Aerophobia or fear of flying is the extreme fear experienced by individuals with this phobia as a result of the thought of traveling by airplane or similar aircraft. These individuals may fear different aspects of flying, such as takeoff, landing, or being locked inside the aircraft. They may also experience fear during the waiting period before boarding the plane or as a result of exposure to news related to aircraft. However, intense anxiety is mostly experienced during the flight.
Most people who have a fear of flying are not afraid of the plane crashing. Instead, they are troubled by the anxiety of being on a plane. Intense anxiety and stress are experienced during the flight.
What is Fear of Flying?
Fear of flying consists of fears and worries that arise during the thought of a flight or during a flight. When a flight is contemplated, certain states of anxiety, stress, and worry arise, and the individual may attribute this situation to various reasons.
As the intensity of the fear increases, the state of anxiety can turn into a panic attack and may also cause the person to engage in behaviors of which he is unaware. Fear of flying is a fear that can occur as a result of a single trauma that may form with the combination of many external factors.
What Causes Aerophobia (Fear of Flying)?
The exact causes of aerophobia are not known. However, certain environmental and genetic factors can cause this condition. In addition, it is thought that some traumatic events experienced by individuals during flight cause the fear of flying. The causes and factors that can trigger this condition can be listed as follows:
Genetic Factors
It is a condition that can be passed down from a mother or father. In cases where it is seen in family members, the probability of it appearing in individuals in later periods is also high.
Environmental Factors
One of the common causes of the phobia of fear of flying is seeing the act of flying as dangerous and having erroneous information regarding the safety of aircraft. This condition can be seen in individuals who have not flown before, as well as develop later in individuals who have performed flights many times.
In addition, the factors that can trigger this condition are as follows:
- Anxieties experienced during takeoff and landing
- Severe and intense turbulence experiences
- Fears about diseases spreading on airplanes
- News about terrorism, plane crashes, or acts of violence
What Are the Symptoms of Aerophobia (Fear of Flying)?
People who have a fear of flying do not want to fly at any cost. This situation also includes situations such as going on vacation or traveling for business. Individuals with a flying phobia may exhibit certain states of anxiety and panic as flight time approaches or during the flight. Symptoms of aerophobia can be listed as follows:
- Excessive sweating (Hyperhidrosis)
- Chills and shivering
- Dizziness and a feeling of lightheadedness
- Indigestion and nausea
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath
These conditions are typical symptoms experienced during fear. During a fear of flying, panic attack-like episodes, shouting, and uncontrollable behaviors may also be observed.
Who Develops Aerophobia?
Fear of flying is mostly seen in individuals between the ages of 17 and 34. This age range is generally the time when life events such as graduation, marriage, or childbirth occur and emerge. Individuals may fear at such times that flying will put his life in danger. In addition, this condition can also appear a very long time later. A person may fear flying for many years and still board a plane. However, if this phobia develops in later periods, he avoids boarding a plane.
How to Overcome Aerophobia (Fear of Flying)?
While states of fear and worry are being experienced, this situation can mostly not be prevented or stopped. For this reason, people with a flight phobia want to get away from these environments as soon as possible. Among the causes of flying phobia, it can be seen that there is incorrect information acquired about flight.
Therefore, information regarding flight should be refreshed and accurate information should be obtained. There are certain psychological therapies and treatment methods applied for these individuals. Aerophobia treatment methods are as follows:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
These are methods aimed at helping change thoughts about flight and eliminating fears. It may include learning how airplanes work or reviewing safety statistics for air travel based on different types of travel. The therapist or psychologist ensures that techniques to manage factors that may trigger this condition are taught.
The individual is taught what he needs to do during takeoff, landing, or turbulence. Reduction of anxiety symptoms is ensured through techniques such as breathing or meditation. It teaches how to react and respond to thoughts of fear and worry when they occur.
Exposure Therapy
With exposure therapy, the individual is gradually and progressively exposed to places, thoughts, or situations related to air travel. He is taught to cope with fears by being exposed to them. An airport can be visited, and the takeoff or landing of planes can be watched. In addition, this can also be done using virtual reality tools.