Sometimes long-awaited days of vacation or overseas business trips can be overshadowed by such unpleasantness as aerophobia - fear of flying on an airplane and other flying machines. Due to the need for air displacements between cities and countries, the modern society attracts increased attention in comparison with other fears.
Aerofobia - what is it?
According to the results of research, from 25 to 40% of all people are afraid to fly - not taking into account that aircraft are recognized as one of the safest modes of transport. More than 15% of this number suffer from a phobia, although they have not thought about what aerophobia is and how to deal with it. It is important to understand that aerophobia is not a disease, but a symptom. Sometimes it indicates the presence of other fears and disorders:
- fear of heights - acrophobia;
- fear of enclosed spaces (therefore, in the passenger compartment the person feels uncomfortable);
- fear of a terrorist act;
- experience of stress.
Aerophobia - Causes
You can indefinitely persuade a person who is afraid of flying, that the plane is safe, and the chance to get into a plane crash is 1: 45000000. From the point of view of logic, the arising negative reactions to flight are normal. After all, flying is not foreseen by nature. And yet, why does aerophobia arise? Because of other fears, impressionability, nervous or mental disorders . People are individual, but there are several common reasons:
- negative traumatic experience;
- unpleasant associations, emotions and their accumulation;
- incidents in the past (hard landing, turbulence, etc.);
- fears of the reaction of their own organism to flight.
Fear of flying on a plane - psychology
Psychology shares the fear of flying on an airplane into several species. They differ in the prevalence and main cause of occurrence:
- fear of disaster and death;
- Fear of heights;
- claustrophobia;
- fear of losing control over oneself and the situation;
- propensity to obsessive states and panic;
- fear of a large crowd of people;
- fear of turbulence.
Aerophobia - symptoms
As a rule, a person suffering from fear of flights does not suspect this and the emerging symptoms are written off by nerves, fatigue, etc. But the illness is aggravated if not taken, and the number of symptoms increases. The signs of aerophobia can be divided into two types: psychological and physical. The first include:
- panic before the flight (for a day - a week before the scheduled event);
- negative images that arise in the mind, "winding" themselves;
- attention to detail and the search for negativity;
- memory impairment, focus on the forthcoming flight;
- desire to quit and escape.
The physical signs of aerophobia can be seen with the naked eye. The person is nervous, and this is signaled by bodily manifestations:
- inconsistent breathing;
- sweating;
- tension in the muscles;
- dizziness;
- heartache;
- pallor, etc.
Aerofobia - how to get rid?
Any phobia is treatable, not an exception and fear of flying. Exercise therapy is used to normalize the psychophysical state. With its help, the patient learns to associate positive images with flying and to resist emerging fear. Perhaps, for this it is necessary to go deeper on Wednesday and under the supervision of a psychologist to fly on a flight simulator. In particularly difficult cases, hypnosis is used from aerophobia.
The question is whether a person who is aware of his fear wants to turn to specialists. Many do not consider this a big problem and try to figure it out on their own, using before the flight alcohol for relaxation or soothing. Unfortunately, such methods only worsen the condition. Asking the question: how to deal with aerophobia, it is better to be guided by proven methods and practice such methods as
- psychotherapy;
- psycho-correction;
- relaxing exercises;
- drug treatment.
How to get rid of aerophobia yourself?
Treatment of aerophobia is desirable to begin with the manifestation of the first symptoms, then it will not have time to turn into an obsession, from which it will be difficult to get rid of. How to defeat aerophobia without resorting to the help of doctors? Some recommendations should be followed before and during the flight:
- to discuss fear with a loved one in a calm environment, which will help to look at things from a different angle;
- understand that actions and experiences will not affect the course of the flight in any way;
- Do not focus on negative points, distracted from sad thoughts (helps exercise and any action with the release of adrenaline);
- to abstract from everything that reminds about the forthcoming flight;
- to refuse alcohol and coffee before and during the voyage;
- listen attentively to the stewardess's instructions;
- in an airplane, try to be distracted by reading or talking with an interesting interlocutor;
- look positively into the future (after the landing waits for rest, etc.).
Tablets for fear of flying by plane
Unfortunately, the universal remedy for all fears has not been invented, as there is no uniform for all tablets from aerophobia. Patients are prescribed medications that relieve only certain symptoms (nausea, high blood pressure , dizziness, etc.), block the reactions of the body directly during the flight. Thus, the medicine for aerophobia is different for everyone. Depending on the symptoms, the doctor prescribes the following:
- sedatives - sedative;
- anti-anxiety;
- anticonvulsant;
- pills from muscle spasms;
- drugs that inhibit nerve impulses.
For confidence before the flight, you can take a tablet of valerian or glycine and practice the technique of deep relaxing breathing. With obsessive fear in this way can not cope, and aerophobia will not go anywhere, but the flight itself will pass normally. And this will be the beginning of a long process of rehabilitation. In the treatment of any phobia requires a comprehensive approach and consultation of a doctor. Only by joint efforts can you conquer fear.