My heart is racing, my breathing is shallow, my hands are freezing and I cannot think clearly. I am having a full blown panic attack because I am sitting on a tarmac in an airplane waiting for a take off. That’s how all my vacations start and end if they involve flying. I love traveling but with each passing year I have been narrowing down my opportunities for travel because I don’t want to set foot in a plane. Does this sound familiar? According to some estimates about 49% of Americans have some degree nervousness about flying so you are not alone and there is help available.
Here are my tips on how to defeat the fear of flying
#1 Take a course
I have been suffering from this phobia for about 20 years now and if you are like me I am hoping this post will help you find at least some relief. I cannot take sleeping pills or Xanax, like some people do, because most of the time I travel with kids and I need to be on full alert. What helped me is taking a Fear of Flying Free Help Course.
What’s great about the Course:
- It was designed by a former commercial aviation pilot with tons of experience
- It has 5 detailed lessons on a broad array of topics from aircraft technology, people in aviation, weather conditions, etc. You can study them your own pace and you can re-read them any time you need
- The lessons are written in a clear, reassuring and engaging language, you feel that the author really cares about your well-being (the next best thing would be for him to sit next to me on a plane and hold my hand 😉 )
- It is FREE (but you are welcome to donate to the Course if it really helps you)
I usually re-read the entire Course once every two years, a couple of weeks before my airplane trip. I am not entirely cured (I don’t think it is possible in my severe case) but I feel better. You can also buy Captain Chance’s book or video/audio lessons on the subject matter if you want to learn more. I have not done so yet but I would be curious to hear what you think if you do – we are all in it together and I hope we can support each other.
#2 Use home remedies
Take some calming home remedies with you on board the airplane that are known to help reduce stress, such as essential oils and tea.
In terms of essential oils, there are many that help reduce anxiety, such as ” lavender, jasmine, bergamot, rose, etc. I personally have an essential oils starter kit at home and I use them whenever needed. All bottles are travel size:
As for herbal teas, several are known to help reduce anxiety: peppermint, rose, chamomile, lemon balm. My personal favorite is lemon balm tea. You can take the loose tea or tea packets with you on board and just ask the stewardess for hot water:
#3 Think of distractions
You need to distract you mind from flying so think about that movie you wanted to watch or a book you craved to read but did not have time yet. Take them on board the plane and indulge yourself for several hours.
#4 Check out the statistics
Statistically, flying is a very safe mode of travel. Much safer than driving, for instance. Check out this article about the most distracted drivers by the U.S. state and after that you may step on board of an airplane with much more reassurance.
#5 Sleep
If you can sleep on the plane and don’t have to take care of kids just try to doze off. Take the items from home that help you fall asleep easier, such a your favorite pillow, a soft, warm shawl and such. Or may be you need a comfortable footrest to help you snooze. I usually carry a soft footrest in my carry-on luggage that it light and does not take much space:
I hope these tips will make your air travel experience less stressful. Do you have any tips and tricks of your own? Please, share them in the comments below!
If you found these tips on how to defeat your fear of flying useful, please do me a little favor and share this information with others, for there’s a good chance that it will help them with their travel plans. 🙂
