How to manage travel anxiety when flying

Do you experience clammy palms at the thought of boarding an aircraft? Do you feel somewhat apprehensive when the seatbelt sign is turned off? Don't fret! You are not alone, for flight anxiety is a very common conundrum. But it can be overcome with some useful strategies to allow you greater confidence when flying. Here are some ways to combat flight anxiety and make air travel a more enjoyable experience.

What Is Flight Anxiety?

Flight anxiety, also known as aviophobia or aerophobia, refers to the fear or nervousness that some people feel when flying. There can be several reasons behind this anxiety: fear of heights, safety concerns, feelings of lacking control, or perhaps bad past flying experiences.

This has been confirmed by research from the National Institute of Mental Health: 6.5% of the population, throughout the world, has a clinically diagnosable fear of flying. And believe it or not, even if you don't fit into the category of people clinically diagnosed, you can share similar experiences like clammy hands, increased heart rate, big knots in your stomach, a feeling of being too incapacitated to face flying or just absolute dread. Thus, understanding the mechanics of what inspires fear when flying is the first step toward its management.

Also Read - What Is Flight Phobia? What Causes It? How To Overcome It?

Symptoms of flight anxiety

Flight anxiety symptoms can range from slight discomfort to extreme distress. Typical signs include a racing heart, sweaty palms, and a lingering sense of dread. Physical effects like nausea or abdominal discomfort are common, and in extreme cases panic attacks may occur.

These signs may vary at different moments, for instance, while booking tickets, spotting the plane, or mid-flight. Recognising and addressing these signs is the first most important step in effectively managing your flight anxiety.

Why Does Flying Cause Anxiety?

Flying combines several triggers that can heighten anxiety:

Not in Control: Not being in control of the plane can enhance feelings of helplessness. Knowing that pilots have so much training to handle any situation makes the passengers feel safer.
Turbulence: This is common in air travel and rarely dangerous; however, it sends an uncomfortable jittery feeling among the passengers. It feels unnatural that flying seems to incur an anomalous danger. One way of normalizing it as part of flying and that it poses no real danger could help eliminate this fear.
Small Spaces: The closed space within the cabin might give some passengers claustrophobic feelings, particularly during long-haul flights. An aisle seat or the ability to get up and stretch might ease discomfort during the flight.
The Impact of Media: Inciting the air-travel-related events into the media increases needless fear, even though flying remains one of the safest transport methods in relation to safety statistics data about which the public should debate.

How to Calm Flight Anxiety

Prepare Before You Fly

Proper preparation is a key of managing travel anxiety. Here are some flight anxiety tips for preparation that can be of great assist to travellers-

Preparation Tips	Benefits
Book seat early - Choose your seats strategically, for reference seats near the wings to enjoy smoother flights and less impact of turbulence.	Provide a sense of control on your surroundings and reduce chances of unexpected discomfort.
Be time-conscious - Arrive at airport well ahead of time to avoid the stress of getting late through security or boarding.	A calm and organised start of your journey can significantly improve your overall flight experience.
Bring essentials - Pack comforting items like a cosy shawl, noise-cancellation headphones, or an interesting novel to create your pleasing and comfortable atmosphere.	These distractions can help you stay calm and reduce nervousness.

Relaxation Techniques

The first step to controlling flight anxiety is learning some techniques to calm your mind and body:

Deep Breathing: Inhale for a count of four, hold for a count of four, and exhale for a count of four.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: To relieve muscle tension from your physical being, go through the phases of tensing and releasing each muscle group.
Guided mediation: Programs like Calm and Headspace offer "nervous flyer" in-the-air sessions.

Distract Yourself

Distracting yourself can do wonders in keeping those fears at bay. Music or podcasts can be soothing distractions, as will movies and series; so will your choose-anything-you-want distractions, like doodling and journaling!

Know What You Are Doing

There can be some comfort in knowing how flying operates on a technical level: For example, turbulence is just a natural phenomenon generated by wind patterns and does nothing to compromise the safety of a modern aircraft. When you learn to fly, the experience becomes less an airline mystery.

Get Professional Help

When flight anxiety becomes a great source of concern, engaging in therapy is a big plus. Cognitive-behavioural therapy is a proven treatment for the termination of most fears and helps equip you with tools to keep calm.

Also Read - Missed Your Flight? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

What Are the Benefits of Managing Flight Anxiety?

Managing flight anxiety enables a more relaxing and enjoyable flying experience for the traveller. With this, there are more places to travel to, allowing individuals to explore more destinations that used to be a source of fear due to flight anxiety. Conquering these fears reinforces self-confidence, which can then be taken into tackling problems in other areas within life.

Where to Seek Other Forms of Assistance

More airlines are creating specialized programs for fearful flyers. This may include familiarization tours, anxiety workshops, and pre-flight programs designed to help ease anxiety. Crew members can lend comfort items and assist with calm-the-anxiety techniques during the flight.

In a nutshell

Traveling while dealing with fear of flying is a continual process; nevertheless, it is achievable. Some flight anxiety tips that can really work in your favour to help create flying into a pleasurable experience include preparation, availing oneself of all the information available, and practicing relaxation techniques.