It’s a dream to be on top of the clouds and soar to your most wanted destination. Being 40,000 feet above the sky, sharing seats with strangers, little babies fidgeting about little things, and you stare out the window feeling awe at the high altitude. Nothing more natural and fascinating than that. However, sooner or later, your excitement can turn to anxiety, when you realize you’ll be above the sky in a closed box for hours to come. It’s natural to feel a little anxious when you deviate from your usual routine. But, if this anxiety persists, it can ruin your travel experience and cause you to miss out on amazing flight memories.
HealthShots reached out to clinical psychologist Dr Kamna Chhibber to find out how one can learn to overcome flight anxiety.
Tips for dealing with flight anxiety
Traveling can make you nervous, and boarding a flight can make it worse. However, our expert shares some tips to help anyone deal with flight anxiety or fear of flying, also known as aerophobia.
1. Check your thoughts and work on them
The expert says, “Work on the thought process by acknowledging the disproportionate anxiety you feel about the situation.”
Anxiety occurs when our mind travels to a future or past scenario that feels threatening to us, making our body and mind feel uneasy. When we become aware of the fact that we are not our mind, we stop giving in to these negative thoughts, our consciousness becomes aware and we free ourselves from the thoughts of our mind. Do breathing exercises for anxiety.
2. Remember all your previous successful flights
When negativity envelops us, it’s easy to feel weak in the face of it. While we’re sitting on a flight, tons of thoughts can cross our minds about things that can go wrong. However, if you focus on remembering all your previous successful trips, you’ll start to feel more empowered and confident, and you’ll start to look forward to another in-flight tour. “Recall all the times you’ve been on flights successfully and comfortably completed your travels,” says the expert.
Also read: Anxiety can cause numbness or tingling! Read 3 reasons why
3. Become aware of the hype going on in your mind
Your mind tends to brag about scenarios and things that make you even more restless. Realize that there is an exaggeration happening that makes you feel like something terrible is going to happen. Don’t let your thoughts or feelings spiral out of control. Master your thoughts and your mind and enjoy where you are at that moment.
4. Ask for help if needed
If you think you are someone who may feel triggered due to flight anxiety, you should seek the help of your friends or family members to remind yourself that the anxiety is out of proportion to the situation. Keep in mind that avoidance generally increases anxiety.
5. Consult an expert if needed
If the anxiety continues to worsen for a long time, you may consider consulting an expert. An expert will assess professional ways to treat the underlying problem and teach you various coping mechanisms to start feeling better and understanding the problem.
