Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 5: Arm yourself with facts about flying
• Part 2 of 5: Controlling your fear
• Part 3 of 5: Book your flight
• Part 4 of 5: Preparing for the flight
• Part 5 of 5: In the air
• Tips
• Warnings

Would you like to travel to faraway places and see the world - without having a panic attack? If you have aviophobia, or fear of flying, there are ways to make sure it doesn't negatively affect your life. If you have enough information, use relaxation techniques, and prepare your trip well, you can overcome the fear so that you are free to explore the world. Here is a fact to get you started: the chance of dying in a plane crash is 1 in 11,000,000. That is a chance of only 0.00001% that something will go wrong with your flight.

To step

Part 1 of 5: Arm yourself with facts about flying

1. Know how safe planes are. Of course, statistics cannot fully protect you when the plane takes off. But recognizing that flying is really safe will help you relax during the flight and on your way to the airport. The fact is that flies really, really is safe. It is by far the safest mode of transport.
   • The chance of dying in a plane crash is 1 in 11,000,000. That's a 0.00001% chance that something will go wrong.
2. Compare the safety of flying with other dangers. There are a multitude of other dangers in your life that you never think about. As it turns out, those things are much more dangerous than flying an airplane. The idea is not to scare you about these things, but to show you just how baseless your fear of flying really is! Learn these stats, write them down, and review them when you start worrying about your next flight.
   • The odds of dying in a car accident are 1 in 5000. That means the most dangerous part of your journey is the drive to the airport. Once this ride is over, you can congratulate yourself. You have now completed the most dangerous part of your journey.
   • You are more likely to die from food poisoning than from a plane crash (1 in 3,000,000).
   • You are also more likely to die from a snake bite, lightning strike, scalding from hot water, or falling out of bed. If you are left-handed, it is more risky to use right-handed equipment than to fly.
   • You are more likely to die from a fall while trying to board the plane than from the flight itself.
3. Be prepared for movements and sensations in flight. Much of the fear is not knowing what's going to happen. Why is the plane going so fast? Why do my ears feel crazy? Why does the wing look strange? Why is there turbulence now? Why do we have to sit and fasten our seat belts? When something happens that you don't expect, the first reaction is to immediately think the worst. Learn all about flying and how an airplane works to keep it to a minimum. The more you know, the less ambiguity there is to worry about. Here are some facts:
   • The plane has to reach a certain speed so that it can take off. Therefore, it seems as if the plane is suddenly moving very fast. Once the device is lifted off the ground, you will no longer notice that it is going that fast.
   • Your ears pop open and shut as the plane goes up and down due to the change in air pressure.
   • Certain parts of the wings should move in flight. That is completely normal.
4. Know what to expect when there is turbulence. Turbulence occurs when an airplane flies from an area of ​​low pressure to an area of ​​higher air pressure, making you feel like you are flying over "bumps". Turbulence feels like driving on a bumpy road.
   • In rare cases, turbulence resulted in injuries, but this was due to passengers not wearing their seat belts or luggage falling from the compartments.
5. Learn about how an airplane works. You can learn how an airplane works to get rid of myths throughout the process so that you are less scared. Research shows that 73% of people who have a fear of flying are afraid of mechanical problems during the flight. So if you know more about how an airplane works, you can relax better during the flight and you don't have to keep asking yourself, "Why does the airplane do that? Is that normal?" Here are some things that are good to know.
   • There are four forces at work to make the plane fly: gravity, propulsion, lift and drag. These forces make flying feel as natural and easy as walking. As one pilot once said, "Airplanes feel happiest in the sky." Learn about the science behind these forces if you want to take your knowledge of them to the next level.
   • Jet engines are simpler than the engine in a car or even that in a lawn mower. And in the unlikely event that something goes wrong with your plane's engine, it has one or more that it can continue to fly with just fine.
6. Don't worry about an airplane door opening during the flight. As soon as you get above 9000 meters, there is a pressure of 10,000 kilos on the door. So that will be very difficult for the door to open.
7. Know that aircraft are regularly serviced. Aircraft undergo numerous repairs and maintenance. For every flying hour it gets 11 hours of maintenance. That means that if your flight lasts three hours, 33 hours of maintenance has been done to ensure that everything is in tip-top order!

