In brief
- Some fearful flyers may need professional support from a qualified expert to help them get the confidence to fly
- Fears can become phobias and it’s important that you can recognise the difference
- There are several types of treatment, including CBT, VR therapy, exposure therapy, and hypnotherapy
- While the evidence base for each treatment differs, you should do your own research before committing emotionally and financially
When enough is enough
Sometimes, your fear of flying can feel overwhelming and like you can’t cope. If this happens to you, it may be time to seek professional help. What’s important is that you get the support you need to get on a plane and experience the joys of travel.
Fly Above Fear is our attempt to build the world’s most comprehensive free comprehensive range of information and advice for people afraid of flying. But we’re not medical experts and aren’t able to diagnose phobias and recommend treatments. That’s what a professional is there to do.
Here are some of the ways that you can recognise if your fear of flying is getting too much – and where you can seek professional help.
How can you tell if your fear is becoming a phobia?
We’re not trained counsellors and psychologists, so this information is to provide some clarity not a clinical diagnosis.
A fear is a reaction or feeling to something that you perceive as dangerous. As humans, fear is part of our evolution. It’s a defence against danger.
Fear triggers bodily responses that enable us to act. You’ve probably heard of the fight-or-flight response. It gives your body a surge of energy to deal with a difficult situation.
Fear is a protective response and it can be helpful. By identifying a fear (like a car moving quickly as you’re crossing a road, for example) you can avoid it, protecting yourself and other people.
A phobia is more than a fear. A phobia is an irrational fear (like the fear of flying) that can affect your ability to function or perform daily tasks.
The fear of flying is known clinically as aviophobia (sometimes referred to as aerophobia).
People who have a phobia can be triggered even when the threat is remote or non-existent. Avoiding the thing that triggers a phobia (like stepping on a plane) is another common behaviour, says the NHS.
Even thinking about flying can trigger physical symptoms, known as anticipatory anxiety.
Fear of flying is defined by the NHS as a “simple phobia”. That doesn’t mean that it’s not real, but that they are focused on a specific trigger.
Interestingly, the NHS states that phobias don’t necessarily need to be diagnosed and people can identify phobic symptoms in themselves.
What is self-help for fear of flying?
Self-help is exactly what it sounds like – developing the tools and techniques, as well as the inner strength, to tackle your fear of flying.
Our Help Desk is full of information, advice, tips and techniques that can help you to reduce the feelings of anxiety.
Techniques and tools you can use to calm anxiety include:
As well as finding ways to deal with anxiety, Fly Above Fear includes information on the causes of fear of flying and insights into the psychology of anxiety.
Some people find that understanding what causes their fear can give them the strength to tackle their fears.
You’ll also find information on airline statistics, to learn how safe airline travel really is.
As well as Fly Above Fear, you can find a range of books and other resources that you might find useful. (Check back soon for the internet’s most comprehensive review of books about fear of flying.)
Recognising when you might need professional help
Self help is fantastic and can be hugely effective for some people. But it may not work for everyone.
At Fly Above Fear, we’re huge fans of air travel and want everyone to enjoy the joys of flying. Some people may need professional help with their phobias and that’s great.
The first thing to do is to recognise the need for professional help. If you find your fear is becoming (or has become) a phobia and you need help.
Needing professional support doesn’t mean you’ve failed at self-help, instead it means that you’re taking your fear seriously and responding to it appropriately.
This isn’t something to be ashamed of, but to be proud of – and the first step to making a positive change.
Where you can get professional help for fear of flying
There are several treatments for the fear of flying. Before we explore what these are, it’s important to clarify what a treatment can and can’t achieve.
When it comes to medical problems, we understand a cure to remove something in its entirety. It may not be possible to remove your fear of flying entirely, but treatments can help put it in perspective – helping you develop the confidence you need to get on a plane and experience flying in the moment.
You may never be excited about flying or enjoy it much (not many of us do), but treatments can help you climb on board.
As nervous flyers ourselves, we recommend questioning or even avoiding courses and providers that claim they can cure you. It’s not a realistic or provable claim.
There are several treatments that you can consider (with links to more detailed guides):
- Counselling & Therapy (including CBT)
- Exposure therapy for fear of flying
- VR therapy for fear of flying
- Flight simulators for fear of flying
- Airline-organised fear of flying courses
- Hypnotherapy for fear of flying
Our guides will help you learn more about treatments, but they’re the start of your explorations.
What treatment should I choose for fear of flying?
We’re all unique and the causes of our fears can differ. We can’t recommend a treatment, instead, it’s up to you to explore each of these and find a provider that you can work with.
These treatments won’t come for free. You should approach the process as a customer and ask the questions you need to make the right decision for you.
It’s also a good idea to check out reviews online and ask others about their experiences.
Don’t rush into a decision. It’s an investment of your time and money, as well as your emotional energy.
Don’t be afraid to take the first step
Recognising your fear is worsening and potentially becoming a phobia is the first step to making a change, and by reading this guide, you’re already made progress. We recommend you begin by reviewing the materials here and picking up a fear or flying book or two. (SOAR Fear of Flying is one of our favourites.)
If you feel you need professional help, then you can learn more about options on our Help Desk. You can also search online to find providers near you.
Whatever you decide to do, don’t be afraid to take the first step.
Please share this article with anyone who might benefit from it.
FAQs
It depends on how you define cure. Even after therapy and support you may still be nervous on board a plane. That’s not a bad thing and it’s more likely to be excitement rather than fear. Be realistic about your hopes for treatment. If you get the confidence to fly, that’s much better than avoiding flying altogether.
The strongest evidence base is for CBT, but there is a growing body of evidence (and anecdotes online) to support the other therapies and approaches too. Explore each and find a provider and an approach that you believe will work.
We’re not medical experts and don’t know anything about you and the causes of your fear of flying. We can provide information on the available treatments and their evidence bases, but the decision is yours.