Fear of flying: how to overcome it?
Fear of flying is a complex phobia, but it is not inevitable! It can stem from many causes: turbulence, lack of knowledge about aviation safety, claustrophobia, agoraphobia, and other associated disorders... To overcome it, the first step is to understand what it consists of in order to tackle it with proven methods – and finally enjoy air travel without anxiety!
Overcoming misconceptions about flight anxiety
Fear of flying in all its forms is as common as it is misunderstood. Widely spread among the population, it is estimated to affect up to 20% of passengers on any given flight. Many misconceptions circulate about it, most of which are false.
Here are the top 5 most common misconceptions about fear of flying:
- It is impossible to get rid of the fear of flying.
- You suffer from it your whole life to varying degrees.
- It is a matter of willpower: by controlling your mind, you can get rid of it.
- It is necessarily linked to the fear of death.
- It only manifests because I cannot stand losing control.
All these misconceptions have one thing in common: they are wrong. One thing is certain: fear of flying is a composite but curable psychological disorder in the medium to long term – provided you find the right method.
Overcoming the fear of flying is possible!
Do not let aviophobia prevent you from taking to the skies! Fofly.com has been the specialist in fear of flying and its various treatments since 2011, notably through workshops in several cities in France, in-flight accompaniment, and distance learning courses.
On our website, you will find help and expert advice, as well as the support of professionals specialized in therapies for overcoming the fear of flying.
Overcome your flight anxiety with techniques passed on directly by an airline pilot and professional trainer, and a psychologist specialized in psychological disorders related to aviophobia.
Advice, workshops, and distance learning courses
Fofly.com is your go-to resource for thoroughly treating the symptoms and roots of disorders that cause fear of flying, regardless of its degree, from mild anxiety to phobia and avoidance.
On these pages, you will find everything you need so that no psychological barrier prevents you from fully enjoying your travels, holidays, and business trips, in France and around the world!
Why workshops for the fear of flying?
Fear of flying is sometimes fueled by self-conditioning that increases the longer it goes untreated. Different degrees of fear can then affect passengers: discomfort, stress, anxiety, phobia...
The milder degrees of flight anxiety do not prevent flying, but at the cost of discomfort and sleepless nights. Avoidance strategies may come into play to lower one's level of awareness: pills, alcohol, in-flight distractions... But in all cases, they only serve to postpone the problem.
Treating fear of flying in depth
The surest solution to get rid of fear of flying (whatever the degree) is to treat it thoroughly and lastingly with the help of professionals. Methods exist, and they have proven their effectiveness. For example, the workshops offered on Fofly.com have existed since 2011. They have treated more than 800 people with a very high success rate, with 95% of participants managing to fly again after a one-day workshop.
The workshops allow the necessary time to be devoted to treating aviophobia in several stages. They help build resilience to the fear of flying so that you can enjoy your air travel in full awareness in the short term.
Whether in person or remotely, our courses and workshops develop a set of complementary methods based on the best of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
How to cure the fear of flying:
- Cognitive aspect: acquiring knowledge about aircraft and the world of aviation safety
- Behavioral aspect: deciphering your fear, analyzing negative thoughts, and replacing them with positive thoughts and relaxation
- Experimentation: confronting situations that cause stress in order to apply what was learned in the workshop, through virtual reality and eventually a real flight.
Where does the fear of flying come from?
Fear of flying is a complex phobia. It can take many forms and many degrees. Its manifestations range from anxious profiles to phobic ones. It often triggers avoidance maneuvers, from the most harmless (distractions, alcohol, medication...) to the most radical (staying away from airports and airlines!).
Whatever the nature and form it takes, it is possible to get rid of it for good and discover the pleasure of flying without anxiety and without second thoughts.
What psychology tells us
The psychology of fear of flying provides us with valuable insights to learn the mechanisms that allow us to control our mind (we implement them in our workshops and courses).
Anxiety, phobia, or simple discomfort: fears related to flying most often stem from associated disorders that are triggered by the situation of being in the air.
The following psychological disorders may come into play, depending on the individual:
- Aerophobia
- Claustrophobia
- Aquaphobia when flying over the sea or ocean
- Agoraphobia
- Social fears
- Fear of death
- Emetophobia (fear of vomiting)
- Irrational fears related to mechanical failures
- Weather-related anxieties
- False beliefs about turbulence or air pockets
- Fear of takeoff or landing
- Etc.
It is difficult to sort through them: sometimes, several of these fears intertwine and feed off each other. They have one thing in common: they are disproportionate and overlook the fact that air travel is an ultra-safe mode of transport, far safer than the car.
To free yourself from them, solutions exist, which we reveal on Fofly.com and during workshops led by fear of flying professionals.
Assess your level of fear of flying
Identifying what your air travel anxiety is made of is often the first step toward recovery. Which psychological disorders are involved, to what degree, what are your symptoms, what are your avoidance maneuvers... Putting words to your fears is fundamental to starting a recovery program.
To assess all these elements together, you can answer our questionnaire right now to evaluate your fear of flying.
Overcoming the fear of flying for good: Workshops and courses
Fear of flying workshops
The workshops take place over one day and involve several qualified professionals. They will allow you to learn and exchange with an aviation and air safety specialist in the person of an airline pilot. They involve a psychologist specialized in CBT and fear of flying.
During the course, they will pass on key educational elements to short-circuit your negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. The workshop then allows you to apply what you have learned by experiencing a virtual reality flight in a reassuring setting. Confrontation with the triggering elements of anxiety is the key to effectively overcoming your fears with proven results.
Distance learning course
You cannot travel to one of our centers, or the dates of our workshops are not compatible with your schedule? Fofly.com offers you an effective alternative with individual distance learning courses, in direct contact with professionals (pilot and psychologist). These courses are available year-round and provide all the educational content of our workshops in a condensed and easily digestible format, from the comfort of your home.
In-person workshops
Take part in a one-day workshop in Paris or Marseille with an airline pilot and a specialized psychologist.
Available with and without flight
E-learning
Follow a complete and flexible distance learning course, available year-round from the comfort of your home.