If you're afraid of flying then you're not alone. With news reports showing the worst of what can happen, rather than the routine, people can get to thinking that aircraft are dangerous. Of course there is danger involved, but it's comparable, or arguably less serious, than the danger of getting into a car, and that's something most of us face daily. So where do you turn to if you can't overcome your fear?
A lot of peoples' fear comes down to not knowing about the experience of flying. Fear of the unknown is a very common instinct, and one that relate to the formative years of our life. As such some people just find it easier than others to put themselves in the hands of professionals, or be trapped in an environment that they can't escape from. Knowledge can help you to sort your feelings though, so sometimes just knowing that turbulence is an expected, and non-serious occurrence, or the brilliant safety record of modern airliners, can help a great deal.
If your fears are sudden and cause panic attacks then the cause might be something you're not fully aware of. This is where cognitive behavioural therapy comes in. The counsellors using this method aim to get you to identify the core thoughts that are bringing about your worries, and then address then with more constructive thinking patterns. Something else you might be aware of with curing phobias is desensitisation. In this method you're exposed to what you fear in small doses, increasing the exposure until you're no longer as anxious.
For the most serious form of phobia, or just if you want to be absolutely sure you won't panic on your trip, you could look into a course in handling a fear of flying. This usually involves therapy, but of a very direct kind. The Virgin-run Fly Without Fear course gives you the chance to actually be inside a real airliner and face your fears from there, so it gives you a better idea of how you can handle things.
So there is help for you if you want to get into a plane, even if you have serious fears. It's just a case of getting help from people that know what they're talking about.
A lot of peoples' fear comes down to not knowing about the experience of flying. Fear of the unknown is a very common instinct, and one that relate to the formative years of our life. As such some people just find it easier than others to put themselves in the hands of professionals, or be trapped in an environment that they can't escape from. Knowledge can help you to sort your feelings though, so sometimes just knowing that turbulence is an expected, and non-serious occurrence, or the brilliant safety record of modern airliners, can help a great deal.
If your fears are sudden and cause panic attacks then the cause might be something you're not fully aware of. This is where cognitive behavioural therapy comes in. The counsellors using this method aim to get you to identify the core thoughts that are bringing about your worries, and then address then with more constructive thinking patterns. Something else you might be aware of with curing phobias is desensitisation. In this method you're exposed to what you fear in small doses, increasing the exposure until you're no longer as anxious.
For the most serious form of phobia, or just if you want to be absolutely sure you won't panic on your trip, you could look into a course in handling a fear of flying. This usually involves therapy, but of a very direct kind. The Virgin-run Fly Without Fear course gives you the chance to actually be inside a real airliner and face your fears from there, so it gives you a better idea of how you can handle things.
So there is help for you if you want to get into a plane, even if you have serious fears. It's just a case of getting help from people that know what they're talking about.
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