Aerophobia: description, causes and treatment

People quickly and easily solve their problems of movement in space using modern means. In today's world, traveling by plane from one place to another is nothing special. It is believed to be convenient and almost hassle-free. Few people think about the fact that the aircraft can crash. However, there are individuals who categorically refuse to fly, and the thought of such movement in space causes panic in them.

This manifestation of the human psyche is not a disease, but only a symptom of it, because aerophobia can indicate the presence of other phobias. For example, fear of heights (acrophobia), fear of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia).

Why is the focus on people's fears of air getting the most attention than other fears? Because air travel is necessary for people who want to be in time everywhere. That's why about 15% of the population suffers from some degree of aerophobia, and 30% of people around the world are afraid to fly by plane. Moreover, uncontrollable fear arises long before boarding the plane.

A phobia is a highly pronounced fear reaction. It becomes aggravated under certain conditions, and it will not work to explain it in a rational way.When fear is formed, it gradually takes over the individual and develops into a panic. Because of what professional activity suffers, life acquires aspects in which it is difficult to focus on well-being. As a result, the imaginary destruction of the surrounding world occurs.

The so-called aerophobes cannot afford to travel for fear of crashing, and by and large they cannot live fully. So, this disorder is divided into two types.

• An ordinary sense of self-preservation. For some people, this feeling is very heightened, and therefore there is a fear of flying. As soon as a person begins to get used to frequent flights, his phobia becomes less severe.
• On a rather pronounced pathology, which is off scale and exceeds all norms. Then we can talk about a growing phobic disorder. People are afraid of flying and fear of the flight itself.

The development of such conditions is facilitated by stories in the media about various tragic events associated with flights in the sky. All people watch the news, but not everyone has various mental disorders that were laid down in the distant past. Only a few individuals have disorders. They also lead to fear arising out of nowhere.

Airplane travel is very common, which is why a large number of people suffer from conditions such as aviaphobia. The causes are varied and depend on different situations. Let's list them in order.

• A traumatic event for the human psyche that led to a phobia. Prolonged fatigue, stress or long-term experiences brought the person to a state where phobia began to develop.
• Strongly impressionable nature can bring his state to such an intensity that he begins to experience a phobia. For example, if an individual constantly monitors events related to tragedies in the sky. Gradually, his mind draws pictures - one more terrible than the other. The result will be an obsession and fear of air travel.
• Frequent viewing of realistic films, which describes the terrible scenes of the plane crash. The viewer sees dying people and their emotions, he involuntarily begins to take this negative onto himself. A strong personality after watching will forget about what he saw, and a weak one will start to scroll over and over again the tragic minutes in his head. As a result, a person who cannot keep his emotions under control will sooner or later develop a phobia.

And besides these reasons, aerophobia can occur if:

• a person experiences a fear of heights;
• closed rooms cause inexplicable fear in a person;
• an individual is accustomed to controlling the space around him, and in an airplane nothing depends on him during a flight, life can end at any minute due to a pilot error or a breakdown of the aircraft;
• fear of turbulence;
• fear while flying at night;
• fear that uncontrollable reactions of the body will begin in flight: dizziness, interruptions in the work of the heart, nausea, etc.;
• people are often afraid that the plane might be hijacked or blown up by terrorists;
• fear that you may get injured or start to panic on the plane;
• in children, the causes of fear can be different, the most common is when parents start to panic themselves and "infect" their child with this condition.

Typical signs may indicate irrational fear. They begin even when a person is concerned about his safety even before the start of the flight.The individual mentally imagines the situation: what will happen when the plane crash occurs. The inability to influence the situation in such cases is the main cause of fear.

People with a weakened psyche are panicky afraid of both flights and death during pressure drops. Many of them have never flown in an airplane or experienced the feelings that a frequent flyer experiences. However, they are still afraid, and this fear can be called unfounded. Individuals with anxiety may develop symptoms that are divided into groups.

