At the mere thought of flying, do you sink your claws into the (wooden!) armrests of your chair? We breathe slowly and leave this poor chair alone (it didn't do anything to you):fear of flying is not inevitable. We explain everything here.
The first step, when you are afraid of flying, is to identify the source of your anxiety in order to better fight it. Because very often, the fear of flying is not a fear of "the plane" or of the accident itself. In fact, it is related to deeper anxieties, such as a bad memory of theft, emotional shocks from childhood, or lifestyles.
For example, the majority of the 32% of passengers who are afraid of having a plane accident are people who are anxious about losing control…of their life, and who find it difficult to entrust it even momentarily to others. This is what Philippe Goeury, psychologist, stress management coach at Air France tells us:
You often hear that "there is more chance of dying in a car than in a plane"? But do you really know the numbers? The reality is this. Every day, nearly 5 million passengers fly. Which means that as you read this, more than 100,000 people are in the air.
In 2008, there were 2,350,000,000 passengers transported for 23 fatal accidents which caused 519 human losses. According to these figures, you have about a 0.00002% chance of having an accident...
And to better understand the reality of the thing, we advise you to look at how an airplane works and how all the safety devices are organized. Better understanding, it helps to relativize a lot!
> Understand how an airplane works by clicking here.
The day before our flight, already 1/ we forget to watch disaster movies, 2/ we organize our suitcase and our trip well, just to arrive relaxed on that side at the airport, 3/ we end our evening by a good restaurant with our friends/our man/our family. That way, we think about something else and have fun!
When making your reservation, choose the seats towards the front, where you feel less turbulence. When you get on the plane, do not hesitate to tell the stewards that you are afraid (they are used to it). Not only will you feel relieved of some of your fear, but they will also be able to find the words and the smile to reassure you a little more.
Whether you know your neighbor or not, strike up a conversation soon after you've settled in. Talk about everything, about nothing, your destination, the book you are reading, your passion for zucchini,… whatever comes to your mind! You will hardly notice that the plane has taken off. Whew!
Now that we're in the air, we're going to try to stop focusing on the slightest jolts (which are totally normal) and have fun with something nice instead. Pull out Biba to have a good laugh, a good mushy book, your MP3 with lots of good-humored sounds, a slice of your mom's brownie,... Otherwise, if your neighbor is interesting, keep talking with he she !
Don't feel like talking or reading? How about using your imagination for something cooler than imagining an accident, huh? For example, you can look at everyone around you, dwell on those you notice and try to imagine what their life might be like. Do not hesitate to really let your mind wander by creating crazy or romantic stories, which could unite certain passengers (a chivalrous quest, an exploration in the pyramids, a passionate love story in 19th century Paris). In short, what you want is you the artist!
Yes, courses to fight your fear of flying, it exists and it's really very effective! Courses on the operation of planes, simulations and good parties of marrades will make the fears of the most anxious disappear. On the price side, it is necessary to count between 430 euros per day on the side of the Center for the treatment of fear by plane to 650 euros at Air France. "After their internship, more than 95% of participants no longer feel apprehensive before and during the flight", assures Air France.
