Imagine you’re in an airplane full of people, almost 40,000 feet up in the air. Without reason your heart starts pounding, your head feels dizzy, and your stomach starts turning.
The fear of flying, also known as aerophobia, affects over 25 million adults in the U.S, most common in people between the ages of 17 and 34. With the recent plane crashes, most notably the one in DC, flight anxiety has risen and more people are becoming skeptical of flying.
Symptoms can be triggered from a traumatic experience on a flight. Still, due to the rarity of the event, aerophobia most commonly stems from stories of crashes and terrorism or the nerve-racking feelings of turbulence and take-off and landing. Other phobias, including fear of heights, fear of being trapped, fear of people, fear of crowded spaces, and fear of germs, can also be the root cause of aerophobia.
“It’s also possible for people with aerophobia to have panic attacks before or during a flight. Symptoms may include: Chills, Dizziness and lightheadedness, Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), Heart palpitations, Nausea, Shortness of breath (dyspnea), Trembling or shaking, Upset stomach or indigestion (dyspepsia),” said Cleveland Clinic, a medical research clinic.
With many reported flight incidents, it is expected to have increased fear surrounding flying. If you already have pre-existing flight anxiety, seeing these different crashes can cause more fear, alluding that tragedies involving airplanes happen more often than you think.
“It’s not abnormal to be hesitant about airline travel after a traumatic aviation incident, especially when there are casualties involved,” said Megan Forrester, ABC News.
Seeing these statistics can ease anxiety around flying, knowing how rare a problem can occur on a flight. Despite recent incidents, experts argue that air travel is still the safest form of transportation.
“‘The death risk per boarding for worldwide air travelers was 1 in 13.7 million’ in the 2018-2022 period. This reflects a steep increase in safety as compared to the previous half-century, following a pattern of the risk of fatalities dropping 50% per decade, according to the study,” said Forrester.
During treatment, you work with a therapist and learn different relaxation and breathing techniques to manage anxiety as it comes. As treatment goes on, eventually you can become desensitized to the triggers that cause your flight anxiety. Another example of treatment is guided virtual reality with a therapist.
“The treatment is exposure and response prevention — you have to expose yourself in some way to that feared situation and prevent your usual responses, which only make the phobia worse,” said Kristen Rogers, CNN travel.
While aerophobia can have a significant impact on those who experience it, understanding the rarity of an inflight emergency and simple ways to reduce stress can help manage your fear.
Some CHS students are also experiencing flight anxiety regarding recent plane crashes.
“I love traveling, but the recent amount of plane crashes definitely makes me more nervous to fly,” said sophomore Hallie Liberman.
