Ten expert-approved methods to help almost everyone feel more comfortable in the air.
Fear of flying, sometimes called aviophobia, is extremely common. Countless people feel uneasy about flying and up to 40% of the population experiences a fear of flying so intense that it can be classified as a disorder.
Widespread fear of flying makes sense, according to Liz Ross, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Houston, Texas, and the founder of the Coping Resource Center. “For humans, flying is an unnatural environment. Our ancestors were not suspended in the air for prolonged periods, looking down at the Earth below. Thus, if nothing else, the idea of flying in an airplane can make us feel uncomfortable,” she says. Moreover, even though many of us logically understand that flying is very safe, “The idea that someone else is navigating and flying the plane can cause panic,” she says. “That’s when the what-ifs can creep in,” Ross explains. Others dread turbulence, fixate on a past negative flying experience, or have a hard time coping with the crowds and loud sounds involved in travel, says Dr. Evita Limon-Rocha, a psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California.
Regardless of the cause, there are techniques that can help almost every nervous traveler overcome their fear of flying. According to Limon-Rocha, the first step to overcoming your fear is to accept your feelings so you can address them head-on.
Although I fly about once a month, I’m still a nervous flyer. A visit to an Icelandair training center, where I learned about the airline’s stringent safety protocols, helped quell my fears. Learning coping techniques helped make flying even more pleasant.
Here are 10 methods that can help almost everyone conquer their fear of flying.
