Vitya needs to get out: 7 ways to beat aerophobia

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (USA), aerophobia affects from 2.5 to 6.5% of the world's population. Even legendary boxer Mohamed Ali once almost ruined his performance at the Olympics because of fear of aerophobia - the athlete flatly refused to fly. In the end, Ali managed to persuade, but he agreed to the flight only on one condition - he will fly wearing a parachute.

What to do if you know this situation? We'll look into it further.

Airplane - the safest means of transportation

To begin with, it is important to understand and realize that flying is the safest way to get anywhere. Every 5 seconds another airplane from tens of thousands of flights lands safely in the world. And there are about a million people in the air at a given minute.

It should not be forgotten that before each flight an airplane undergoes a very complex technical check, and any accident is usually a combination of several factors, not an accident. Not to mention that there are mechanisms to prevent many malfunctions, which allow you to control the situation during flight.

Causes, symptoms, and how to deal with them

Wet palms, trembling legs, rapid heartbeat, and intermittent breathing - just some of the symptoms that often accompany passengers during boarding, takeoff, and landing, and they are considered the norm. But for some people it is much more stressful: blood pressure or body temperature rises, nausea and vomiting, uncontrollable panic attacks, and even loss of consciousness can occur.

All this is caused by 4 main fears:

• fear of mechanical failure during the flight;
• fear of flying in unfavorable weather conditions;
• fear of airplane malfunction or pilot incompetence during takeoff/landing;
• fear of flying over water;

How to overcome aerophobia?

1. Turn off the fantasy

Most of the stresses and worries are born out of our wild imagination. People tend to fear the worst consequences in any situation and only think about them. So, the first thing you need to do is to turn off the flight of fancy, do not "wind yourself up" and take your thoughts, for example, what you need to do on arrival or indulge in dreams about the upcoming vacation.

2. Fly at night, tiring yourself out beforehand

As a rule, in the days before the flight, we all try to finish a dozen important things, pack suitcases, something to buy, not excluded running around with documents, etc. All this turmoil takes away a lot of energy, and therefore the flight, especially if it is long, will be a great way to "catch your breath", rest and even sleep.

An excellent solution will be night flights, in which even the most nervous involuntarily indulge in a sound sleep.

3. Distract yourself

And there are a lot of ways to do this. The main ones are:

- work: as a rule, this is the cure for all diseases, because, doing tasks, we are completely immersed in the case and can even forget for a while, where we are;

- for the soul: take with you an exciting book that you have long dreamed of reading, or download a movie/series that you haven't had the time to read, or on the contrary, a good old story that has always been able to please and calm you; play your favorite music. You can even make yourself a soothing playlist in advance!

- games: few people practice this on board, and for nothing: when the excitement wakes up, thoughts of bad things immediately fly away. Of course, there are no opportunities for active games, but compact board games or good old-fashioned games "on a piece of paper" can distract and cheer you up. In addition, many games can be downloaded to your gadget. "2048" will help you!

4. Communicate

If it is impossible to cope with a problem, talk about it and you will feel much better - a good conversation has an excellent calming effect. Ideally, if you fly with someone you know or close people, then you will not have to disturb the neighbors, and in general much calmer.

5. Eat

People are divided into 2 types: some people in a panic attack eat everything they see around them, while others have no appetite at all. In any case, it is important to know that a hungry stomach increases panic. Even if you do not like to eat on the road or count on lunch from the airline, it is better to put in your bag at least a little of your favorite goodies - they will improve your mood and calm you down.

6. Make yourself as comfortable as possible

In everything. Wear comfortable clothes, take a pillow, stash your bags upstairs, if you are a bit cold, ask the flight attendant for a blanket. Based on your needs and capabilities, choose the most comfortable seat in the cabin. If you have children with you who are also worried and afraid of flying, take their favorite toy with you.

You can book a hotel with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

The use of special medication is recommended for passengers with high stress levels.

7. Sedative and sleeping medications

You should consult your doctor about any medication you intend to use before or during boarding. Many medications have a very short-lived calming effect, and once it has worn off, panic and stress become even more severe than they were before.

Passengers with increased susceptibility to stress should first of all contact a doctor, who will be able to prescribe individualized medications that can calm the nervous system, overcome trembling and avoid fever, profuse sweating and other unpleasant symptoms. In addition, it is also recommended to:

• sit near the wing of the airplane, where motion is least likely to be felt;
• regularly turn on the fan above you to circulate clean, cool air;
• do not eat food on board that has pungent odors or tastes unfamiliar to you;
• drink more plain mineral water.

It is important to remember that the main enemy in the fight against fear is your imagination. Try to occupy it with something more interesting, and then the flight will at least go smoothly, and in the best case you can even enjoy it!

By the way, another proven way to enjoy your flights is to buy tickets at the lowest prices, and this will always help you. tripmydream airfare search!