Aerophobia is one of the options for the fear of death, in which a person who has to fly on an airplane draws pictures with a "sad ending" in his head. From this riot of fantasy can become physically ill. Heart palpitations, trembling in the body and even a fainting state. All these conditions are inherent in those who have not overcome the fear of flying.
When aerophobia has great power over a person, it can cause a change in vacation plans, a cause of an illness resulting from stress. In general, this is a mental disorder that fetters people, depriving them of their freedom of choice.
A person with a fear of death on an airplane is more likely to prefer to cancel their vacation to distant lands or travel by land means of transportation, which is associated with many inconveniences.
How can one help get rid of aerophobia or reduce its effect?
First, consider the common way to combat aerophobia - avoiding fears intoxication. Psychologists believe that this is not an option. Of course, alcohol relaxes and liberates. But when a person "is under a degree", fear still comes out, but in an inadequate and uncontrolled state.
One of the most well-known tricks to divert brain attention from fears is to deprive the brain of oxygen, at least a portion of the required volume. To do this, use paper bags in which a person, overwhelmed by fears, begins to breathe. Oxygen is no longer enough for the brain, and it switches to what is more relevant to it at the moment. The lack of oxygen is no longer far-fetched, but a real threat, and, therefore, a priority task that needs to be addressed.
Of course, in this way we make our body suffer, but this is an effective way to distract the mind from aerophobia.
The next way that can help when a panic begins is to use an elastic band worn on the wrist. How does this method work? When a person becomes very scared, the elastic is pulled away from the hand and returns to its place with a slap. Those. where the skin is very delicate and such "mockery" does not go unnoticed by the brain.
The principle here is the same as in the previous case, this is a distraction of consciousness from the far-fetched fear of death. Why farfetched? Because this fear of death originates, more likely, from the influence of the media than from a real threat. Without even touching on the detailed statistics of deaths in disasters, it is clear that the probability of dying on earth is greater than in the air.
Another option to combat phobia is to concentrate on something interesting for you. Take an interesting book or game and try to immerse yourself in the process as much as possible.
If aerophobia has a strong influence on you and is so easy not to get distracted, again consciously occupy your brain. For example, select a bright object, place it in front of your eyes, and direct your eyes to it. Then take twenty centimeters away from the nose and again return to the eyes.
If a person suffers from aerophobia, then he should exclude the viewing of articles and reports about air crashes.
To combat the manifestations of phobias in airplanes, special rituals help. A common option is prayer.
Try not to focus on flight, but on what lies ahead. Imagine pictures of rest, make plans.
As for taking sedatives, they should not be abused. Their action is to “slow down” the body, it will not hinder the brain to continue to increase fear.
One way or another, everyone chooses the method of struggle for himself. One person will decide to abandon flights altogether and will find alternative transportation options. Another will not want to restrict the freedom of movement of himself and his family and will fight fears. In addition to the above methods of getting rid of aerophobia, there are others, for example, using hypnosis.