How to Overcome Flight Anxiety
- kamipate
- Mar 19
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 7
As the travel season is quickly approaching and the vacations are beginning to be planned, there may be one thing already making you anxious - flying. I have been right there with you, worrying months in advance, losing sleep the night before, and on edge until I arrived at my destination. I used to be the person crying as I boarded the plane and squeezing my parents' hands off (yes, even as an adult) during our one-hour flight. Then, a life-changing opportunity to study across the country entered my life. So, as I am sure you can put together required me flying over a dozen hours across the world without my family for the first time ever. Yeah....that was crazy! However, through that journey I was able to develop tips that not only get me through flights, but also help me enjoy them. I can now fly as a functioning person, rather than a ball of anxiety, and I want that for you too.
If you also struggle with flight anxiety, I hope these tips help you as much as they helped me, but remember everyone's experience looks different - you can adapt these tips to be most helpful to you!
Tip #1 - Mentally Prepare
This may sound like common sense to someone who experiences anxiety, but I encourage you to intentionally prepare for what you know you are going to experience and for things that could intensify your feelings. I chose to work on this in therapy, which really prepared me in a safe environment. For me, I knew I would have physical responses while flying such as a fast heart rate, shaky hands, and loss of appetite. Therefore, when it was time to fly I didn't have to worry about these things because I knew they would happen and I was prepared for them. When preparing for what could intensify my anxiety, I thought about things that could happen such as flight delays, stormy weather, or turbulence and created mental preparations for myself. By doing this mental work before your trip, it prepares you for anything your anxiety may try to attack you with.
Tip #2 - Know That Turbulence is Not Dangerous
For me, turbulence caused a lot of anxiety. Every noise, movement, and turn would just make things worse. However, once I did some research, I learned that turbulence is not dangerous for the airplane. Let me preface, I am not a professional, but this is what I have learned. While turbulence can feel scary, airplanes are built to withstand it, and pilots are trained to handle it properly. It's important to know that just because it may be an uncomfortable flight, doesn't mean it's unsafe.
Tip #3 - Change Your Perspective
Shifting my perspective to something that made me feel safe was crucial. This will look different for everyone, but make sure it's something you can believe. Some ways this worked for me was imagining that God was holding my plane and moving it through the air (kind of like a little kid playing with a toy plane). I also think of flying like driving a car down the road, there will be bumps, sharp curves, and hills. Driving is something normal we do everyday, and the same goes for many people who fly. By shifting our perspective to these personal ideas, we can help our minds create a safe space as we fly.
Tip #4 - Connect With the Flight Attendants
You may think this is a strange tip to help you deal with anxiety, but one thing that really helped me was watching the flight attendants. Flying is an essential part of their job and if they didn't look worried, why should I be worried? By watching them and talking to them when it was my turn to get my dinner or snack, they made me feel comforted and safe. In my experience, most flight attendants are nice and want to help you the best they can (even if it's with your anxiety).
Tip #5 - Make Yourself Comfortable
Lastly, take advantage of making sure you are comfortable. Some ways I do this is by wearing layers on the plane, so I can adjust to the temperature. I also make sure to pick out my seat beforehand. I am an aisle girly, and I like to sit towards the back of the plane; this just makes me feel immediately more comfortable. Make sure that you have all your go to items in your carry on, so that you have them for the flight: snacks, water, headphones, book, essential oils, gum, etc. (Make sure to download games, movies, and music before the flight so that you have them!) These are some of the things that help me pass the time and be as calm as possible throughout my flight. I also encourage you, if it's a long flight, don't be afraid to take stretch and restroom breaks. The more comfortable you are, the less anxious you'll feel!
I know that flight anxiety can feel avoidable, just don't book the trip, right? By facing this fear of flying, I lived the best month of my life and feel free to be able to travel to more places. I encourage you to book the trip, face your fear, and live the dream! Comment down below any tips that have helped you with flying! Talk to you next week!
Kami
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