What is fear of flying?

Fear of flying, also known as flying phobia, aviophobia, or aerophobia, is a condition characterized by intense and persistent fear or anxiety when considering flying and during flight in an airplane or other flying vehicles like helicopters. This fear can cause significant distress and impairment in daily functioning.

What are the symptoms of fear of flying?

People with a fear of flying experience intense anxiety and fear when thinking about flying or during flight. They often avoid flying when possible, and these feelings of fear, anxiety, and avoidance can greatly affect their daily life. Specific anxiety triggers during flights include takeoff, lousy weather, and turbulence. Some individuals may even experience symptoms like irrational panic and vomiting merely by imagining being on a plane. About 60% of those with a fear of flying also report having other anxiety disorders.

What causes fear of flying?

The exact causes of fear of flying are not well understood, and it is a heterogeneous condition. It is often challenging to determine whether fear of flying should be the primary diagnosis or if it is a symptom of another anxiety disorder, such as agoraphobia or claustrophobia.

How is fear of flying diagnosed?

Diagnosing fear of flying can be challenging, as it may be a primary condition or a symptom of another anxiety disorder. A thorough evaluation by a mental health professional is often required to determine the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

What are the characteristics of fear of flying?

Fear of flying can be treated with anxiolytics for acute anxiety during flights. Exposure therapy, especially when combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy, is an effective treatment option. The fear of flying was first discussed in the biomedical literature after World War I and gained more attention in the 1950s with the rise of commercial air travel. In the 1970s, behavioral and cognitive approaches were introduced to address this fear.

What is the prevalence of fear of flying?

Prevalence estimates of fear of flying vary, ranging from 2.5% to 40%. Lower estimates often come from studies where a professional diagnosed the condition, while the higher end includes self-diagnosed individuals.

What are the treatment options for fear of flying?

Fear of flying can be treated with anxiolytics for acute anxiety during flights. Exposure therapy, including the use of virtual reality equipment, is effective when combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Relaxation techniques and aviation safety education can also be helpful in addressing this fear.

Fear of Flying in an Airplane (Aerophobia): Symptoms, Characteristics, Treatment

Fear of flying in an airplane (airplane) or another flying vehicle, such as a helicopter, while in flight. It is also known as flying phobia, flying phobia, aviophobia, or aerophobia (although the latter also means fear of drafts or the outdoors).

Index

Symptoms

People with a fear of flying experience intense and persistent fear or anxiety when considering flying and during flight.
They will avoid flying if they can, and fear, anxiety, and avoidance cause significant distress and impair their ability to function.
Takeoff, lousy weather, and turbulence seem to be the most anxiety-provoking aspects of flying.
It is very typical for people also to have symptoms such as irrational panic and vomiting simply by imagining the plane in the air.
About 60% of people with a fear of flying report having other anxiety disorders.

It causes

The causes of flight phobia and its maintained mechanisms were not well understood as of 2016.
It is not clear if it is a condition; it appears heterogeneous.

Diagnosis

It is often difficult to determine whether specific fear of flying phobia should be the primary diagnosis or whether fear of flying is a symptom of a generalized anxiety disorder or another anxiety disorder such as agoraphobia or claustrophobia.

You can also read Fear of Work: Origin, Characteristics, Consequences, Treatments.

Characteristics

Acute anxiety caused by a flying can be treated with anxiolytics. The condition can be treated with exposure therapy, which works best when combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy. [
The fear of flying was first discussed in biomedical literature by a doctor in the UK at the end of World War I, who called it ‘aeroneurosis’ and described pilots and crew members who were or were eager to fly.
It wasn’t discussed much until the 1950s and the rise of commercial air travel and fad in psychoanalysis.
In the 1970s, the fear of flying was addressed through behavioral and cognitive approaches.

Additional Information

Studies of interventions such as CBT have reported anxiety reduction rates of around 80%; however, there is little evidence that any treatment can eliminate the fear of flying.
Prevalence estimates ranged from 2.5% to 40%; Estimates at the lower end are likely generated through studies in which a professional diagnosed the condition. The upper end probably includes people who have diagnosed themselves.

Treatment

Acute anxiety caused by flying can be treated with anxiolytics.
The condition can be treated with exposure therapy, including virtual reality equipment, which works best when combined with cognitive behavioral therapy.
Relaxation techniques and aviation safety education can also be helpful with other approaches.

Georgia Tarrant

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Hello, how are you? My name is Georgia Tarrant, and I am a clinical psychologist. In everyday life, professional obligations seem to predominate over our personal life. It's as if work takes up more and more of the time we'd love to devote to our love life, our family, or even a moment of leisure.