It's scary to fly on an airplane, what should you do? What to do before the flight

Almost all people experience anxiety while flying on an airplane, but it is not uncommon for the feelings experienced to develop into a real phobia. Fear of flying, or aerophobia, forces a person to look for alternative ways to achieve the final goal without resorting to air transport. The fear of flying usually arises at the moment when a person climbs the plane and puts himself at the mercy of this huge iron bird. Sometimes air travel is the only option to get to the right place in a short time, and then many people simply have to overcome their fear of flying on an airplane.

It is difficult to find a person who, when landing, did not wonder: what will happen if the plane falls? Most often this is a rhetorical question, but some passengers begin to look for information on the Internet, and the fear of flying constrains them even more. Episodes of airliner crashes in feature films immediately come to mind, where disaster scenes are presented especially vividly. This is why people with a rich imagination become real aerophobes. How to stop being afraid of flying is one of the most frequently asked questions on the Internet. First things first.

How to stop being afraid of flying on an airplane

If your life is closely connected with aviation, the problem of how to overcome aerophobia is one of the main tasks that needs to be solved. Psychologists recommend using the following tips.

Careful preparation for the flight

The fight against aerophobia begins with the planning stage for air travel. Most of the fear of airplanes is caused by the upcoming change of environment. If this is the first flight, the person is frightened by the airport, landing, takeoff, in a word, an unfamiliar situation that has not yet been encountered. Planning and getting things together gives you a sense of control, which is calming in its own way. You can also make a list of necessary things and actions that need to be completed on the day of departure. Such meticulousness allows you to overcome internal panic and calm down.

Switch attention from the fact of the flight to more pleasant things

Panic fear of an airplane makes thoughts spin in circles: “Oh, God, now we have to climb the ladder and get into this huge thing!!!”, or “What if we crash!!!” and so on. Constantly scrolling through such thoughts in your head, you can easily earn a nervous breakdown without even leaving the ground. Try to distract yourself, maybe it will be an interesting book or a funny movie. It is necessary to avoid an impending panic attack by all means, otherwise hysteria cannot be avoided.

Only positive thoughts

Discard all negative feelings and focus on the purpose of the flight. If this is a vacation in another country, imagine that a gentle sea and snow-white sand await you there. This is worth waiting a few hours in the sky for. You need to think positively not only before boarding, but also during the flight.

Don't focus only on yourself

If you look around, most passengers are afraid of airplanes, but nevertheless they sit in adjacent seats and try not to panic. The passenger next to you can give you some good advice on how he overcame his fear of flying on an airplane. Listen to outside opinion, perhaps it may be useful to you on how to get rid of aerophobia.

Have a little holiday for yourself

The fear of flying can be drowned out by some joyful event. Perhaps you have long dreamed of buying perfume in Duty free or something else, but couldn’t afford it? Treat yourself, and the joy of the purchase will overcome the negative emotions associated with the fear of flying.

Despite the internal tension, act with confidence

Even if you are shaking in horror, do not show it to others. Think how different the situation would be if you did not experience aerophobia. With constant self-control, you will stop being afraid of flying by at least 50%.

Aerophobia or slight anxiety?

Before you begin complex treatment of aerophobia, you need to decide whether it is really a mental disorder or just discomfort experienced. Psychologists say that if a person is able to control his emotions and does not succumb to a panic attack on an airplane, we are talking about ordinary anxiety.

A real phobia consumes a person entirely and does not allow him to control his emotions and actions. The aerophobe does not know how to stop being afraid of flying on an airplane and completely surrenders to the wave of surging feelings. If you cannot cope with the problem on your own, it is better to seek help from a psychotherapist.

Many people make mistakes that lead to an even greater fear of airplanes. What not to do:

Don't fight your fears with alcohol. Drinking alcoholic beverages is not recommended, both during landing and during the flight.
Don’t try to thoroughly study the operating principle of an airliner; you still won’t understand all the subtleties and thereby drive yourself into even more panic.
Carefully study the statistics: the ratio of people using air transport services daily to the number of disasters. As a result, you will understand that flying is much safer than, say, driving a car.

