How to Overcome Your Fear of Flying

Introduction

Flying is one of the safest ways to travel, but it can be scary if you’re afraid of it. Here are some steps that might help you overcome that fear and enjoy your next flight:

Recognize That Flying Is Safe.

• Recognize that flying is safe.
• Air travel is safer than driving, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). The NSC estimates that driving causes 1.7 million injuries per year and 30,000 deaths in the U.S., while there were only 295 fatalities on commercial airlines in 2017–and only 25 of those were passengers or crew members on board an aircraft involved in a crash or incident.[1]
• If you’re going to be traveling by plane anyway, then why not take advantage of all the benefits it has to offer?

Take the First Step.

• Take a few deep breaths. You can do this by breathing into your diaphragm and counting to five on each exhale, or simply closing your eyes, taking a deep breath in through the nose, and then slowly letting it out through pursed lips.
• Focus on the present moment. Think about what you are doing right now–are you sitting in an airplane? If so, where is it taking off from? Do you know what time zone you’re going to be flying over? How long does it take for planes to get there? What does the pilot look like when he turns off all of those lights inside so everyone can go to sleep? What was that noise just now–was that someone opening up their laptop computer or just snoring loudly next door under their blanket (haha)? Remembering these details will help bring some calmness back into an otherwise stressful situation.*

Breathe.

• Breathe.
• Take deep breaths through your nose, and exhale through your mouth. Try to breathe in for a count of 4, hold it for 2 seconds and then exhale for a count of 6 or 7. Repeat this exercise until you feel calmer and more relaxed (it should take about 10-15 minutes).
• If that doesn’t work, try counting down from 100 by threes as you exhale — this will help distract you from any anxieties in anticipation of takeoff!

Use Positive Self-Talk.

When you’re about to board a plane, try to use positive self-talk. This is a form of self-hypnosis that helps you relax and reduce anxiety. The more relaxed you are, the less likely it is for fear to creep up on you during flight.

Positive statements like “I am safe” and “I can handle this” have been shown to help reduce anxiety levels in people who suffer from anxiety disorders such as phobias or panic attacks

Focus on the Positive.

When you’re on a plane, it’s easy to focus on the negative–the fact that you’re thousands of feet in the air, surrounded by strangers and hurtling through the sky at hundreds of miles per hour. But there are lots of things that can help you keep your mind off those fears.

The first step is to think about how safe flying actually is–and it’s pretty darned safe! According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), there were just 0.03 accidents per 100 million miles traveled by commercial airlines between 2014-2016–or 1 accident every 3 million flights! And when crashes do happen, most people survive them: A 2015 study found that 96% percent of passengers who survived an airplane crash walked away without any serious injuries.*

So now that we know flying is generally safe and survivable, let’s focus on other positive aspects: You’ll have time to relax or read or watch movies during takeoff and landing; if you’re lucky enough to get an aisle seat, there will be plenty of room for stretching out your legs; if not…well…then maybe try sleeping instead?

Surround Yourself With Supportive People.

The first step is to talk about your fears. If you’re nervous about flying, it’s important to have support from those around you so that they can help calm your nerves and keep an eye on how well the flight is going.

Talk About Your Fear

• Talk with friends and family members about how they feel about flying and why they think it’s not as bad as it seems. They may be able to give advice or tell stories of their own experiences that can help put things into perspective for you.
• Consider seeing a therapist or psychologist if talking doesn’t seem like enough–they might be able to provide additional insight into why this phobia exists in the first place, which could lead toward overcoming it more easily than simply sharing feelings alone would do alone!
• Reach out online (or even just via phone) with other people who have overcome their fear of flying; there are tons of resources out there specifically designed for overcoming anxiety disorders like this one so don’t hesitate asking questions! Just remember: everyone has been through something difficult at some point in life; take heart knowing yours isn’t unique!

Flying is one of the safest ways to travel, but it can be scary if you’re afraid of it.

Most of us have been scared at one time or another. If you’re afraid of flying, it’s important to remember that flying is one of the safest ways to travel. In fact, more people die from car accidents than plane crashes every year–and this has been true for a long time!

If you want to overcome your fear of flying:

• Take a class on how planes fly and how they are maintained by pilots and mechanics; this will give you more knowledge about what happens inside an airplane cabin during flight and make it easier for you to relax when on board.
• Research why this fear exists in order for yourself; many times it comes from our past experiences where we had bad experiences while flying or saw someone else get hurt while they were traveling by plane (accidents do happen). This research may help put any lingering doubts about safety at rest so that when it comes time again later down the road – perhaps even sooner than expected due “bad weather conditions” – then those worries won’t resurface again either before boarding time arrives or once boarding begins.”

Conclusion

If you’re afraid of flying, it can be hard to know where to start. But don’t worry–with a little bit of practice and the right mindset, you’ll be on your way to conquering your fear in no time!