If your flying anxiety can’t be overcome with relaxation techniques, it might be time to seek the help of a therapist. Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy have been successfully used to reduce the triggers and fears associated with flying.
Get help for your anxiety of Fear of Flying
In Exposure Therapy, the intent is to guide the patient into a more accurate train of thought, so their anxiety system ceases to give misinformation about what may happen during a flight. This type of training is done through example: the patient is repeatedly guided into a situation where they will face their fears and anxieties. Over the course of treatment, they become conditioned to the situation they have feared and it no longer provokes their anxiety.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy helps the patient become aware of their unreasonable thoughts and beliefs so they can view the situation more realistically and react in a healthier way. It helps the person identify and challenge negative or inaccurate thinking so that they can replace the negative thoughts with positive, accurate ones that are more realistic.
With either form of treatment, techniques are taught to help the patient manage anxiety. For example, as mentioned above, diaphragmatic breathing can be learned so it can be used to help calm a person while on a flight. People can also learn to desensitize their bodily sensation triggers so they don’t react to turbulence or the feeling of the plane taking off or landing. Virtual reality programs can be used in a safe environment to educate people on the sounds and sensations they will experience during flight. And, as a last resort, anti-anxiety medications can be used in combination with therapy to help someone manage their fears during a flight.
If you or someone you know is having difficulty traveling due to their fear of flying, we can help! For more information or to talk to a mental health professional about your flying anxiety, contact Dr. Rosen or call The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Delray Beach, Florida at 561-496-1094.