Originally appeared in Thrive Global Summer 2018
Media and health blogs report that this is such a common problem! Many people have come to me in my psychotherapy practice to learn how to reduce flying anxiety. Symptoms include fear of heights, fear of being out of control, sleeplessness before a flight, generalized anxiety and resistance to taking the trip.
Before you go on an airplane, you might consider having some hypnosis, which is very effective. The hypnosis allows you to do a mental rehearsal of the flight while feeling deeply relaxed. Then, It is easier to carry those feelings to the actual flight. Counting backward while breathing deeply, seeing a safe flight and arrival and repeating a specific word that you associate with relaxation, such as “beach,” “safe”, or “calm” are suggestions that are part of hypnosis! You can use these ideas even if you don’t have time to see a hypnotherapist.
But you may need some preparation in order to reduce the anxiety. If you know how to relax in general, through mindfulness perhaps, then you will be in a good place to use the same methods before and during the flight.
If you have had a traumatic flight experience, you may need help to break the negative association with flying and reset your expectations. This can also be done through therapeutic methods such as hypnosis or EMDR.