How to beat your flying phobia

Training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy enabled me to beat my flying phobia. Understanding exactly how flying phobia works was they key to beating it. In this video I explain why you have such a fear of flying and what you can do to reduce and eliminate that fear so that you can prevent a panic attack when you fly.

#flyingphobia #aerophobia #fearofflying

[claudial]

My hesitation for flying is the thought of having a panic attack and being “stuck” on the plane. I used to travel quite a bit for work. But when I started having panic attacks the thought of having one on a plane has prevented me from going on trips. How can I desensitize in my case? Since in my situation, I am not worried about things like what you pointed out but rather just having a panic attack while in flight. And thank you for your wonderful videos!! I have watched several already…very informative, helpful and well made! Watching the drawings is satisfying 😊.

[tomh]

Takeoff is the worst for me. I fear that the plane won't be able to lift properly. I usually close my eyes and feel like I'm going to die. I prefer the landings, because those mean that I'll soon be able to leave the plane. But even then I'm a bit frightened. I may look out through the window, see that the ground is really close and think that the plane will miss the runway. Before the flights I usually drink or take a pill to fight the panic. One time, I drank about 5-6 beers and felt quite relaxed, but another time the beer just made me panic more.

[mindbodyhome]

Folks try to reassure the panic struck person that flying is safe. This does not work because the panic is not being fueled by probability but by possibility: in other words, is it probable that the door will fly off the plane as recently happened? No but it is possible proven by the fact that it DID happen. So acknowledging that the thinngs that scare folks about flying have indeed happened is an important step because if one just talks about probability being low, the panicked person will not be able to ingest that. I know because many have tried this on me and it makes me more upset that they can not understand why I am scared/panicked.

[WH-ED]

I've only very suddenly had a fear of flying and I don't want it to get to the point to where air travel isn't an option. Ive done all of these for years and never realised. Loved the animation

[amankrx]

Last year, I was normal. I had no fear whatsoever. But after that, I watched a couple of Plane crash documentaries and a couple of videos on Reddit, and thanks to that, all I can think of are those scenes during the flight.

[Ellen-]

My fear is being in an enclosed space that I can't escape from because it's in the air, never been on a plane and would love to but that's what stops me.

[karenlafleur]

I experience every single thing you said in the video. It aggravates me so much. I’ve never had a full blown panic attack (yet), but I take medication. I still feel impending doom, but I guess I just don’t care as much.

[gillynanaof]

I am nervous for all the reason you state but thankfully I manage to fight it and deal with it. However I have started to feel very anxious once the door gets shut. I feel so claustrophobic even on a big plane. I am booked on a long haul flight next June and dreading it already.

[juliery]

The last time I flew was nearly 40 yrs ago. I had flown many times internationally as a child till older teenager with my mom and sister to visit my maternal relatives in Germany every summer. I hated flying as a kid and got my butt beat onto all 3 flights there and all 3 coming back. I would cry and carry on the entire summer dreading the fact that we had to fly back. My last flight was returning to Chicago from Phoenix. There was a problem shortly after take off with the plane and it was terrifying, we had to make an emergency landing in Denver and get on another plane. ABSOLUTELY no way in hell would I do it. I demanded a refund, rented a car and drove back to Chicago. I haven't flown since. The problem is that my relatives in Germany want to see me, in Germany, so badly. Some of them have visited here a few times and my cousin's son visited us twice this past year while he was in the US for work. He extended his trip just to see us. He and his mother especially, she's the cousin I was closest to growing up, want me to visit so badly. I've agreed to do it but honestly I wouldn't be surprised if at the last minute I just won't do it. Even though it would be a huge financial waste to me I'd figure the ticket cost the same whether I use it or not once it's bought. Or if I actually got on the plane I'd probably get kicked off before take off bc I just know I'll have a massive anxiety attack and act like a psycho. I hate even seeing planes in the sky. I worry about random flights, flights my adult kids are on and flight in general. Intellectually I know that it's safer than driving and all those things BUT in a lifetime of driving all over the country I've never been in an accident, never gotten a ticket, never had any issue, AND I'm at least somewhat in control. I think of random stuff like I wonder how many people on the 9/11 planes, or any planes that have ever crashed, were terrified fliers who finally got on a plane and then came to a catastrophic end. I think about those minutes when you'd know you're going to die in a terrible way and can do nothing to stop it and wished you'd never gotten on the plane. There's just no way I'm going to be able to do it. Mainly because there's not a single thought important enough to make me feel like it's worth it. I wish i could get over this overwhelming fear, but i just don't see how. My husband is very understanding and doesn't think I'm stupid. He says he won't try and talk me into it although he'd really love to go. He wants to see where i spent all my childhood summers and meet all my relatives that haven't visited. I want to do it for him, but i don't know if i can.

