This is a completely different blog post to the usual, but I've been thinking of writing a self help post for those of you who have a fear of flying; because I have nearly overcome my fear of flying myself! Since a lot of people are off on their travels this month I thought it would be relevant, and may come in handy for anyone dreading any future travels due to boarding a plane.
Before I start I'm not a professional at all! I am just writing this from my own experiences and the help I received to help overcome my own fears! So don't expect miracles from me, I just hope that I can help with some issues! :)
So, a fear/phobia of flying is usually referred to as Aerophobia, and is very common as it is said to effect around 25% of the population. People develop all different reasons to be scared of flying; the biggest factor being heights and the fear of crashing or something going wrong on the aircraft. Other reasons can be people phobias of germs who are scared of getting sick from airplanes, or people who are claustrophobic. Whatever reasons, they have all stemmed from past experiences, and unfortunately effect people from looking forward to travelling or going on holiday because of the dreaded plane ride.
I have put together some solutions on how you can help yourself and how you can be prepared for a better flight than usual. Like I said, I'm not a doctor or psychiatrist. This is just coming from my own helpful experiences.
1. Take any meds you need before hand!
For example, if you know you get travel sick take them with you to take 30 minutes before you board the plane. There's nothing worse than making an experience you hate 100x worse when you can prevent it! I take Kwells in my hand luggage and for extra help my doctor prescribes me with an anxiety tablet for going and coming back. It helps relax you and usually sends me to sleep, making me less panicky on the plane. Its always an option if you need that extra help!
2. Get comfortable!
Even for a short flight time, invest in a neck pillow and take a fleece or blanket with you! I had these on a long flight to America and I felt a lot more comfortable and relaxed, which helped me to settle and sleep. Anything you can do from taking off your shoes to wearing comfortable, loose fitting clothes will help immensely.
3. Take things to do!
Magazines, adult colouring books, puzzles, games... I always create an offline airplane mode playlist for every holiday I go on, and spend most of my time relaxed with my eyes closed listening to that playlist. This is helpful for the flight home too because it reminds me of that specific destination, which makes me feel calmer and happier while flying.
4. Invest in Paul McKenna's Fear of Flying hypnosis tape.
Some of these tape hypnosis' don't work for everyone. I've tried loads for my other fears such as fear of vomiting and social anxiety, but they didn't personally help me much. So my uncle told me to try Paul McKenna's one for flying; as it worked wonders for my auntie who now loves flying. So I tried it and I can honestly say its helped me so much, especially for a long flight which I was dreading!
There are two parts to the CD; the first part is the hypnosis, and the second part is McKenna explaining facts and figures about flying. Its very helpful, but you have to listen to it every day for a month before you fly. Its worth trying because its said to have helped a lot of people recover!
5. Watch YouTube videos of planes taking off and landing.
This might sound weird, and might not be something a lot of people want to try; but it works by helping you get used to the whole mechanics of how a plane functions and what sounds are normal. I used to panic when taking off when there was a loud noise at the back of the plane, but I learnt that it was just the wheels going back into the plane, and this was noticeable on every take-off video.
Just don't be scaring yourself with those rare videos that people put up to scare you.
6. Reading up on the facts.
While sat at the pool in Tenerife this week, I watched planes fly right over our heads every two minutes, due to the airport being a stone throw away from our hotel. Just seeing so many planes landing and taking off made me realise how normal this is and its a casual and natural every day to day thing for planes to take off, flight and land. For years I have never believed anyone that tells me 'flying is the safest type of transport' and 'you've got more chance of winning the lottery than being in a plane crash', but now I do realise they're right. When you think of the amount of car crashes and accidents on the roads that happen daily, it does put into perspective the money and effort that goes into making sure air travel is safe for human beings. I also like to sit in the airport and people watch, thinking about how all these thousands of people are going on a plane soon too- some nervous, some excited, and some might not be bothered by it. Because overall, its an understandable fear to develop from our negative thoughts, but it is a safe way to travel!
I hope this post has helped you even a little! It's more than possible to overcome a fear with a positive mind and the right resources and help. On a scale of 1-100, my fear of flying was at 80 last year, and to this day, (baring in mind I just got off a plane yesterday), it is down to 20-25, which I would never believe would be possible!
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