Another great way to educate yourself on air travel is to attend a fear of flying course. These are provided by more and more airlines and airports throughout the UK than ever before and have had great success in helping nervous flyers to overcome their fears.Some of the main airports in the UK offering these courses include:Gatwick Airport – Courses from Fly and Be Calm, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and EasyJetHeathrow Airport – Courses from British Airways and Virgin AtlanticManchester Airport –Courses from Fly and Be Calm, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and EasyJetStansted Airport – Courses from Fly and Be Calm and EasyJetGlasgow Airport – Courses from British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and EasyJetSpecialist Psychologists offering help for individuals as well as small groups include "Freedom to Fly", run by Elaine Iljon Foreman, and Professor Robert Bor.
However, knowledge isn’t enough to help everyone, as knowledge often only appeals to the rational side of the brain, not the irrational side that often fuels the fear. This is where hypnotherapy and other types of behavioural therapies can be a good solution and have often been proven to help.
We think that hypnotherapy deserves a special mention because of its excellent past record in combatting this somewhat irrational fear. The fact that statistically flying is the safest mode of transport is usually no comfort to anybody with a fear of flying. It's generally the sufferers hightened fear of disaster that creates the problem... hence the often heard quote from sufferers "I'm not afraid of flying, it's crashing I'm afraid of!".A trained hypnotherapist has many tools to help combat this fear and to control the subconsious part of your mind which is probably working overtime. They can also help with one of the main causes of this fear, and that is the feeling of not being in control. A trained hypnotherapist has many tools to help combat this fear. It is worth being aware that even for people who do not go into a deep hypnotic trance, it is still possible to achieve major changes in their fear.If one type of treatment does not help you, do not despair. It can well be worthwhile trying another, as different people do respond to different therapies. So whether your fear of flying is deep routed and has stopped you enjoying travel for many years or whether you're more of a nervous flyer we would highly recommed taking a few sessions with a hypnotherapist.
These therapies work to identify the cause of these irrational fears, unlocking their source and desensitising the brain to these events and emotions related to a fear of flying.
Another drug based solution, besides the poor choice of the ‘Dutch Courage' approach of drinking alcohol before flying, can lie with chemical treatments in the form of anti-anxiety drugs like benzodiazepines, drugs that control the speed of your heart like beta-blockers, or other relaxant or anti-depressant drugs.These prescribed drugs can take the edge off the fear, decreasing the anxiety experienced.However, each individual can react differently to these treatments. In some cases it can actually cause the anxious flyer to have a distorted view of reality, and to feeling somewhat "out of control". It is also not recommended to travel under the influence of drugs for any length of time, so long-haul travel can be problematic. Read our recent blog post about a product called Xtresia which is suppose to be very helpful when flying. It has received many good reviews from many travellers.
If you aren’t convinced by hypnotherapy, medication or fear of flying courses, or perhaps you feel your phobia isn’t so extreme as to warrant these treatments, there are plenty of other tips and hints that can make flying a more pleasant and relaxing experience.
Two relatively new books, one by Professor Robert Bor, Dr Carina Eriksen and Margaret Oakes, 'Overcome Your Fear of Flying", and one by Elaine Iljon Foreman and Dr Lucas Van Gerwen "Fly Away Fear" give information on how planes fly, as well as focusing on the thoughts and emotions that people feel when they’re anxious about flying. They provide coping techniques that re-focus the irrational side of the brain to be more positive and as a result, rational.
A great way to get you through the idea and reality of a flight is to focus on the positive reasons for travelling. Perhaps you’re off to visit friends abroad or you’re embarking on your honeymoon – these are all positive attributes to focus on. Furthermore, think about your destination, what you’ll do there, people you’ll see and so on. Even for those travelling on business, this can spur positive and rational thoughts.
For those who are anxious flyers, there is nothing better than a distraction to carry you through the negative thoughts during take-off and landing, as well as bumpy turbulence (which is only a change in air currents – it happens all the time and is unlikely to cause any damage to the plane, even during the roughest bouts).A good distraction can be providing yourself with plenty of in-flight entertainment with books, tablets, games and films. But if these aren’t working, look outside of your bubble for distraction, such as starting a conversation with a fellow passenger.Breathing exercises can also work well to calm nerves and focus the mind too. If you start to feel anxious, feel like you have sweaty palms and such, set your line of vision on the back of the seat in front, then breathe in deeply for five seconds and out for the same. Do this for several minutes and your heart rate will significantly drop and you’ll feel much calmer.Other ways to calm your nerves about strange noises or turbulence is to speak to the cabin crew. They're well versed in air travel (of course!), are trained to support those with a fear of flying and will be able to reassure you that these noises are perfectly normal.
When you're flying it's important to keep your blood sugars up and keep well hydrated. Before, during and after flights, drink plenty of water or natural juices and avoid alcohol, while eating little and often.
Another element that relates to the fear of flying is the feeling that you're not in control. However, there are certain aspects of flying and your own comfort that you can control, so get prepared before you fly and reserve your seating.For anxious flyers, an aisle seat over the wing or near an emergency exit is a good choice, as the wing seats tend to experience less in-flight turbulence and you'll feel less trapped closest to the aisle and emergency escape route. There is no quick way to overcome a fear of flying, but putting some of these coping techniques into practice on your next flight or even seeing a Specialist, or embarking on a fear of flying course can make all the difference.It’s also important to remember that you’re not alone in your fear, there are millions of sufferers out there, so letting those you’re travelling with know, including airport and cabin crew, can help to reassure and calm you during those anxious moments.You may want to read our blog post on Fear of Flying.Good Luck from UKACP.
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