This morning, I boarded an airplane confidently, breathing normally and lacking a queasy stomach even well after take-off. After landing, I walked out of the airport feeling exactly as I had just a few hours earlier—calm and collected. This might sound mundane to you, but for me, it was a revelation.
See, I’m what you’d call a nervous flier. Luckily, my love of travel far outweighs the fear, but flying has never been a good experience, for me or any of my flying companions. (I once left claw marks on a friend’s arm during a rough bout of turbulence, if that’s any indication of my angst.) But on my way out the door today, I vowed to arrive at my destination cool as a cucumber instead of the usual shaky, anxiety-ridden mess. All it took was a little research into how others got over their own flying fears.
A Shared Fear
I’m not ashamed of my aerophobia because I know I’m in good company. Various polls over the years have estimated anywhere from 40 to 50 percent of people have at least some unease associated with flying. All phobias—fears that tend to be irrational and especially intense—vary in degree and cause, but flight fear tends to stem from the same kind of other phobias. For example, a claustrophobic person might be scared of air travel because of the enclosed, cramped spaces. Someone who’s afraid of losing control might not feel comfortable putting his or her life in the hands of an unknown pilot. When it comes to ridding oneself of the fear, it’s important to pinpoint exactly where it’s based.
Being scared of danger in the air is mostly irrational. Airplanes are equipped to handle severe conditions and pilots go through rigorous, routine training sessions before they’re placed in the cockpit. That’s hard to remember at 20,000 feet in the air when gusts of wind jostle the plane and our nerves in the process. But when it comes to flying fear-free, having the right knowledge is an important first step.
