Happy & Healthy

a fear of flying

9 ways to beat it

With ease, I boarded my plane with the biggest smile on my face. Always. Pas de problème. Until it all went downhill during a flight to Los Angeles. My best friend and I had something to celebrate so we ordered a glass of bubbly. Followed shortly by a mini bottle of white wine and before I knew it, the flight attendant brought us a Bailey-like beverage. We talked, we drank, it was one big party. Until I suddenly started feeling a little oozy. Panic attack. Only to spend the following FIVE hours sitting in the back of the plane with a pale face.

The result of this terror flight? A fear of flying, for life. Every time I even have to look at a gigantic steel aircraft, I can feel the tension build up. All I want to do is turn around and run away from my potential death. All the while the following thing keeps swirling around in my head: “Are you serious going to let this feeling make you miss the coolest experience of your life?” So to avoid being a pussy, I go anyway.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way, right? Here are nine tips to help pull you through it.

1. Start counting

Tip from a flight coach. Count to eight in your head and make the tone of the number eight higher than one to seven. Then take a moment to breathe and say the number nine, in a low pitch tone. Do this about four or five times. Might sound really dumb, but the advantage of doing this is that you’v gotten rid of residual air in your body, which usually causes people to hyper ventilate.

“Look at kids during your flight and hopefully you can tag along in their carefree ‘flow’.”

2. Look at the kids

This always works for me. Most kids are not scared of flying, mostly because they have no idea what is going on and how high up their are and how claustrophobic a plane can be. They think flying is cool and exciting. Look at kids during your flight and hopefully you can tag along in their carefree ‘flow’.

3. Be realistic

Turbulance is a comfort problem, not a safety one; get that into your head. Aircrafts have been designed to handle the worst forms of turbulence.

 4. Work on your own flight checklist for less stress

– Pack your things on time and firmly hold onto your passport.

– Go to the airport on time.

– Don’t drink any caffeine. Stick to water.

– Don’t drink any alcohol either (I repeat: no Bailey-like drinks).

“Om het probleem meteen maar bij de staart te pakken en er hopelijk voorgoed af te zijn”

– Look for a distraction in the form of a book or a movie.

– When you board a plane, greet the crew and inform them that flying isn’t really, uh, your hobby. Want to make a bet you’ll be getting extra attention throughout the flight?

5. Work on your breathing

Still stressed when you board the plane? You need to lower your adrenaline level and the best way to do it is by concentrating on your breathing. 1. Breathe slowly, try to fill up your lungs with as much air as you can before you exhale. 2. Hold onto the air you inhaled (through your mouth) for a few extra seconds before you release it. 3. Wait a few more seconds until you inhale again, and repeat the latter step. Keep doing these steps until your adrenaline levels decrease. Believe me, it works.

6. Make fun of your fear

So the breathing technique didn’t help you either and you’re still terrified of flying? Use reverse psychology and embrace it. Ridicule it. Keep telling yourself that for the next few hours you’re going to be sitting their with clammy hands and on edge. If you repeat this, your fear will get confused. Got it?

“Don’t avoid it and try to take the car of train when possible. “

7. Get rid of it for good? Take a course

I’m currently looking up the possibility of taking a course to help me get over my fear of flying. To help me get rid of it for good. A definite recommendation when you’ve got a serious case of wanderlust but too afraid to board a plane.

8. Or take a course from home

Not a fan of group trainings? Then this is the perfect alternative. You can stay in the comfort of your own home and get rid of your fear of flying at your own pace. Plenty of courses for you to use online.

9. Last but not least: keep flying

This might just be the most important lesson of them all. Don’t avoid it and try to take the car of train when possible. Spend as many hours as you can in a plan, because believe me, it’ll only get better. And hey, you might even start liking it too.

Alright well, now I’m going to enjoy Iceland for as long as I can before I board my plane to Chicago. Which evidently, I’ll tell you aaaall about. Wish me luck! Help.