About the Fear of Flying - What is the fear of flying?

The fear of flying affects more than 40% of the population. Its effects range from mild anxiety before flying to a state of terror which can prevent the sufferer from even boarding an aircraft. In the worst cases, even a visit to an airport is impossible. The symptoms can start months before a flight and become steadily more debilitating as the flight time approaches.

Frequently holidays are spoiled because the fear preys on the mind to such an extent that recovery from the outward flight is followed immediately by fears of the return flight.

Those affected by the fear of flying suffer varying degrees of physical and mental discomfort that extend from a feeling of sickness and general discomfort to the onset of a panic attack. Unlike many fears, for example a fear of heights someone suffering from a fear of flying does not need to be airborne or in an aircraft to bring on the symptoms, the feelings of fear are caused simply by thinking about flying.

The sad thing is that most sufferers regard the fear of flying as a weakness because it has a number of domestic, social and business implications. Furthermore, it seems to generate attitudes of ridicule from those who do not suffer from it. Some unhelpful people, retell their own terrifying and obviously exaggerated stories about flying, presumably in the hope that the fears that other people have, will become insignificant by comparison with the things that they have endured. And whilst their intentions are good, the effects are unhelpful. Avoid these people. There is a common misconception among lay people that quoting safety statistics and probabilities will help.

Failing this, a hearty slap on the back and a “you’ll be all right on the night” attitude seems to be the only help available to fearful flyers from their friends. Families tend to be closer to the problem and when support is given, success is more likely and achieved more quickly. This is why we have a page of helpful tips for friends, partners and helpers.

If you want help from someone who is more likely to understand your feelings then try our Community where like-minded people are able to give you assistance and support. You should be re-assured by the fact that the fear of flying is not confined to any particular group of people with regard to age and gender social status or intelligence. However, the good news about it is that almost everyone is able to overcome his or her fear.

On this website we believe that the first step must be to clear away all the misconceptions, myths, misunderstandings, rumours and old wives tales that swamp aircraft and air travel and replace them with facts, new approaches and insights. If you read our 'I want to know about' section, or use our 'Flypedia' glossary database, you will be able to ignore every one of them and approach flying with new confidence.

Two things that you must do right now. First, resolve that you will never again read anything about air travel and its problems and dangers in magazines and newspapers.

Secondly, promise yourself that you will never watch ‘disaster’, ‘black box’ and ‘inside’ stories about passenger air travel. They serve no positive purpose for you.

This is your second successful part of overcoming your fear of flying.

The first was to visit this site. Well done.