Part 2 of 5: Controlling your fear

1. Keep your fear in check. If you have a fear of flying, it is very helpful to keep your fears in check in general. First recognize that you are afraid. How do you feel when you get scared? Are your palms going to sweat? Are your fingers tingling? By recognizing the first signs, you can get the anxiety under control sooner by starting immediately with anxiety control exercises.
2. Let go of what is not within your control. Many people who have a fear of flying are afraid because they are not in control. For example, people with this phobia are not afraid of being in a car accident, because then they think they are in control. They are in control. This is why they would rather take the risk of driving than flying. Someone else is in the air behind the wheel, so the lack of control is what they fear most about flying.
   • Many people fear because they lack control over a stressful situation.
3. Try to do relaxation exercises. Include relaxation exercises in your daily activities. If you do these exercises while you are not afraid, you will know how to use them when you are anxious. Then you have better control over yourself and you can calm down more easily. Try yoga or meditation to ease fears in your life.
   • It's important to know that it can take months to fully control your fears.
4. Try to relax your muscles. Start by becoming aware of which muscle groups feel tense. Your shoulders are a good example of this. We often shrug our shoulders, which makes the muscles there stiff when we are tense or nervous.
   • Take a deep breath and lower your shoulders. Feel the muscles relax. Now do this with other muscle groups such as your face and your legs.
5. Use guided visualizations. Think of a place where you feel comfortable and happy. Imagine you are in that place. What do you see? What do you smell? What do you feel? Concentrate on every detail of the place you choose.
   • There are all kinds of guided visualizations that you can download from the Internet that you can practice with.
6. Take a deep breath. Put your hand on your lower abdomen. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Fill your lungs with as much air as possible. You should feel your stomach expand, not your chest. Exhale through your mouth, counting slowly to 10. Pull in your stomach to push out all the air.
   • Do this exercise 4-5 times to relax.
7. Distract yourself. Think about something else, something you feel like, or at least something that doesn't make you think about your fear. What are you going to eat later? If you could go anywhere, where would you like to go? What would you do there?
8. Take a course. There are courses to help you get rid of your fear of flying. They can be very expensive, but these types of courses exist. There are two kinds. For some you have to go somewhere, others you do in your own time with the help of videos, written material and supportive conversations. If you go to an on-site course, you learn to get used to flying by going to an airport and taking a flight with the instructor. Becoming less fearful of flying only becomes permanent if you fly regularly.
   • Ask about these types of courses in your area.
   • A course at your own pace ensures that you remain in control of the process. And because you get written material, you can reinforce the learning process by reviewing it regularly, supplemented with supportive conversations.
   • For some courses you will be offered support by telephone.
   • With some courses you go in a flight simulator. It can help you deal with your fears while keeping both feet on the ground.
9. Take flying lessons. Deal with your anxiety by taking flying lessons yourself. Numerous stories are known of people who got rid of their fear by looking it straight in the eye. Only then do they discover that it is actually nothing to be afraid of. One way to get rid of a phobia is to immerse yourself in it when you know the situation is safe. In this case you are then in the safe company of an instructor.
   • With the guidance of a patient instructor, you may notice that flying is not that scary at all. While this is an extreme approach, it can be the way for you to get rid of your anxiety.
10. Don't read too much about plane crashes. If you want to stay calm, don't get obsessed with a plane crash that's in the news. These kinds of stories don't make you feel better. You only get more afraid that something like this will happen to you too. If you already have a fear of flying, don't immerse yourself in it.
    • The same applies to watching series or films about air disasters.

Part 3 of 5: Book your flight

1. Choose a direct flight. While you have limited control once you get on board, there are things you can do ahead of time to ease your fears. Choose a direct flight to your destination. This is of course a no-brainer. The shorter you are in the air, the better.
2. Choose a seat above the wing. The passengers sitting here have the quietest flight. The area above the wing is more stable and you feel less aircraft movements here.
3. Choose an aisle or emergency exit seat. Choose a seat where you feel less confined. Choose an aisle seat or pay a little extra for an emergency exit seat.
4. Choose a flight with a larger aircraft. If possible, avoid flights with small aircraft. When you search for flights, you can usually also find information about the aircraft that is operating the flight. If you can find a flight with a larger aircraft, choose it. The bigger the plane, the quieter the flight is usually.
5. Choose a flight during the day. If you are afraid of flying at night, choose a day flight. Sometimes that feels better because you can look out the window and see everything around you. You can be more afraid in the dark because you don't know what's around you.
6. Choose a route with as little turbulence as possible. You can even check a website called Turbulence Forecast to see where the most turbulence is predicted. When you book a flight, you can see which route is likely to cause the least problems.

