Before you can overcome aviophobia, you have to understand the nature of your fear. Determine the root cause of your fear of flying. It may be the result of a bad experience, such as a frightening bout of turbulence or the loss of a loved one to a plane crash. It could be that what you have is claustrophobia. Claustrophobia is closely related to aviophobia and treatment of claustrophobia sometimes leads to the elimination of aviophobia.
Taking deep breaths while meditating and deliberately relaxing any tense muscles can help reduce the effects of aviophobia. There are relaxation CDs specifically created to help ward of the onset of anxiety attacks. Try to avoid stimulants such as caffeine that might increase your anxiety on the day of your flight. Try to focus on positive things and turn your mind away from negative and pessimistic thoughts. You may want to inform the flight attendants about your aviophobia; this can make you feel a little bit safer, knowing that experienced professionals are watching out for you.
This is a form of desensitization that encourages those suffering from aviophobia to face up to their fears by talking about them and writing them down. The treatment may include visiting airports and boarding planes without taking off in order to get used to the idea of flying and so that you can know how a plane works in order to be less afraid of it. There are also group sessions in which you will meet other people who suffer from aviophobia and learn what makes them so anxious. Knowing that you are not alone goes a long way toward building your confidence.
