Aerophobia: description, causes and treatment

People solve their problems of moving in space quickly and simply with the help of modern means. In today's world, traveling by plane from one place to another is not something special. It is believed that it is convenient and almost does not cause trouble. Few people think that the aircraft can break. However, there are individuals who categorically refuse to fly, and thoughts of such movement in space cause them to panic.

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

Why does the attention to the fear of people to air travel attract more attention than to other fears? Because air travel is necessary for people who want to make it everywhere. therefore about 15% of the population suffers from aerophobia to one degree or another, and 30% of people around the world are afraid to fly an airplane. And uncontrollable fear occurs long before boarding the plane.

A phobia is a strong reaction of fear. It becomes aggravated under certain conditions, and it cannot be explained in a rational way. When the formation of fear occurs, it gradually captures the individual and develops into panic. Because of what suffers professional activity, life gets such parties, in which it is difficult to focus on well-being. As a result, the alleged destruction of the surrounding world.

The so-called aerophobes can not afford to travel because of the fear of breaking, and by and large they can not live fully. So, this disorder is divided into two types.

• On an ordinary sense of self-preservation. For some people, this feeling is very acute, and therefore there is a fear of flying. As soon as a person begins to get used to frequent flights, his phobia becomes not so strong.
• On a fairly pronounced pathology, which rolls over and exceeds all norms. Then you can talk about the growing phobic disorder. People are afraid of flying and fear of the flight itself.

The development of such states contribute to the stories in the media about various tragic cases associated with flights in the sky. All people watch the news, but not everyone has a variety of mental disorders that were laid in the distant past. Disorders have only some individuals. They also lead to the fear arising from nowhere.

Flights on the plane are very common, so a large number of people suffer from such a condition as aerophobia. The causes of occurrence are varied and depend on different situations. List them in order.

• A traumatic event for the human psyche that led to a phobia. Long-term fatigue, stress, or many days of experience brought the person to a state when a phobia began to develop.
• Highly impressionable nature can bring his condition to such a heat that will begin to experience a phobia. For example, if an individual constantly monitors events related to the tragedies that occurred in the sky. Gradually, his mind paints pictures - one is more terrible than the other. The result will be an obsessive state and fear of air travel.
• Frequent viewing of realistic films, where scary scenes of a plane crash are described. The spectator sees the dying people and their emotions, he involuntarily begins to take this negative on himself. After viewing, a strong person will forget about what he saw, and a weak person will start to scroll again and again the tragic minutes in his head. As a result, a person who cannot control his emotions sooner or later will get a phobia.

And besides these reasons, aerophobia can occur if:

• a person feels fear of heights;
• closed rooms cause inexplicable fear in a person;
• an individual is accustomed to control the space around him, and nothing depends on him during the flight, life can end at any moment due to pilot error or aircraft failure;
• fear of turbulence;
• fear during flights at night;
• fear that in flight will begin uncontrollable reactions of the body: dizziness, disruption of the heart, nausea, etc .;
• people are often afraid that terrorists may seize or blow up a plane;
• fear of being injured on the plane or starting to panic;
• 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 can speak about irrational fear. They begin when a person is concerned about his safety even before the flight. The individual mentally imagines the situation: what will happen when the plane crash happens. The inability to influence the situation in such cases is the main cause of fear.

People with a weak psyche panicked fear of both flights and death during pressure drops. Many of them never flew in an airplane and did not experience the feelings that often flying people feel. 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, loss of attention, nightmares, poor sleep, restlessness.
• Vegetative: headache in the temporal head, chest pain, tachycardia, active sweating, tremor of the lower and upper extremities, rapid or confused breathing, discoloration of the skin (becoming brown or pale), frequent urination, reflex tremor, nausea or vomiting.

Need to remember that The symptoms of aerophobia are most pronounced as the flight date approaches. Thoughts about boarding the plane and the presentation of the flight itself cause an alarming state that develops into persistent fear. Those who, as a result of such fears, completely refuse to move in space with the help of an aircraft, are called aerobes, since this is the most vivid example of symptoms.

You can overcome a panic attack if you really want to. Every aerophobe feels an approach of attack. therefore you need to immediately start reassuring yourself. To get started, provide fresh air, open the window. With these actions you will begin to be distracted from the main problem.

Other tips will help: You can take a glass of water and drink it in one gulp. If you have fears all the time, then keep soothing teas at hand. And instead of water, drink them. You should always have water or decoction, even when you leave home for business. To do this, it is enough to take a bottle with a liquid into the bag. As soon as you begin to disturb the alarm and dry mouth appears, you can easily drink a few sips of life-giving moisture.

Drink water slowly. To make very small sips. So you can concentrate on drinking and get distracted from fear. These actions will help you to 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.

To overcome persistent fear will help reading the book. Try to take one for this lesson that will have a funny plot. You need to read it carefully and ponder every word.

Women may be advised to clean the apartment. Careful cleaning of floors and windows is a great distraction from phobias. In addition, you will do a lot of useful things while you struggle with an obsessive state.

