While a conscious fear of crashing may play a role, the underlying issues often stem from hidden subconscious fears.
Claustrophobia: For some, the thought of being ‘trapped’ in a seat for hours can trigger anxiety. This is particularly relevant for those who might also experience hypnotherapy for children or hypnotherapy for social anxiety in their past.
Loss of control: Individuals who prefer to be in control often find flying unsettling, as they cannot pilot the aircraft. These people may tend to lead highly structured lives, which can contribute to their anxiety. They typically prefer to drive rather than be a passenger.
Fear of turbulence: Many experience anxiety related to turbulence—not just the sensation of movement but also fears of vomiting in front of others or being unable to reach the toilet in time.
Given these complexities, overcoming a fear of flying is not a straightforward process and requires specialist therapy.
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?
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. Call now to book an initial consultation or just a chat to see how you can finally be free from your fear
“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