• Mental: irritability, decreased attention, nightmares, poor sleep, restlessness.
• Vegetative: headache in the temporal part of the head, chest pain, tachycardia, active sweating, tremors of the lower and upper extremities, rapid or labored breathing, discoloration of the skin (turning brown or pale), frequent urination, reflex tremors, nausea or vomiting.

It must be remembered that aerophobic symptoms become more pronounced as the flight date approaches. Thinking about boarding a plane and imagining the flight itself causes anxiety that grows into persistent fear. Those who, as a result of such fears, completely abandon movement in space with the help of an aircraft, are called aerobes, since this is the most striking example of symptomatology.

You can overcome a panic attack if you really want to. Every aerophobe feels the approach of an attack. That's why you need to immediately begin to calm yourself down. First, provide fresh air, open the window... By doing these actions, you will begin to distract from the main problem.

Other tips will also help: you can take a glass of water and drink it in one gulp. If you have constant fears, keep soothing teas on hand. And drink them instead of water. You should always have water or a decoction, even when you leave home on business. To do this, it is enough to take a bottle of liquid with you in your bag. As soon as anxiety starts to bother you and your mouth becomes dry, you can easily drink a few sips of life-giving moisture.

Drink water slowly. Take very small sips. This will help you focus on drinking and distract yourself from fear. These steps will surely help you cope with the problem. Wherever you are - at home or at work, try to sit down and relax. On the street you can go to the park and relax on the bench. As soon as you find yourself in a sitting position, close your eyes and start thinking that people are walking around, the sun is shining and nothing threatens you at the moment.

Reading a book can help you overcome persistent fear. Try to use one that has a fun plot for this activity. You need to read it carefully and ponder every word.

Women can be advised to clean the apartment. Thorough cleaning of floors and windows is a great distraction from phobias. Plus, you will do a lot of good things while you fight your obsessional state.

Anyone who has ever experienced signs of aerophobia is well aware that there is always a breathing problem. Shallow breaths provoke shortness of breath and even choking. What's the first thing to do? Collect the will into a fist and begin to restore normal breathing.

Try slow down your breathing. To do this, reduce the number of breaths in and out. We take a small breath, hold the air (count to five) and exhale slowly. Such actions should not exceed ten minutes. To establish proper diaphragmatic breathing, keep your hand in the solar plexus area. This part should go up and down. This is a sign that you are doing everything right. And the exercises can be done whenever you want. They are almost invisible to others.

A temporary increase in carbon dioxide in a person's blood produces an intoxicating effect. It helps to get rid of fear. To achieve this result, use a paper bag. Press it tightly to your lips and start breathing into it. So oxygen almost stops flowing into the lungs, and carbon dioxide does its job. Just don't get carried away in this way. If it does not suit you for any reason, then it is better to refuse these exercises. And you shouldn't put your actions on public display if you are a shy person.

Aerophobia can be overcome with the help of various movements. As soon as the feeling of anxiety begins, try to move a little. Increase your pace or start running. If you are indoors, start squatting. You can also move to the music.

Musical motives of various orientations will become a lifesaver in a situation of panic attack development. Light and laid-back music has been proven to help calm the state of mind. Listen to it at home or with headphones and a phone outside.

You can upload funny stories or anecdotes to your gadget and also listen to them during impending anxiety states. At the time when you feel fear approaching, switch your brain to another wave. Call a friend or a friend, talk about abstract topics. This option also helps well when you just need to relieve fatigue and get rid of the feeling of loneliness.

Before contacting a psychologist, you need to know what he will advise you in the first place: start treatment for aerophobia, at the same time stop listening to negative news, continue flying in spite of fear, learn to relax, and look at life optimistically.

If you see a psychologist, he will conduct research and prescribe a therapy that includes certain steps.

