{"id":15654,"date":"2015-09-10T08:00:44","date_gmt":"2015-09-10T12:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.toeuropeandbeyond.com\/?p=15654"},"modified":"2015-09-11T13:52:05","modified_gmt":"2015-09-11T17:52:05","slug":"how-to-deal-with-your-fear-of-flying-written-by-a-travel-blogger-who-hates-flying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toeuropeandbeyond.com\/how-to-deal-with-your-fear-of-flying-written-by-a-travel-blogger-who-hates-flying\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Deal With Your Fear Of Flying (Written By A Travel Blogger Who Hates Flying)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"fear<\/p>\n

Clearly I picked the wrong job.<\/p>\n

What was I thinking, becoming a travel blogger, when flying is one of the things that scares me the most? Mind you, I am scared of pretty much everything (heights, speed, dark, creepy crawlies, clowns, fish, birds, you name it), but flying has got to be somewhere in the top three. Even after dozens of flights, I still get nervous. I get sweaty hands at every takeoff and landing, and my heart rate inevitably quickens whenever I feel the slightest shift in engine sound.<\/p>\n

Yeah. It sucks.<\/p>\n

One thing I did realize with time, however, is that beating the fear of flying is a slow, frustrating and difficult process. It requires strength, rationality and determination, three things I don’t normally have in spades.<\/p>\n

Why Exactly Are People Afraid Of Flying?<\/h1>\n

While this may seem like a\u00a0stupid question (people are afraid of flying because it’s TERRIFYING to glide 30,000 feet up in the sky in a giant metal cage, dude!), the triggers of that fear may change depending on the person. For some, it’s the fear of crashing\/dying, because of a failing engine, terrorism, spontaneous combustion, etc. For others, it’s being stuck in an enclosed space with no possibility to leave, something akin to claustrophobia. The fear of flying comes in many different ways.<\/p>\n

While doing research for this article I came across\u00a0Dan Gardner\u2019s book Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>which\u00a0highlights\u00a0the profound lack of connection between statistical fact and human perception. We all know that planes are like gazillions of time safer than cars; yet most of us are far more afraid to fly than to drive.<\/p>\n

And this is pretty much what fear and phobias are about: when our brain picks perceptions (gut) over facts (reasoning).<\/p>\n

Regardless of how frightened you are, the only way to get over your fear of flying is to identify what triggers your fear, and then to slowly expose yourself to those triggers. Avoidance will only keep your phobia alive. Putting your head in the sand won’t make the problem go away; it’s only going to make it\u00a0invisible. And that’s not really solving anything, now is it?<\/p>\n

A side note before we start:
\nIf you can’t get past your fear and boarding planes makes you ill, by all means consult with a healthcare professional. I wouldn’t want you to stop travelling in order to avoid those bad moments \u2665\u00a0Check with your doctor before your trip to see which treatment and\/or medication is right for you.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"fear<\/p>\n

How to Deal With Turbulence<\/h1>\n

Intuitively, it makes complete sense to be scared of turbulence. Sitting on a plane is precarious enough without throwing in gigantic air pocket! But science says otherwise. According to AskThePilot.com<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

For all intents and purposes, a plane cannot be flipped upside-down, thrown into a tailspin, or otherwise flung from the sky by even the mightiest gust. Conditions might be annoying and uncomfortable, but the plane is not going to crash. Turbulence is an aggravating nuisance for everybody, including the crew, but it\u2019s also, for lack of a better term, normal. From a pilot\u2019s perspective it is ordinarily seen as a convenience issue, not a safety issue.\u00a0Planes themselves are engineered to take a remarkable amount of punishment, and they have to meet stress limits for both positive and negative G-loads. Should the aircraft be shoved from its position in space, its nature is to return there, on its own.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What also helps is picking the right seat. Most people will tell you that\u00a0the smoothest place to sit is over the wings, close to the plane\u2019s centers of lift and gravity. Also makes for excellent Instagram photos. On the other hand, the roughest spot is usually the far aft\u2014the rearmost rows closest to the tail.<\/p>\n

Whenever I get nervous because of turbulence, I look at the flight attendants. If they’re calm and collected, then I know everything is going to be alright. They are highly trained professionals who are taught to keep a straight face, and this helps me cope with my stress immensely.<\/p>\n

If I can’t see flights attendants from where I’m sitting, I usually ask myself those questions: Have we lost altitude or changed directions? Are the engines making a different sound? Does anyone else look stressed out? Is there any evidence suggesting that something might be wrong besides my own perceptions?<\/p>\n

\"fear<\/p>\n

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How to Deal With Air Sickness<\/h1>\n

Speaking from experience, I can say that few things less enjoyable and more embarrassing than vomiting on the plane. It’s not fun for anyone involved! Here are a few tips I learned the hard way in my 8+ years of travels.<\/p>\n