In brief
- Anticipatory anxiety describes the fear and distress caused by something that hasn’t happened yet (and may not happen)
- The brain prepares for a dangerous situation that only exists in the imagination, and can be triggered by things like turbulence
- Anticipation of events can cause real physical and emotional stress
- There are proven ways to help you reduce anticipatory anxiety
Why anxiety can peak before a flight
Anticipatory anxiety is the fear and distress experienced in advance of a situation that has not yet happened. It’s not caused by an immediate danger, but by a potential future experience of discomfort, loss of control, or threat.
Anticipatory anxiety is common among those with a fear of flying. It happens when the brain attempts to predict and prepare for potential danger. This fear can cause panic, with anticipatory anxiety (of something like turbulence, for example) sometimes worse than the experience itself.
For many people with aviophobia, anticipatory anxiety is often the most difficult part of the experience. Understanding what it is and how it can affect you is the first step to tackling it and resting some in-flight calm.
How anticipatory anxiety works in the brain
Anticipatory anxiety is a part of the way we detect threats in the brain.
If you think about a future event that feels unsafe, the brain reacts as if the threat is already happening.
Inside the brain, the amygdala becomes active releasing stress hormones including adrenaline and cortisol. Physically this can cause the heart rate to increase and the muscles tense as the body enters a state of readiness.
This response isn’t based on what’s happening, but what could happen.
The body can’t distinguish between a real threat and an imagined one. For people who have a fear of flying, thinking about the experience can trigger a real physiological and psychological reaction.
Anticipatory anxiety and fear of flying
While anticipatory anxiety is present for all phobias, those with a fear of flying are particularly vulnerable. This is because once a flight is booked, the brain has a clear date and time to focus (or fixate) on.
Anxious flyers may repeatedly imagine fear during turbulence. They can visualise experiencing a panic attack onboard. Some may think about catastrophic outcomes like crashing.
Many fearful flyers are worried about a lack of control and spend hours checking weather forecasts and turbulence forecasts.
Unfortunately, each time the scenario is mentally rehearsed, the anxiety response is reinforced. The stress can peak days or even hours before a flight but actually get better when the flight is taking place.
This can lead to a pattern where anxiety builds steadily before the flight, peaks in the hours or days beforehand, and sometimes eases once the plane is actually in the air.
Why anticipation feels worse than reality
Anticipatory anxiety can often be much worse than the flight itself because the brain imagines how you’d respond in a situation.
Anxious flyers may find that the brain fills gaps in information with danger. On the ground and in the days or weeks leading up to the flight there’s no way to challenge these predictions.
Once you’re in the air, the reality of the situation replaces the imagination.
In many cases, the reality of takeoff, turbulence, and landing are never the same as we imagine them. In some cases, they can be enjoyable. For most, they’re experienced in their entirety – the good and the bad.
Avoidance and anticipatory anxiety
Avoidance behaviours (like postponing or cancelling a flight) can help to maintain and even reinforce anticipatory anxiety.
While avoiding a stressful activity (like flying can be to some people) found so prevents the brain from learning that the situation is survivable. Facing fear can help the brain learn it’s not as bad as predicted.
Over time, avoidance can strengthen anticipatory fear, experts say.
Instead of helping to reduce anticipatory anxiety, it can increase when flying is avoided for long periods.
Can you reduce anticipatory anxiety?
Yes, there are ways to reduce anticipatory anxiety. It involves attempting to change how the brain responds to future uncertainty.
Regularly flying can be powerful. Over time, anticipatory anxiety becomes reduced because past experiences don’t support the fear. The more flights mean more experience to confront catastrophic thinking.
For those with a stronger fear, professional support is available.
Techniques like gradual exposure, cognitive behavioural therapy, and nervous system regulation can help interrupt the cycle of anticipatory anxiety. You can speak to a doctor or professional therapist who can help design a treatment solution that can work for you.
Whatever approach you take, you’re not aiming to eliminate anxiety entirely. Instead, you’re training your brain to learn that anxiety (from flying or caused by any other phobia) may be uncomfortable, but ultimately it’s not dangerous.
Focus on the present, not the future
Anticipatory anxiety is fear that’s based on an imagined future. Understanding that it’s not rational should help to explain why reassurance and aviation safety statistics don’t work to reduce it.
Thankfully, with the right tools, support and (if needed) professional help, you can reduce anticipatory anxiety. It’s all about focusing on the present.
For more in-flight and on-ground reassurance and guidance, visit our Help Desk and download the free Calm Flight Toolkit.
Please share this article with anyone who might benefit from it.
FAQs
Yes, to some extent, anticipatory anxiety is normal when imagining events that can cause distress. The thought of a stressful event can elicit the same feelings of anxiety you may get while actually experiencing it.
However, some people may experience anticipatory anxiety that affects how they live, making them avoid flying, for example.
When it comes to flying, in some cases, the anticipatory anxiety is worse than the flight. That’s because your brain imagines how you’ll respond to an imagined situation, which can cause distress.
When you experience the reality of a trigger, like turbulence, for example, your brain can deal with the reality of what’s happening. It may not be pleasant, but in many cases, it’s not as bad as you had imagined it would be.
You may not be able to entirely cure yourself of anticipatory anxiety, but there are ways you can manage it, including mindfulness, breathing and grounding techniques. The focus of each of these approaches is to shift your brain from focusing and fixating on future worries to concentrate on what’s happening in the present.
It’s about developing strategies to help you through a situation you may find uncomfortable. The more you fly, the more you bank positive experiences which can counteract anticipatory anxiety, giving you the confidence and calmness you need to fly.