Most Commonly Asked Questions about Fear of Flying

Here are your answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the fear of flying.

Is a fear of flying a real phobia, or just nerves?

It depends. A phobia by definition is simply an intense, irrational, and lasting fear of a specific object, animal, place or situation. Although some might argue the fear is rational, most people already know that flying is one of the safest things you can do. Aerophobia or aviophobia, then, is just an intense, irrational, and lasting fear of flying. The degree of anxiety can vary, though, from mild nerves when flying for some people (very normal) to full-on panic that leads to avoiding flying altogether.

Why do smart, rational people still panic on a plane?

The thing about most anxiety triggers is that they don’t respond very well to logical thinking. For people who have developed the fear, for whatever reason, their body often responds with anxiety even when they know rationally there is nothing to be afraid of. In most cases, the fear is not about the plane at all. It’s about a deeper trigger flying tends to set off. See part 2 of our blog series: Why Your Fear of Flying Isn’t Really About Flying

Is fear of flying actually treatable, or do you just live with it?

Fear of flying can be very treatable with the right approach and the right conditions in place. Many people unknowingly reinforce their anxiety by doing things that make fears grow over time, such as avoiding flying, doing everything they can to control anxiety, or engaging in other unhelpful thinking patterns or behaviors. Treatment for fear of flying using the approach I use (ACT and Exposure Therapy) involves undoing some of those things to learn that anxiety doesn’t have to run the show, and that your body can relearn that flying is safe rather than something to brace against. Effectiveness often just depends on a person’s willingness to confront flying (and the anxiety it brings up) in a different kind of way. It’s also important to understand that you’re unlikely to find a treatment that will allow you to “cure” your fear of flying before you hop on a plane again. Overcoming fears involves working through things and not around them.

What’s the difference between fear of flying, claustrophobia, and fear of heights?

Although these things are all different, they overlap in some important ways. Fear of flying very often involves elements of claustrophobia, which is a fear of being trapped in small closed spaces, and, not surprisingly, elements of a fear of heights as well. An interesting thing about flying, though, is that many people afraid of heights are not at all afraid of flying.

Do medication or alcohol actually help with flight anxiety?

This question has a sort of yes and no answer. Many people are prescribed anxiety medication to provide relief for flights. Those without medication sometimes instead stop at the airport bar for a nervous system depressant that is often good at taking the edge off very temporarily. Although medication may be effectively used as part of a treatment plan for fear of flying, in the long run, any sort of quick-acting anxiety relief is unlikely to help people build the confidence to fly using their own internal resources alone. Anxiety medication may be necessary and helpful for people starting to fly again, for those with the highest level of intensity of anxiety, for those who fly very infrequently, or for those who keep it as a backup as they are learning how to treat anxiety.

Note: I am not a medical doctor, and none of my thoughts on medicine as a treatment approach for fear of flying should replace the advice of your physician or psychiatrist. It is sometimes a good practice to have your doctor and therapist collaborate on a plan for medication’s role in therapy.

What are ACT and ERP, and how do they treat flight anxiety?

ACT stands for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and ERP stands for Exposure and Response Prevention. ERP involves slow gradual exposure to feared stimulus, making sure to reduce behaviors that might make anxiety worse over time (such as escaping the situation or engaging in behaviors that attempt to manage the anxiety or make it go away). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an approach that calls for leaning into discomfort and accepting anxious thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them, while still engaging in actions aligned with one’s values. Both are evidence-based treatment approaches that, when applied the right way, often result in a reduction of anxiety symptoms. Because they involve a certain level of acceptance of anxiety, they also allow us to move forward and start doing things that are important to us even when we don’t feel ready or when anxiety shows up.

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How long does it typically take to get over a fear of flying?

This is hard to answer as it depends on many different factors. These factors might include: one’s willingness to do the hard work (facing fears is not always easy), how long the fear has been present and how intense it feels day-to-day, whether other anxiety patterns like panic attacks or generalized worry are feeding into it, and how consistently someone practices between sessions rather than only during them. Even though it varies, the good news is that with a solid beginner understanding of ACT and ERP principles, they can start to be applied right away.

Can you work on it without ever getting on a plane first?

Yes! Even though it’s often impossible to get over a fear of flying before you get back on an airplane, there are so many things people can do before taking that flight. Therapy often involves learning skills and applying them to exposures that don’t require flying quite yet. Those might include virtual reality headsets, imaginary exposures, or exposures to other places or situations that also induce anxiety, as a way of practicing the most effective techniques. In the “Willing to Fly” workbook I developed, I teach about what is happening in the body when anxiety shows up, ways of attempting to cope that make anxiety worse, how to respond in the moment when panic shows up, techniques that begin to teach your body and brain that it’s safe, and more. Learning the fundamentals before flying is often some of the most important work, and it all happens before you ever take off.

What do you do if a panic attack hits mid-flight?

There’s not enough space in this section to fully speak to the way to respond to panic when it hits mid-flight in a way that will acknowledge different ways it shows up for different people. I can, however, share the general concept, which may need to be adjusted depending on individual factors.

Broadly speaking, we aim to “float” with anxiety rather than fight it: instead of bracing against the panic, trying to push it away, or treating it like it’s dangerous, let it move through you. Notice and label the sensations, breathe naturally, and remind yourself the panic will crest and pass on its own. This works because panic feeds on the struggle against it.

Because people often have worst-case fears around anxiety (such as losing control, passing out, having a heart attack, or doing something embarrassing), there often needs to be some cognitive work done first, addressing the reasoning and rationality of those “what if” thoughts, before one can trust that anxiety (no matter how intense) is just anxiety.

Where can I get help if in-person therapy isn’t available where I live?

We offer virtual services for fear of flying for residents in Florida and South Carolina, which gives you the same specialized ACT and ERP support from the comfort of home, no matter where in those states you might live. All you need is a private space and a stable internet connection.

You can also feel free to check out our Fear of Flying resources page to check out the starter guide, the full workbook, and the possibility of a strategy session for brief education, enhanced discussion of how to apply concepts to yourself, or simply a low-pressure way to get some support and clarity, even if full therapy isn’t the right step for you right now.

Related Reading

• A Letter to My Clients
• Part 1: What This Series Is and Why It Matters
• Part 2: Why Your Fear of Flying Isn’t Really About Flying
• Part 3: Five Reasons You Shouldn’t Worry About Recent Flight Headlines
• Part 4: The Worst Advice for the Fear of Flying
• Part 5: Turbulence Advice Most Anxious Flyers Never Hear
• Fear of Flying Program page

Ready to Stop Letting Fear Control Your Travel?

• Download the Free Starter Guide: https://floatoncounseling.com/takeoffguide/
• Get the Willing to Fly Workbook: https://floatoncounseling.com/willing-to-fly/
• Request an Appointment: https://float-on-counseling.clientsecure.me