Symptoms and treatment of aerophobia

Before flying on an airplane for the first time in their lives, people begin to experience severe anxiety. The unknown is always scary, and every person is afraid to trust the “iron giant”. Those who are especially persistent begin to search on the Internet for what the fear of flying is called. If a person’s reaction goes beyond strong excitement, most likely he has aerophobia, a disease that requires special treatment. Only a psychotherapist can diagnose “aerophobia”.

The main symptoms of a phobia are:

Rapid heartbeat;
Increased sweating;
Nausea and possibly vomiting;
Diarrhea;
General muscle weakness;
Headache;
Decreased concentration;
Irritability and nervousness.

If these symptoms appear during a flight, it is necessary to take measures to get rid of aerophobia. If you cannot cope with the problem on your own, you need to consult a doctor for treatment.

Aerophobia can be treated by various means:

Drug therapy;
Using hypnosis;
Cognitive-behavioral treatment method;
Neurolinguistic programming.

The treatment method is prescribed by the attending physician based on how much and why a person is afraid of flying. Basically, you can overcome aerophobia with the help of one or two conversations. During a confidential conversation between the patient and the doctor, the main cause of fear is identified and only then an individual treatment program is drawn up. The main task of a psychotherapist is to give a logical explanation of the phobia, give reasonable arguments and give recommendations on how to cope with aerophobia. Sometimes one session is enough to solve the problem of how to overcome your fear of airplanes.

Modern medical centers offer their clients to undergo a training program to manage their emotional state. Under the guidance of an experienced specialist, group or individual lessons are conducted, during which only positive information about flights is conveyed to the person. In large cities, the problem of how to deal with aerophobia is being solved on a larger scale: trainings are carried out using computer technologies that allow a person to virtually be on board an airplane. People who have flown on a “virtual plane” more than once cope well with their emotions and are less afraid of flying in real conditions.

Doctors recommend the use of tablets and other medications for aerophobia only if you fly no more than once a year. Medications only eliminate the symptoms, but not the cause of aerophobia. For example, if your job requires you to fly air twice a week, frequent use of barbiturates and tranquilizers will negatively affect the entire body. Therefore, it is possible to treat aerophobia with medication only in combination with psychotherapy sessions.

Fear is a protective reaction of the body, so the manifestation of fear of anything is considered quite normal. Every individual is afraid of something, and the main task of a psychologist is to help understand the cause of fear and get rid of it forever. Many books have been written on the topic “How to overcome aerophobia?”, but they all boil down to one thing: if you cannot change the situation, accept it as it is. If a plane ride is unavoidable, is it worth stressing yourself out? It’s better to listen to the recommendations of psychologists: read an interesting book, enjoy the anticipation of a vacation or meeting loved ones upon arrival, chat with neighboring passengers. Once you manage to distract yourself, you will no longer be afraid, and the flight time will fly by.

According to sociological research, almost 20% of people suffer from aerophobia – fear of flying. Aerophobia is a fairly young phenomenon, because the entire history of aviation dates back just over 100 years. But this fear is based on other fears, much more ancient - let's say, time-tested.

Firstly, it is claustrophobia - the fear of enclosed spaces. Secondly, fear of heights. And if you dig really deep, the main fear that makes a person afraid to fly is the fear of death, because according to statistics, there are almost no survivors of plane crashes. By the way, an experiment with an emergency landing took place in history.

We’ll talk about how to overcome fear and what to do if you’re scared of flying on an airplane, but want to or have to.

Recently I came across a funny article on the topic of flight safety: the author, in all seriousness, gave passengers advice in case of an emergency. Some of them were still back and forth, and some can easily be classified as masterpieces. We offer a small selection of recommendations from this author, unfortunately unknown to the general reader.

