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aerophobia – this is a panic, irrational fear of flying on aircraft, most often airplanes. At the mere thought that you need to fly, climb to a certain height, there is a strong anxiety, panic, aggressiveness or nervousness. And often even a few days before the intended flights. The closer the event, the worse the feeling.
If a person is forced to be on board, he may have a panic attack, the brain recreates frightening pictures.
Often, aerophobia occurs against the background of claustrophobia or fear of heights.
Causes of aerophobia in adults
The exact cause that would provoke a phobic disorder has not been determined. But a number of factors have been identified that can provoke the development of aerophobia:
- problems with obtaining information on flight safety;
- the influence of the media, films, books that describe scenes of plane crashes;
- negative news on TV;
- previous flights that took place in a stressful situation (bad weather, aircraft breakdown);
- stories of friends, relatives who “miraculously survived after the flight.”
There are also a number of internal factors that increase the risk of developing a phobia. These include:
- constant overwork, both physical and mental;
- acute or chronic stress, traumatic events;
- severe illness;
- existing depressions, neuroses, anxiety disorders;
- violations of the vestibular apparatus;
- sensitivity to pressure drops.
Often, aerophobia is formed due to the presence of additional phobic disorders – fear of an enclosed space, height itself, or airsickness.
Symptoms of aerophobia in adults
The most key symptom of aerophobia is a constant fear of a possible flight. A few days before departure, a pronounced anxiety arises, which intensifies as you wait, accompanied by obsessive thoughts about serious danger, catastrophes that must definitely happen. There may be obsessive thoughts about studying the statistics of airliner crashes, the possibilities of salvation, and the various nuances of flight.
As the flight gets closer, the fear intensifies. The very thought of going to the airport, getting on the plane and flying causes discomfort in the body. They can cause:
- increased pressure with palpitations;
- shortness of breath;
- diarrhea and nausea;
- sweating;
- dizziness attacks;
- severe weakness in the body and legs;
- disorientation and emptiness in the head;
- nausea.
Vegetative symptoms only increase the feeling of fear, there is also a fear of dying on an airplane, losing consciousness, earning a heart attack. The fear will be especially strong during takeoff and landing, during the passage of turbulence zones.
Aerophobia limits a person’s life, preventing him from traveling, visiting relatives, and working where business trips with flights are needed. A number of people drown out their fear of flying with alcohol and high doses of tranquilizers, which negatively affects their health.
How to get rid of aerophobia for adults
If aerophobia is expressed strongly enough, it causes serious problems in life. And she needs to be treated. A psychiatrist who specializes in phobic disorders can help with this.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis is made after an assessment of the person’s complaints and a detailed study of his medical history. It is important to clarify where the fear of flying comes from – whether a person is afraid of a plane crash, confined spaces or heights, health problems that may arise during the flight. If there are suspicions of problems of the heart, blood vessels or lesions of the vestibular apparatus, consultations of doctors of other specialties are needed.
Modern treatments
The main method of treatment is psychotherapy, work with an experienced psychotherapist. The doctor helps to understand the cause of fear and work it out, identify the roots of the problem, and eliminate them. Additionally, during the treatment period, he can recommend sedatives that relieve the manifestation of tension and anxiety, and sometimes antidepressants.
Prevention of aerophobia in adults at home
Prevention, according to psychiatrist Alexander Meshcheryakov, as well as treatment is information. The patient needs objective and complete information about flight safety, about how the aircraft works. There are even schools of aerophobes where the theory is analyzed, then a “flight” is carried out on a simulator and the fight against a phobia ends with real flights with an instructor.
Popular questions and answers
We spoke with psychiatrist Alexander Meshcheryakov about how to deal with the fear of flying, how to overcome your phobia and how much it can ruin your life.