Fear of Flying and Other Reasons Not to Get on That Plane

The mere thought of flying can cause a person to change their plans, miss time with friends and family or avoid traveling altogether. Panic and anxiety can be incredibly disruptive and scary. Not only is there a fear of flying but also a fear of being judged and that those sitting around you would be freaked out and think the person with the panic attack is crazy.

Once your flight day has arrived and you’re packing and preparing to head for the airport, you most likely start to feel varying levels of anticipatory anxiety and maybe feel ashamed that you’re struggling with managing these feelings. As you pull up to the terminal and go through TSA you might be tempted to look for a way out. You check and look for your Boarding Gate and then find the nearest restroom.

Feeling scared and ashamed that you might have a full-blown panic attack on the plane and be out of control can be discouraging and continue to limit your life. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may resort to medication or alcohol to cope for the duration of the flight. But this is rarely a great strategy.

There are many good reasons to not get on that airplane, some of which are described in the previous paragraph. After all, you would have to confront your anxiety and the fear you would need to learn how to tolerate and lean into your anxiety. Take heart....There is help available with approaches that are helpful and effective. But I wonder if you're really wanting this type of help?

If so, start by identifying which category your fear of flying focuses on. This will determine the strategy:

-Fear of small spaces and being confined

-Fear of crashing and dying

-Anxiety with being so close to others

-Fear of having a panic attack on the plane

As you think about booking that flight, what are you telling yourself? Write your thoughts down.

Once we get this part figured out, we are off to a terrific start.