During an emergency landing, it is safest to be in the middle of the cabin: try to get there in advance,- well, this is quite doable, when checking in for a flight online, you can choose any seats for yourself, but the author did not stop there, but decided to explain his idea. - When an emergency is declared and everyone rushes to the center of the cabin, you may not have enough space. That is, instead of fastening your seat belt, adjust the seat backs, etc. all passengers, ignoring the crew's commands, will rush into the middle of the cabin. If they have read our author, they will definitely go crazy.

Try not to unfasten your seat belt during the entire flight,- a completely normal and well-known recommendation. Read on. – After all, if the plane maneuvers sharply, you can end up on the ceiling. What kind of maneuvers must an airplane have in order for passengers to end up on the ceiling? But, apparently, the author considers this a completely banal situation and continues: Be sure to buckle up your neighbor, otherwise he may fall from the ceiling right on top of you.

Be sure to wear a leather or wool coat during takeoff and landing, - do you understand? You need to take a coat with you, even if it’s August and you’re flying to the sea, because - Leather doesn’t burn well, but wool will soften the blow. - In this case, you need to have 2 coats with you - one in case of fire, and the second - if the plane crashes. And both must be worn upon takeoff!

Dress in bright colors, you will be noticed faster in the water, - ok, two bright coats.

Panic is the worst enemy of passengers in an emergency situation, – Yes, we agree. – Help the crew restore order by loudly declaring: “Whoever yells, I’ll break his head!”- Yeah, and after that, run to the middle of the salon.

If an emergency hatch with oxygen masks opens unexpectedly, put on a mask immediately, - good advice. The mask really needs to be put on immediately, without asking any questions, since this hatch is activated when the cabin is depressurized. But our author sees a different reason - you will not be able to determine whether oxygen is coming in or not, since it has no odor, - what? In general, don’t sniff, but wear masks. And, without question, because: the flight attendant will not help you, she will be busy with others. - That's it!

Just in case (and contrary to the rules for carrying hand luggage), the author strongly recommends having a “non-criminal size knife” with you. It may be useful to you, since fate will only give you 5 minutes to escape from a burning plane before the fuel explodes. Crawl to the exit on all fours, there is smoke below. – The knife is apparently needed to make your way to the middle of the cabin or to the exit in a crowd of panicking passengers while the flight attendant is busy with others.

And finally, if you safely got out of a burning plane in 5 minutes with a knife at the ready, on all fours and in two coats, then do not consider yourself saved - you must quickly move away at least 1.5 kilometers, otherwise you will be covered by a blast wave.

Before the flight: superstitions and signs

Those who believe in omens probably know that they need to “sit down on the path” and be sure to look in the mirror if they had to return for something forgotten - otherwise “there will be no road.” This is, perhaps, all that is known on the topic of signs for travelers to the average person.

A completely different picture is observed among professionals: pilots are among the most superstitious people. They have many “pre-flight” signs, which most pilots strictly follow. Some signs and rituals are very specific, and some you may like and take note of. After all, if they are used by pilots with many years of experience, then they probably work, which means everything will be fine with you during the flight.

When flying, wear something that has already flown once.
Never say "last".
Before the flight, you should not shave or cut your nails.
Don't point your finger at the sky - the weather will not be suitable for flying.
Before the flight, you need to smoke half a cigarette and put it out, and finish smoking after landing. Non-smokers are allowed to do a similar procedure with something tasty: eat half an apple, and the other half when the plane lands.
Don't whistle on the plane.
Don't talk bad about the plane - it will break down.
You can’t take pictures before takeoff with an airplane in the background (this sign definitely works: taking a photo with an airplane in the background means problems with airport security).
Do not sew before departure.
If the plane shakes violently, you need to jingle the upside down glasses.

I believe. Prayer for Travelers

Let's stop having fun and move on to more serious things.

Most Orthodox believers are fatalists. Whatever happens, it is God’s will. They perceive any troubles and misfortunes as a test sent down to them, a test of faith. But in the situation with airplane flights, a clear feeling is created that divine powers have nothing to do with this, and if suddenly a strong bump begins, then they turn to God with requests to save and preserve. By the way, at such moments even atheists remember God.

