Interestingly, when you google the definition of ‘fear’, the result is an ‘unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain or harm’. What many of us often comprehend or perceive to be something we should be fearful of, is due to a lack of understanding and an irrational form of reasoning. What really strikes a chord with the definition of a fear, phobia or even anxiety is that knowledge really is power and with it, you can overcome anything if you really put your mind to it.
With only six months to go until Brits escape the fragile and perplexing climate, we endure every year for the brighter shores of Spain and Turkey to name but a few, those who have a flying phobia do not have it plain sailing. Rather the opposite – a wave of unparalleled anxiety that prompts dangerous thoughts and an overpowering awareness that though their feelings may be irrational to others, to them it is one they cannot defeat. No matter the length of psychological reports, guides to anxiety and live phone chats with clinical psychologists, to have a fear of flying, also known as aerophobia, is not an easy one to fix.
Aerophobia is associated with an excessive worry and concern regarding travelling by air. To many, this may seem an irrational fear, but in reality, it affects one in 10 in the UK. Those who suffer from a fear of flying have increased anxiety, fear and can cause panic attacks, claustrophobia and post-traumatic stress disorder. What is important to remember, is that a fear of air travel falls into two groups – the first where it is an ‘internal loss of control’, meaning their fear has originated with a concern that they may lose their emotional inhibitions whilst on board and therefore embarrass themselves in front of fellow passengers. Otherwise, aerophobia is commonly associated with factors that are of an external significance, such as turbulence, bad weather and a fear of crashing.
Among the fear, let’s seriously consider the safety and security of flying from one place to the next. What is reassuring to note, is that flying is ultimately the ‘safest’ form of travel and you’re unfortunately more likely to be involved with an incident on the road.
The facts speak for themselves.
Aviation is unlike any other form of transportation risk assessment and no other form of transportation is as monitored, investigated, scrutinized and highly regarded when it comes down to safety and security of its passengers on board. The irony in all this, is to have a conversation with someone who suffers from aerophobia is to literally adopt the saying ‘in one ear and out the other’, these facts are simply lost to them. So, let’s dissect the real statistics behind the safety of flying.
Your chance of being in a fatal accident is one in seven million – if you flew everyday of your life, the probability indicates that it would take you nineteen thousand years before an accident would occur.
Let’s consider travelling on trains – in 2015 alone, 1.3 billion trips were made using the trains in the UK. Based on incidents over the last twenty years, your chances of something happening on a train is 1 in a million. In stark contrast, flying is ten times safer than making a trip using a train.
And finally, everyone has one – a car. Unfortunately, road accidents and collisions are so common, campaigns and road driving agencies are promoting a greater awareness for safety on the road. In the year 2015-16, approximately 1,780 people died from road accidents.
So, with only a few months to go before the summer commences, it may be time to consider whether you need some magical assistance to help alleviate the painful and emotional turmoil that prevents you from boarding a plane. The secret to aerophobia is you’re not alone, and among the pain and the panic attacks, there is always something that can be achieved. And the reassuring news – for every row of three seats on a commercial plane, there is at least one person who feels the exact same as you. So, if you’re in need, don’t hesitate to get in touch as my fear of flying programme with fear-busters.com is the perfect way of assessing and controlling your fear.
After all, everyone on board wants the same thing.