I just completed 4 flights, for a total of 26 hours in the air, free of fear and without help from drugs or alcohol.
Yes. this is really me, Debby, who hasn’t flown in two decades without Valium to reduce my anxiety.
How did I do it?
I read a great book and took the author’s advice (see the book at the bottom of this post).
Fear is triggered by turbulence, noises, movement, loss of control and sensations. Captain Keith helps you deal with each of these.
The lessons for me were:
1. ‘Not normal’ for me is not the same thing as dangerous
2. ‘Unfamiliar’ to me is not the same thing as unusual
3. Modern aircraft are operated well below their capacity for airspeed, manoeuverability in the air, weight it can carry, stopping distance on runway, hard landings, turbulence, and they have more safety features than they will ever need.
Noises and movement feel unfamiliar and we can feel out of control, which is scary. But if you look around you, you’ll see calm people. Cabin crew and frequent fliers aren’t bothered. They’ve spent so much time in airplanes, in the air, that the things that you might think are unusual are normal to them. It’s just that to you they’re unfamiliar, and so you think that they’re unusual.
There are three main things you can do to put your fear of flying behind you.
1. Read this book and learn how aircraft work and what pilots do. Learn about noises and sensations.
2. When there is turbulence, strap yourself in. Wiggle back into the seat and then tighten your seat belt. Relax and let the seat support you, and you will move with the plane instead of a moment after. You’ll feel better. Breathe slowly. Breathe s-l-o-w-l-y.
3. When there’s noise that you don’t understand, ask one of the cabin crew about it, or ask the calm person beside you. Remind yourself (and this became my mantra): It’s just the speed brakes, flaps, wheels or engine. Everything’s fine.
I’m proud of myself. One of the four flights was 3 hours with the seat belt sign lit the whole way. Only once did I get that little jolt of adrenalin. But I just tightened my seat belt and repeated my mantra.
I feel liberated, no joke.
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