A lot of recent research show that as many as 40 percent of American adults have some degree of anxiety when it comes to plane travel or flying. The National Institute of Mental Health says that 6.5 percent have a fear of flying that is intense, persistent, and irrational so it meets the qualification for a phobia.

Flying Phobias

Flying phobia is identifies to be a specific phobia, which is a kind or a class of a disorder called anxiety disorder. Individuals with specific phobias experience a seemingly excessive and unreasonable fear in the presence of or in anticipation of a specific place, object, or situation – that is, flying, driving over bridges or in tunnels, or being inside an elevator. The fear may not make any sense, but they feel powerless to control it, and even thinking about it can cause extreme worry.

Fearful Flying

A lot of people with a flying phobia have a feeling anxious in a confined airplane cabin, worry about losing control, or having a panic attack. Others fear being in tall places or an airplane crash, despite the fact that they know that statistically, flying is safer than driving on highways.

Most people for fear flying take alcohol or sedatives in an effort to reduce their anxiety. Alcohol produces temporary relaxation, but it could also make people feel less in control or hamper their abilities once the plane takes a landing. Sometimes doctors prescribe short-acting anti-anxiety medication, which can be helpful if used not all of the time and under a doctor’s supervision.

Treatment Helps

A lot of people who have a fear of flying or a flying phobia find significant improvement after the therapy.

Here are common therapies or treatments for phobias:

Exposure therapy, a type of CBT, involves gradually approaching the object of a person’s fear until the object or situation no longer causes a fear response. It generally works best when conducted in a predictable manner and when the person feels control over the situation. Some fearful flyers may have the opportunity to board a stationary plane several times before taking an actual flight accompanied by a therapist.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) actively involves a patient in his or her own recovery, which provides a sense of control and skills to use throughout life. CBT focuses on identifying, understanding, and modifying thinking and behavior patterns. When a person changes thinking and behavior, emotional changes usually follow. CBT can address specific problems, such as flying phobia; treatment might be three to six sessions or one long session. CBT teaches skills for handling anxiety, and patients who learn and practice the skills can use them when needed.