We will not talk about religious topics now, but will look at these things from a practical point of view. Faith means confidence. Confidence that everything will be fine. If you have a strong enough character and know how to practice self-hypnosis, then you can simply try to convince yourself of a successful outcome of your journey. If esotericism is closer to you than psychology, then there is a simple, time-tested method - prayer.

There are special prayers for travelers, moreover, there are prayers for those traveling by plane. The most famous of them is the prayer to St. Nicholas the Pleasant; this saint is generally considered the patron saint of wanderers, so if you have at least a conditional connection to the Orthodox Church, then you can read the prayer before takeoff. This will help you calm down and believe that this particular plane, with God's help, will fly safely to its destination. Text of the prayer:

Oh, all-holy Nicholas, exceedingly saintly servant of the Lord, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper! Help me, a sinner and sad person in this present life, beg the Lord God to grant me forgiveness of all my sins, which I have sinned greatly from my youth, in all my life, in deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help me the accursed, beg the Lord God, the Creator of all creation, to deliver me from airy ordeals and eternal torment: may I always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your merciful intercession, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Since there are a sufficient number of people suffering from aerophobia, psychologists could not help but pay attention to them. Some airlines even conduct special training for people with a fear of flying: they are asked to go through all the pre-flight procedures, then they are put into a plane on the ground and simulate a flight. When for a person all these actions move from the category of unusual and stressful to the category of ordinary and familiar, then the therapy is considered successful.

For those who were not lucky enough to attend such training, psychologists offer several standard recommendations.

Choose a seat in the cabin depending on what you are afraid of. If you are afraid of heights, do not sit near the window. If you suffer from claustrophobia, try to choose a seat near the emergency exit or at least near the aisle. If you are worried about shaking during turbulence, sit closer to the front of the cabin.
Before the flight, call the flight attendant and honestly say: I'm afraid to fly. They are instructed in this case and they will definitely find the right words for you.
Think over your wardrobe for the duration of the flight. Clothing should be as comfortable as possible - if you are physically comfortable, then it will be easier for you to control your psychological state. Bring slippers with you (some airlines provide slippers), ask for a blanket, and try to treat these few hours as rest.
Try to distract yourself. Do something: a book, a movie, music, a crossword puzzle - any activity will help you take your mind off frightening thoughts. Communication helps many people - if you happen to have a friendly fellow traveler next to you, talk to him.
Very simple but effective advice: suck on lollipops, chew chewing gum. Firstly, it helps to adapt to pressure changes, and secondly, psychologists believe that in a stressful situation a person involuntarily wants to return to childhood - to that happy time when there were adults nearby who could protect from all troubles. Your subconscious will help your mind.
From the same series: take with you something that you enjoy holding in your hands - tactile sensations also help cope with nervousness.

And lastly: psychologists recommend writing a short story about a situation that frightens you. First you imagine what you are afraid of, and then you come up with a fun and funny ending for this situation. And this is where the “bad advice” from the first part of our article will definitely come in handy.

Author of the article: Katya Kim

I travel and write about travel. I don’t use the services of travel agencies, I don’t like attractions that everyone “must visit,” and I don’t talk about “resorts with developed infrastructure.” I share my experience on how to travel independently.

Efficiency of moving from one point to another is the main reason why many choose flights. At the same time, the lion's share of passengers feel uncomfortable on board, and 15% of people are completely terrified of flying on an airplane. What to do in such a situation, how to solve the problem?

If your profession involves frequent flights, but every flight for you goes on pins and needles, it’s time to find a way to stop being afraid. We'll tell you how to overcome your fear of flying.

Aerophobia: symptoms and causes

Do you still not know what the fear of flying is called? Aerophobia is the fear of flying on various aircraft, regardless of their design. This may be a separate psychological disorder, or a consequence of claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) or acrophobia (fear of heights).

