Fear of flying is one of the most common phobias and can affect people in very different ways. For some, the anxiety begins days before a trip. For others it may trigger panic attacks during turbulence, or lead to avoiding flying altogether.
While many people assume the fear is simply about the possibility of a crash, in my experience the underlying causes are often more complex and rooted in subconscious patterns. These can include a fear of losing control, claustrophobia, past travel experiences, or deeper anxiety responses that have become linked to flying.
Hypnotherapy can help uncover and address these underlying causes, allowing people to travel with greater calm and confidence.
Hypnotherapy can help people overcome a fear of flying by identifying and addressing the subconscious triggers that cause anxiety during air travel. Rather than simply suppressing the fear, hypnotherapy works to change the underlying patterns that create panic, claustrophobia, or feelings of loss of control.
For many people, this allows them to fly with significantly less anxiety and in some cases to overcome the fear entirely.
Fear of flying is generally accepted as one of the most common phobias
Several studies have found that up to 40 percent of people have some degree of anxiety about flying, said Dr. Lucas van Gerwen, an aviation psychologist and professional pilot.
Several studies have found that up to 40 percent of people have some degree of anxiety about flying, said Dr. Lucas van Gerwen, an aviation psychologist and professional pilot.
Does fear of flying stop you from choosing the holiday that you really want?
Is the fear of flying placing pressure upon your relationship?
Does the fear of flying prevent you from visiting faraway friends and family members?
Are you expected to fly on business as part of your job?
Do you feel anxious at the thought of even planning a trip?
Do you use alcohol or medication to reduce the anxiety when flying?
Have you ever experienced a panic attack whilst flying?
When laying on the beach, are you anxious about the return journey?
How many sessions does it usually take to overcome a fear of flying?
Many people see improvement within a small number of sessions, although this can vary depending on the underlying causes of the fear and the individual’s history with flying anxiety.
Can hypnotherapy help if I experience panic attacks on flights?
Yes. Panic responses are often linked to subconscious patterns that can be addressed through hypnotherapy, helping the body respond more calmly during situations such as turbulence or long flights.
Is fear of flying linked to other anxiety issues?
In many cases it is. People who struggle with general anxiety or panic attacks may find that flying amplifies those feelings. Addressing these broader anxiety patterns can often make a significant difference.
You may therefore find it helpful to read more about hypnotherapy for stress and anxiety or hypnotherapy for panic attacks, as these issues are often closely connected.
Some hypnotherapy techniques involve the therapist making positive suggestions whilst a person is in hypnosis that the fear has disappeared. In my experience this can be a temporary solution only because the root cause of the fear will still be present.
I believe that the only permanent solution is to locate and address the root causes of the fear. Most likely these are lodged in the subconscious mind and have been there since the person was a young child. Sometimes these fears remain un-triggered in the subconscious for years, but a trauma in later life, such as a bad experience on a flight can cause this fear to become triggered and become a major issue. This isn’t a complicated process and can sometimes be treated in only a few sessions.
I am an award winning hypnotherapist with 22+ years of experience in helping people with a fear of flying. If you would like to discuss your fear of flying and explore whether hypnotherapy may help, you are welcome to arrange an initial consultation.
“I’ve been terrified of flying all my life, absolutely terrified. When I got this job I knew I’d have to fly, which I hadn’t done for years, but I couldn’t turn it down.
I’ve done every type of therapy, fear of flying courses, in-flight simulators, I’ve had drugs, hypnosis, everything, but then somebody recommended a regressive hypnotherapist called David Samson who I saw for eight sessions over three months. The idea is that your fear is learnt behaviour and that you weren’t born scared of flying. It’s hard to explain to someone who isn’t afraid of flying, but whatever he did, it worked.
Last October I went to Tokyo and when it was bumpy on the return flight I slept all the way back, whereas normally I’d be in physical pain and completely terrified, unable to do anything”
Alexandra Shulman
Former Editor of Vogue
Copyright Georgia Kuhn – Telegraph Magazine 2012