[d_shadow.]

Im not worried about flying, im worried about a solid minute of nosediving to my death

[Lunrbatzz]

Thank you very much for this video, no joke this has helped me immensely. I’m flying a four hour flight to turkey in a day and I’ve never been this scared of flying before. (I have been on previous flights to much further places when I was much younger no problem) I tried talking to my parents about it but they don’t get it nor understand how my brain works in these situations and just call me hysterical, but this has made me feel so seen. Thank you so much! I’m rather excited for my flight now!

[pvtrichardsonbr]

For me it’s physical. I cant get over the feeling of being able to feel myself floating in the air. Like i can sense the floor of the plane below my feet and that theres no ground underneath

[kerryjlynch]

I'd never thought of this approach. I'll see if I can do it on today's flight. Thanks!  

As an engineer I really do not like people talking about my area of expertise as if they know more about it than I do. But I have routinely done pretty much all of the Danger Gauge activators you've mentioned!

[lesleynelson]

Thank you. These are all me! I am flying in 36 hours time and already a wreck! But this has given me food for thought

[turboqueer]

I think you did a good presentation but what about the fear of heights? Like the idea that I'm so high up gets me sometimes.

[lvopta]

For me, I'm most scared while flying so high. I'm sure it's a combination of a fear of heights and planes, but it's super scary for me. I know that the chances of a crash are extremely low, but the possibility of one happening and my life ending, is just something I don't want to risk!

[stp]

I check off all the boxes and then some for fear of flying. I haven't flown in 30 yrs, the last time I flew i didn't enjoy the visit at all I was asking the woman next to me the time every 5 mins, to where she literally gave me her watch to use. I rented a car back. It doesn't help that a friend back in the day was a maintenance mechanic at O'hare, who told me that if i new the "mechanicals" that happened with planes I wouldn't want to fly. i got details. I can't do heights, plane noises, the feeling of falling as the plane descends. i'm ok if i'm connected to the ground. I just finished up a long career I purposely chose that didn't involve any travel. My sister works for an airline and it is of no help. I would never fly in the winter due to the deicing problems i see. My reference may be framed by crashes in my formative years in the 80s. Nevertheless, i did see a "counselor" who was of no help and i didn't even pay the bill. My excuse has been i live in florida, i don't need to go anywhere. Now that i have more time and married an asian, i wouldn't mind travelling, have been looking into amtrak, but i know this is limited and it ain't cheap. and amtrak doesn't go to asia. So we're looking at cruises. i'm get really insecure and depressed when i think about it, so i just block it out. I don't care what/who the pilot is. Mentally I can probably handle an hour tops, but there are few that are that short. I don't know what to do with this, and most of these videos don't help at all. Air travel does seem safer now, but still. I'm willing to try baby steps.

[Excalibur]

It's the feeling of lift off and then the descent that gives me the feeling in my stomach. It's not a mental thing but more of a physical feeling of falling

[subwaybe]

BIGG HEL P . IM AFRAID OF HEIGHTS ! NOT DYING . THX BRO . I'LL CONTINUE TO GAIN YOUR KNOWLEGE !

[Kaiedits]

When I was younger. I used to hold my mom’s arm because I’m scared of plane crashes or something worse than that. I just don’t wanna die! I always think of “am I going to die?” When I’m on a roller coaster bc I’m scared of falling off. Or plane. So before I even get on the plane or ride I pray. I always know God/Jesus is with me.❤