• Is your condition on the brink and do you have all the signs of very pronounced aerophobia? Then you will be prescribed medication. Among them there may be medications of various types: antidepressants, nootropics, antidepressants (SSRI group), tranquilizers. However, one must remember: self-administration of medication is unacceptable. Without the supervision of a doctor, such a serious therapy can lead to dire consequences.
• Corrective therapy (when, in a conversation with the patient, the doctor identifies the causes of aerophobia and eliminates them).
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (psychotherapy) is used.
• The right approach by a highly qualified specialist can combine drug therapy and individual psychotherapy.
• The specialist may recommend rest, complete rest, or sports.
• Professional hypnosis sessions will help you get rid of aerophobia and those problems that led to the emergence of fears.
• The method of neuro-physiological rehabilitation, when a person is offered to use biofeedback devices, will also relieve the obsessive state.

You can resist attacks of phobia with the help of pills. However, the absence of such a lifesaver at hand at the right time can provoke an even greater phobia and even a panic attack.

Of course, if the drugs are used constantly, they will give lasting results and help to cure anxiety. And if they are swallowed only when fear is just beginning to penetrate into the subconscious, then this is considered a dubious occupation. While the tablet is being absorbed in the stomach, anxiety may suddenly end on its own.

Herbal sedatives can be used without any particular harm to health. The effect of them is not so strong, but constant use will contribute to a lasting result. Tinctures of valerian, motherwort will relieve excessive irritability. Alcohol solutions act much faster, but there is a risk of alcohol dependence.

The use of benzodiazepines can have a good sedative effect. True, this will take about half an hour. And of course, such drugs should not be used without consulting a doctor.

It is not recommended to use the following medications without a doctor's prescription: tricyclic antidepressants (the effect occurs in about 2-3 weeks), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (guarantee a minimum of side effects and are taken once a day).

Of course, it is possible and even necessary to overcome aerophobia on your own. Strong-willed individuals practically do not suffer from this ailment, but they can be subject to phobias if pressure from the outside has been exerted on the psyche. For example, a person has experienced very strong stress or constant mental overload does not allow his brain to relax.

In no case can you cure aerophobia with alcohol. So you will not only not get rid of the obsessive state, but also acquire alcohol dependence. Therefore, it is better to act in a more effective and less traumatic manner.

If you are constantly anxious, then you need to play sports. Exercise is a good distraction from negative thoughts and improves overall well-being. The most effective here is running long distances.

There are other ways to treat anxiety attacks. For example, you are walking down the street and suddenly remember that in three days you will have a flight on an airplane. These thoughts caused an unpleasant feeling that gradually began to turn into fear. Try to distract yourself from them for a while. Start counting passing cars. Divide them by color quality and count them again, now separately. This simple math can help you take your mind off the problem you've created for yourself.

Come up with an object that attracts you. For example, a car. Describe your dream in detail: color, shape, brand.Think over every detail that should be present in this subject. Small details and careful description will help you focus on the pleasant things, and anxiety will inevitably recede.

During the onset of a phobia, you need to remember that it is happening here and now. Perhaps tomorrow you will not even remember about her. Maybe you will be visiting at this time, or maybe you will already land in that beautiful place where you decided to rest.

While at home during an attack, try to express your thoughts and emotions on paper. As soon as your fears recede, put the written piece of paper aside. After a while, read what you portrayed on paper in a fit of anxiety. You may find it funny that you created a problem out of the blue.

You can get rid of a phobia with pain. Phobia is immersion in your fantasies, which are negative in nature. A simple rubber band will help you get out of this state. Put it on your wrist, and as soon as you feel a rush of panic, pull back the elastic and let it lightly slap against your skin. An unpleasant feeling from the outside will switch your mind to a specific problem associated with some pain, and distract you from obsessive thoughts.

Breathing exercises are good at helping to distract from negativity. To do this, take a deep breath, hold your breath a little and then exhale slowly. Do such manipulations until your panic passes completely. Doing so can oxygenate your lungs and even help your heart adjust to a calmer rhythm and give your mind time to fully regain calmness. Get over yourself and you will overcome your fear.

Fighting your phobia should not stop even when you want to rest. Make the most of this time. Relaxation and auto-training will only help to improve your state of mind. During this time, you can reassess your mood and perhaps push your fears aside.

Watch a video on the topic.