Fear of flying, also called aerophobia, aviophobia, aviatophobia or pteromerhanophobia, is a phobia of being on a flying vehicle or aircraft.

Aerophobia is one of the most common and talked about phobias.Though airplane accidents seldom occur relative to various land transportations, the fear of flying is considered by some experts to be an entirely rational one. Though the risk is very small, the horror of an accident coming true is enough to justify the elimination of flying as part of one's transportation options.

Visible Symptoms of Aerophobia

The fear of flying may cause different emotional reactions from people. The most common manifestations of aerophobia include panic attacks (Learn how to stop panic attacks) and vomiting . These may occur at the mere sight or mention of airplanes or air travel.

What Causes Aerophobia?

The fear of flying may be a phobia in itself or caused by other phobias. Here are nine possible fear factors that may contribute to aerophobia:

• Fear of heights
• Fear of confined spaces, such as that of an aircraft cabin
• Fear of not being in control
• Fear of turbulence
• Fear of flying over water
• Fear of night flying
• Fear of terrorism or hijacking
• Fear of panic attacks, especially in places where escape would be difficult or embarrassing
• Fear of crashing, which would result to injury or even death

Fear of flying can also be caused by a previous traumatic experience that involved air travel but was not related to flying. For example, you flew to a meeting only to get fired from your job when you arrived. This traumatic experience may create a psychological association between flying and failure, which may cause you to fear flying.

Media can also be a major factor in the fear of flying. According to some researchers, media sensationalizes airline crashes and the high casualty rate of those accidents. Air travel safety has been improving every year, but as the number of flights in the world rises, it is only logical that the number of crashes rises as well. But since media coverage regarding such matters is enormous relative to reports on automobile or boating accidents, more people become uncertain about air travel. In the end, an impression is created that air travel is becoming increasingly dangerous, which is not only false but can affect the mindset of future passengers as well.

Treating Aerophobia

Step 1: Education

Fear of the unknown is one of the main reasons why many people are suffering from aerophobia. They are afraid of facing an unknown occurrence, such as crashing, being hijacked or being injured from a plane accident.

The first step in removing fear from those who suffer aerophobia is educating them on the basics and realities of aviation. Learning how airplanes fly, how pilots are trained, and other aspects of air travel can help people diminish their fear by overcoming its irrational nature.

Some people suffering from aerophobia even go the extra mile to help themselves overcome the fear of flying. Some learn to fly or skydive just to be more comfortable inside an aircraft and thousands of feet above the ground. Airline companies provide classes regarding air travel and overcoming the fear of flying.

Education is important. Knowing the basics and even complex aviation aspects can certainly help in conquering the fear of flying.

Step 2: Therapy

If education is not enough to get rid of fear of flying, then therapy is the next option. Among the methods used by therapists, the most popular are behavioral therapies--cognitive behavior therapy and systematic desensitization--and hypnotherapy.

• Cognitive behavior therapy. It is a psychotherapy based on cognitions, beliefs, assumptions, and behaviors that aim to influence the person suffering from aerophobia to realize that certain negative emotions are only related to inaccurate appraisal of events.
• Systematic desensitization. It is a technique used in psychology to help people suffering from various phobias, including aerophobia, to overcome their fears or anxiety disorders (Tidbits on anxiety disorders, read the guide to Generalized anxiety disorder). Also known as graduated exposure therapy, it involves the person learning step by step approaches to overcome his fear, with each hierarchy of fear dealt differently.
• Hypnotherapy. It is an approach that involves regression to the initial sensitizing event. By uncovering the events and emotions around them, the person suffering from aerophobia would be able to trace the source of his fear, from which he could work on his phobia and try to overcome it eventually.
• Virtual Reality Therapy. Promising research studies show that virtual reality therapy can also be an effective method in treating aerophobia. By incorporating virtual reality concepts, a person suffering from aerophobia may actually experience an air travel without the need to ride an actual aircraft. This can allow therapists to evaluate the extent of a person's aerophobia and give that person the chance to conquer the fear of flying on his own terms.

Step 3: Medication

If education and therapy do not seem to work, a person with aerophobia may resort to medication. Psychoactive medications and relaxant or depressant drugs are often prescribed by doctors to help people cope with anxiety disorders, but only if therapy does not seem to work. Psychiatrists may be reluctant to prescribe any medication for aerophobe, since patients would be asked to medicate irregularly.

There are also those who self-medicate by drinking alcoholic beverages. Alcohol may effectively help them deal with anxiety, considering the overt effects of it.

If you are a person suffering from aerophobia, it is just a matter of facing your fear and gradually overcoming it. Whether through therapy, medication, or education, the freedom from such fear relies on the fortitude of the person to deal with it. To live your life to the fullest, learn to erase all fears that may prevent you from enjoying the luxuries and opportunities in life. If you enjoyed reading this article you might as well read how to get rid of fear of heights.