and supported by a professional clinical psychologist. Most of the people afraid of flying courses are generally online and short-term for great convenience.