The main symptom of aerophobia is nervous tension that appears a few days or hours before a flight. In severe cases, a symptom of aerophobia is a person’s complete refusal to fly. On board, such passengers experience increased heart rate, shortness of breath, increased sweating, muscle tension, thoughts of a possible plane crash, and other abnormal reactions.

If you are looking for a way to get rid of aerophobia, you should start by finding out the causes of this fear. Some of the most common reasons why you are afraid of flying are:

Stressful situations experienced on board. They may be completely unrelated to flying, but the negative emotions experienced are subsequently associated by the subconscious with flying.
The associated experience is the appearance of nervous tension due to the panic state of neighboring passengers.
The accumulation of fears over a long period of time before a flight can cause a severe attack of aerophobia before takeoff, even in a person who has not previously been afraid of flying.

How to stop being afraid of flying on an airplane

There are several ways to help those who are afraid of flying on an airplane relax:

Listening to melodic instrumental music or an exciting, action-packed audiobook on headphones will help distract you.
Solving complex mathematical problems in your head (multiplying two-digit numbers, for example), crossword puzzles or logic tasks from children's books has the same effect.
Peppermint candies help with physical symptoms (shaking).

Psychological methods of dealing with fear of flying

Since aerophobia is a product of human brain activity, it is initially necessary to influence the way of thinking associated with flying. Aerophobia can be treated using the following methods:

Cognitive behavioral therapy sessions are group therapy sessions during which people with similar negative emotions from flying share their experiences and discuss them in detail. Airline employees may be invited to such classes. A pilot’s advice on how not to be afraid to fly an airplane is perceived by listeners more deeply than the advice of a specialist who does not work in the field of air transportation.
Hypnotherapy is an effective way of influencing the subconscious, allowing you to change the situation by immersing a person in a hypnotic trance and instilling an adequate attitude towards flying.
Studying the structure of an airplane will help people with a logical mind understand that an airliner is a high-tech machine with an excellent level of safety.
Consultations with a psychiatrist help you overcome manifestations of aerophobia, learn to control your negative emotions and relax on board.

Medicines against fear of airplanes

If you think that psychological methods of influence will not help you, or have already realized this from your own experience, then you should pay attention to medicinal sedatives.

Calming tablets such as Persen and Novopassit help only a minimal number of panickers. Judging by the reviews of aerophobes, the drug Dramina, which is aimed at getting rid of the symptoms of motion sickness, has a more effective effect.

Most tranquilizers cause drowsiness. If you need to work during a flight, you can take Adaptol - this is a “daytime” sedative that does not affect vigor.

Before taking any medications, be sure to visit your doctor. Tranquilizers are potent drugs that can negatively affect health and cause addiction, so their use must be strictly dosed. In general, it is advisable not to take pills every time before a flight - it is better to give preference to psychological methods that help fight the root of the problem, rather than simply eliminating its symptoms.

Special application against fear of flying

The SkyGuru application was developed by professional pilot Alexey Gervash. It collects information about the flight and annotates the steps to reassure the user. In addition to the free version, you can purchase a paid version for 1,490 rubles. with advanced features (link to applications).

Don't be afraid to fly on airplanes - they are much safer than city minibuses and even trains. Enjoy your flights!

If you are reading these lines now, then, most likely, you belong to 1/4 of the world's population whose heartbeat quickens and palms sweat at the mere thought of another flight. It is worth paying tribute to, aerophobia is one of the most common fears on the planet, however, this does not mean that there are reasonable grounds for this. By the way, most often creative people suffer from this problem (they have an overly rich imagination) and successful people in high positions (high degree of responsibility). Calm, just calm! Three pillars of the fight against aerophobia: be as informed as possible, learn to control your body (read nerves) and plan your trip correctly. First things first.