Part 4 of 5: Preparing for the flight

1. Go to the airport once. Some people recommend visiting the airport from time to time, even if you are not going to fly. Just go to the terminals and get used to how things work. This may sound like an exaggeration, but it's another way to slowly get used to the flight ahead.
2. Arrive early. Get to the airport early so you have time to find the correct terminal, go through security and find your gate. If you're late, or if you can't mentally prepare for what's to come, you may be more anxious once you're in your airplane seat. Get used to the terminal, the people arriving and departing and the general atmosphere at the airport. The more you are used to, the more comfortable you will feel when you board.
3. Meet the flight crew and the pilot. When on board, greet everyone, even the pilot. See what they look like and do their job. Just like doctors, pilots have had a lot of extra training. They are people you can respect and trust. If you practice having confidence in the pilots, the flight attendants, and understanding that they are competent and want the best for you, you will definitely feel better about the trip.
   • The pilots on your flight have hundreds of hours of flying experience. They must have flown at least 1,500 hours to work for a major airline.
4. Don't numb yourself with alcohol. Many people drink as soon as the flight attendant makes the first round. This is not a good long-term solution to combat your fear of flying. In fact, alcohol makes you more anxious than you were, because you lose control, especially if you fear an evacuation.
   • Drinking a lot will make you feel worse, especially if the effects of the alcohol start to wane.
   • If you do need to calm your nerves with alcohol, try sticking to a glass of wine or beer.
5. Bring some treats. Distract yourself with some snacks that keep you sweet for a while, or bring your favorite candy with you. Reward yourself with a treat for being so tough that you are going to fly anyway.
6. Treat yourself to a wrong tabloid. You may not be able to focus on your chemistry homework, but you may be able to concentrate just enough to read the latest gossip about all the celebrities.
7. Get ready for a nap. Some people recommend getting up early on the day of your flight. Then it is more likely that you will fall asleep easily. And when you sleep, the flight is over in no time!

Part 5 of 5: In the air

1. Take a deep breath. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose. Then gently exhale as you count to ten and push all the air out of your lungs. Repeat this as often as needed.
2. Squeeze your armrests. If you are scared, especially during takeoff or landing, squeeze your armrests as hard as you can.At the same time, tighten your abs and hold this position for 10 seconds.
3. Put a rubber band around your wrist. Pull it if you're scared. This small pain brings you back to reality.
4. Bring distraction. If you have a lot of distraction with you, you will feel better sitting in the air. Bring magazines or download episodes of your favorite series and watch them on your laptop. You can also play games on your computer. Or catch up on some work from the office or school.
   • Find something that works best for you. Think of time in the air as time for yourself so that you can do things that you find enjoyable or useful, instead of tormenting for hours.

Tips

• Once you have found a strategy that can help you overcome your fear of flying, fly as often as possible. Once you've made flying a habit, it will become less scary and feel more like a normal part of a day. Once it has become a habit, the process will feel relaxed. If you can choose between driving or flying, choose the latter to face your fears as often as possible. And by the way, as you know, it is also safer to fly!
• Accept that you cannot control some situations, such as flying. Taking risks is part of life. You never know what's waiting for you around the corner. Fear has to do with anticipation, worrying, wanting to control what is about to happen. Once you've resigned yourself to the idea that comes what comes, flying will no longer be such a threat.
• Bring things on the run to distract yourself, but also to keep your brain busy. For example, think about where you would like to go if you could go anywhere and what you would do there. If that doesn't work, think about where you're flying to and what you're going to do there.
• Try to distract yourself by watching a movie or taking a nap.
• Bring travel tablets with you in case you get nauseous.
• Remember the pilot knows what he is doing. Trust the staff! They have flown millions of times before. Get well soon!

Warnings

• If you think your fears are worse than average, see a therapist and discuss the options. You can also ask if your doctor prescribes your anti-anxiety drugs. There are also over-the-counter remedies for calming down, but check with your doctor if you can take them, especially if you are already taking other medications.