When most people develop a fear of flying, they are largely able to avoid the source of their anxiety. But what if that fear of flying actually stops you from doing your job? What if your company needs you to fly for a business trip but your phobia prevents you from jumping in and taking on the responsibility?
Aviophobia is an incredibly common affliction, and can prevent people from doing things like going on holiday or travelling for work. But, it can be tackled with the right advice.
Knowledge isn't a magical cure-all for every fact telling you how safe you are while flying there'll be an anecdote or opinion piece about how it's all lies but it can quell some of the more irrational fears swilling around in your brain.
There's no one way to battle fear of flying like so many things, the best methods are down to the individual in question but we've put together 10 suggesed ways of reducing anxiety before and during your flight.
Do your research
Because of your phobia, it's likely that your knowledge of the facts surrounding aeroplanes and flying in general have been skewed, so it never hurts to arm yourself with relevant knowledge. Knowledge isn't a magical cure-all for every fact telling you how safe you are while flying there'll be an anecdote or opinion piece about how it's all lies but it can quell some of the more irrational fears swilling around in your brain.
A little preliminary research will tell you that the number of accidents has been steadily falling over the last decade, and that the likelihood of those accidents in the first place is really, really tiny (0.00001 per cent). You're actually much safer on a plane than on the road or travelling by boat, and widely held fears about flying are almost all entirely unfounded.
Be prepared
Preparation is key, and making sure everything is ready before you leave will mean that there are no extra stresses waiting to aggravate an already nerve-racking situation. Ahead of your flight date, make to-do lists of what you need the night before and morning of your journey, don't leave anything to the last minute, and plan how you're going to get to and from the airport at each end.
If you remove parts of the experience that might cause undue worry or anxiety, then you can concentrate on overcoming the most troublesome fear flying itself. Similarly, if you familiarise yourself with the process of arriving, getting through security and actually boarding the plane before you get there, then things won't feel so scary and strange.