Adequately assess the risk

An optimistic start: Your chances of being injured in a plane crash are about 1 in 11 million, or 0.00001%. By comparison, you have a 1 in 5,000 chance of dying in a car accident. This means that the most dangerous part of your entire route is the car ride to the airport. People are much more likely to die from food poisoning, snake bites, lightning strikes, and falling while walking in the park than from flying, but they eat and leave the house with a smile every day, but panic when buying a plane ticket.

Be curious

Most fears come from simply not knowing what will happen next. Why does the plane fly so fast? Why does the wing move? Why did the flight attendant ask you to fasten your seat belts? When we find ourselves in unusual circumstances, our first instinct is to assume the worst. Research shows: 73% of people suffering from aerophobia are afraid of technical problems during a flight. To minimize these fears, try to learn as much as you can about the design of the aircraft and its operation. For example, the most basic thing - why can he even fly? He does this under the influence of four forces: gravity, aerodynamic drag, lift and thrust. As pilots say: “A plane is happier in the air.” Or this fact: at an altitude of 9000 meters there is about 9000 kg of pressure on the door, so it is closed more than reliably and cannot suddenly swing open.

Make friends with turbulence

We agree that when the sky starts to become “chattery”, it’s unpleasant. But this does not mean at all that your life is in danger at this moment. Turbulence occurs because rising and falling air currents have different pressures. When an airplane enters such zones, it begins to shake. Most often this happens while flying over mountains, ocean or sea. Turbulence is absolutely safe for an airplane - it cannot cause any harm to the airplane. You can get hurt if for some reason you do not fasten your seat belts or luggage falls on you.

Each aircraft undergoes a thorough check

“What if they didn’t notice?” “What is this patch on the wing?” Questions familiar? Aircraft regularly undergo a lot of maintenance and repair procedures. Approximate ratio: 11 hours of checks per hour of travel. This means that if your flight takes four hours, the plane has been inspected for 44 hours to make sure everything is in order.

Learn to control your anxiety

Firstly, just because you feel anxious does not mean that you are in danger at that moment. In other words, you can shake like a leaf and still remain safe and sound. Secondly, people with aerophobia often refer to the fact that they are “used to being in control of everything.” But something tells us that a professional pilot keeps the situation in the sky under control much better than a panicked passenger. Thirdly, every person can learn to regulate the release of adrenaline with simple exercises. First, try to determine which part of the body is constrained by fear. Face? Legs? Ruk? For example, a feeling of nervous tension most often blocks our shoulders - the muscles become stiff. Take a deep breath, place your hand on your stomach and slowly lower your shoulders. Repeat 5-10 times. For the exercise to “work” in the sky, practice it on the ground for several months. This way, before the flight you will already have a serious “sedative”. Another express option: in moments of particular excitement, squeeze your left wrist forcefully - mild pain will help you return to reality.

Use your imagination

A rich imagination is a “tease” for aerophobes. Vivid pictures and possible scenarios for the development of events only intensify fears. Tame your imagination and use it for your benefit or, simply, occupy your head with extraneous thoughts. Think about a place where you feel happy. Where are you always calm? Cosy? Comfortable? Close your eyes and mentally transport yourself there. Focus on every detail. Another obvious option is to distract yourself with a book, a gaming app, or idle thoughts about “what do you want to try for breakfast” or “what souvenir will you bring from your trip.” Another form of “escaping” from fears is a carefree conversation with a fellow traveler.

Choose the right flight and seat on the plane

There are a few things you can do in advance to ease your travel pains. For example, try to take direct flights to your destination - the less time you spend in the air, the better. It is most comfortable to reserve a seat in the wing area - this area of the aircraft is the most stable and least susceptible to shaking. Other priorities include sitting in the aisle or by the emergency exit, but not by the window (the temptation to check every 5 minutes whether the wings are in place is too great). For some passengers, the feeling of anxiety increases in the dark, so daytime flights are still preferable for aerophobes.

Make yourself comfortable

Comfort in flight is a very important factor. When traveling, choose comfortable and practical clothing that will not restrict movement or impede blood circulation. Favorite music generates positive emotions instead of negative ones.