Anyone who has ever experienced signs of aerophobia knows well that there is always a breathing problem. Superficial breaths provoke shortness of breath and even suffocation. What needs to be done first? Collect the will into a fist and begin to restore normal breathing.

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

A temporary increase in carbon dioxide in human blood gives an intoxicating effect. It helps get rid of fear. In order to achieve this result, use a paper bag. Press it tightly to your lips and start breathing in it. Since oxygen almost ceases to flow into the lungs, and carbon dioxide does its job. Just not to get involved in this way. If it does not suit you for any reason, then it is better to abandon these exercises. Yes, and for all to see your actions should not be put up if you are shy person.

You can defeat aerophobia with the help of various movements. As soon as the feeling of anxiety begins, try to move a little. Add a step or start to run. If you are indoors, start to squat. Moving to the music is also possible.

Musical motifs of various orientations will become in a situation of development of a panic attack with a magic wand. It is proved that light and easy music helps to calm the state of mind. Listen to it at home or with headphones and a telephone outside.

You can download funny stories or jokes into your gadget and also listen to them during impending alarm conditions. At a time when you feel the approach of fear, switch your brain to another wave. Call a friend or a friend, talk on abstract topics. This option also helps well when you just need to relieve fatigue and get rid of the feeling of loneliness.

Before turning to a psychologist, you need to know that he will advise you first of all: start treatment of aerophobia, stop listening to negative news at the same time, continue to fly planes, despite fear, learn to relax, look at life optimistically.

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

• Your condition is on the verge and you have all the signs of a very well pronounced aerophobia? Then you will be prescribed medications. Among them may be drugs of various kinds: antidepressants, nootropics, antidepressants (SSRI group), tranquilizers. However, you need to remember: self-medication is not allowed. Without the supervision of a physician, such a serious therapy can lead to sad consequences.
• Corrective therapy (when in a conversation with a patient the doctor identifies the causes of aerophobia and eliminates them).
• Applied cognitive-behavioral therapy (psychotherapy).
• The right approach of a high-class specialist can combine drug therapy and individual psychotherapy.
• The specialist can recommend a rest, complete rest or exercise.
• Professional hypnosis sessions will help you get rid of aerophobia and the 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 an obsessive state.

You can resist attacks of phobias with the help of tablets. However, the absence of such a magic wand at the right time can provoke a greater phobia and even a panic attack.

Of course, if you use drugs constantly, they will give lasting results and help to cure anxiety. And if they are swallowed only when fear only begins to penetrate the subconscious, then this is considered a dubious occupation. While the tablet is absorbed in the stomach, anxiety can end suddenly in an independent way.

Without special harm to health, you can use sedative preparations of plant origin. The effect of them is not so strong, but continuous use will contribute to a lasting result. Tincture of valerian, motherwort will remove excessive irritability. Alcohol solutions act much faster, but there is a risk to acquire alcohol dependence.

Benzodiazepines may have a good soothing effect. True, the time it takes about half an hour. And of course, such drugs can not be used without consulting a doctor.

The following medications are not recommended to be used without a 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. Strong-willed individuals practically do not suffer from such a disease, but they may be subject to phobias, if external pressure was 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 not only do not get rid of the obsessive state, but also acquire alcohol dependence. Therefore, it is better to act more efficient and less traumatic methods.

If you are experiencing constant anxiety, then you need to do sports. Exercise well distracts from negative thoughts and helps to improve overall well-being. The most effective here is running for long distances.

Panic attacks can be eliminated in other ways. For example, you are walking down the street and suddenly remembered that in three days you should have a flight on an airplane. These thoughts caused an unpleasant feeling, which gradually began to turn into fear. Try to distract from them for a while. Start counting passing cars. Separate them by color quality and again count, now separately. Such simple mathematical operations will allow you to distract from the problem that you have created yourself.

Think of any 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 a careful description will help you concentrate on pleasant things, and anxiety will inevitably recede.

During the start of a phobia, you need to remember that it happens here and now. Perhaps tomorrow you will not remember it. Maybe you will be a guest 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, set aside the written sheet. After a while, read what you have depicted 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 phobias with pain. A phobia is an immersion in your fantasies that are negative in nature. Exit from this state will help a simple gum. Put it on your wrist, and as soon as you feel a rush of panic, pull off the gum and let it lightly slam 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 help to distract from the negative. To do this, take a deep breath, hold your breath for a while, and then exhale slowly. Do such manipulations until your panic disappears completely. So you can oxygenate the lungs and even help the heart to adjust to a more relaxed rhythm and give your mind time to fully restore calm.Overcome yourself and you will overcome your fear.

The fight against phobia should not stop even when you want to relax. Spend this time with benefit. Relaxation and auto-training will only help improve your mental state. At this time, you will be able to reassess your mood and, possibly, move your fears aside.

How to overcome the fear of flying on airplanes, see the following video.