Avoid news about plane crashes

Many aerophobes become obsessed with the topic of air accidents that are discussed in the press. You don't need to be a psychologist to understand how this news affects the nervous system and cultivates experiences. Avoid the temptation to regularly “feed” your own fears. By the way, this rule applies to both films and books about “scary flights.” Favorite TV series, glossy and entertainment publications work in contrast, with news about new details of the Jolie-Pitt family’s divorce

Flying is an unpleasant change of scenery. From familiar conditions a person finds himself in a new environment over which he has almost no control. But thoughtful preparation and moving forward with a personal plan creates a useful feeling that you are, at least in part, in control of the situation. This helps dispel unnecessary worries.

A couple of days before your flight, make, for example, a list of all the things you plan to take with you and the tasks that need to be completed before and during the flight. As you complete items, cross them off your list.

2. Learn more about aircraft

People often experience fear of the unknown and things that are unclear to them. Perhaps you are afraid of flying precisely because your knowledge about airplanes is formed mainly by tragic news stories and Hollywood blockbusters.

Understand how aircraft works, at least in general terms. Take a look at the same Wikipedia. Learning, for example, that airplanes are statistically the safest mode of transport and some turbulence is normal, will likely calm your anxiety. Remember, informed is forearmed.

3. Arrive at the airport early

Haste is a stress factor. In order not to worry about possible lateness, it is better to calculate the time so that you can manage everything. Ideally, always arrive at the airport early. This way you will insure yourself from unnecessary worries and save strength for the flight.

4. Pamper yourself

While waiting for your flight at the airport, take a moment and treat yourself before boarding the plane. Buy a drink or food that you wouldn't otherwise be able to afford. Depart from the framework and rules that you strictly adhere to in everyday life. Relaxing (only without alcohol!) is always useful in such a situation.

5. Take your mind off the source of your fear.

Fear of flying makes us become tightly fixated on one thought like: “Oh my God, I’m kilometers above the ground!” By endlessly frightening yourself with such a mantra, you risk having a nervous breakdown before the plane even reaches halfway.

Try distracting yourself with music, a book, a podcast, or a mobile game - all of these will help you stop panic from approaching. Before boarding the plane, you can call your friends or family. If you are flying with relatives or friends, start a conversation with them on an abstract topic.

6. Think positively

Focus on the purpose of the flight. Remember why you are flying, to whom and what awaits you when you step off the plane. You are probably heading to a resort, to a new country for you, to visit your family or friends, to a desired internship or to study at a university where you have always dreamed of going.

7. Think about the people around you

Tens, hundreds, whatever - millions of people - fly somewhere every day, even though they don’t always like it. Look around on the plane or airport: there are so many of them nearby. Knowing that you are not alone and that others share your fear and overcome it is very calming.

8. Pray or meditate

If you are a believer, try mentally turning to God for support. Surely this will give you strength to fight fear. If prayers are not for you, meditate: drown out all thoughts and try not to think about anything as much as you can. This practice helps you relax.

9. Act with confidence, even if you're scared.

Smile at your neighbor in the chair, even if you yourself are shaking with fear. Who knows, perhaps a conversation with your fellow traveler will become a lifeline and help you get distracted. In all your actions, proceed from the message: “What would I do if I were not afraid of flying?” And act as if you are really not afraid, try it: at first it will be difficult, but you will get used to it and understand that 99% of your fears were completely in vain.

Perhaps you are flying with children or a spouse who are also having a hard time. Find strength in yourself for their sake and help them cope with fear.

10. Control your body's biochemistry

Do not drink coffee, strong tea or energy drinks for at least 24 hours before departure. This way you will minimize the presence of caffeine in your body, which means you will reduce your susceptibility to anxiety.

In moments of excitement, breathe deeply. Remember that intensive oxygen exchange is one of the best remedies for anxiety.

If you are so afraid of flying that you start to panic, take a few drops of valerian tincture or another sedative. You can also try a mild sleeping pill. But first consult your doctor about this.