Breaking Free from the Fear of Flying: How Hypnotherapy Can Help You Soar.

Image of a serene swan on water at sunset, symbolizing calmness despite underlying effort and turmoil, metaphorically representing overcoming imposter syndrome.

Having a fear of flying can be a major obstacle to living a rich and fulfilling life. Flight phobia is one of the most common fears that I address with clients and can often go hand in hand with claustrophobia. Not only do you have to endure suffering and mental anguish whenever you need to board a plane, but it can also have a detrimental impact on relationships, careers, and holidays.

The Emotional Toll of Aerophobia: Why Flying Feels Unbearable:

Aerophobia, the fear of flying, can manifest in many ways, such as a fear of planes, take-off, turbulence, or even getting locked in a plane. For many, the airport itself can be a daunting and stressful place. What makes it more challenging is when others make light of the fear of flying. While well-intentioned, statements like "air travel is the safest form of transport" often don’t help. Phobias and fears are subconscious reactions to a trigger. Even if we consciously know we’re safe, emotional triggers can still leave us overwhelmed with anxiety.

How does a fear of flying affect you?

For some, the fear of air travel may be too strong, and they’ll structure their lives in a way that completely avoids any air travel. Others will push on through their fear but nevertheless fear extreme discomfort. Sometimes we are left with no option and are forced to take a flight.

If you’ve ever had to board a plane and fight through the anxiety and fears, you’ll be familiar with the stress and apprehension that can build up in the days preceding the flight. Arriving at the airport can trigger even stronger fears and anxiety, alongside irrational, catastrophic thoughts.

Symptoms that you may be familiar with include:

• Nausea, feeling sick

• Tension headaches or migraines

• An increase in heart rate and blood pressure

• Sweaty palms

• Erratic breathing

• Palpitations

• Racing thoughts

• Forgetfulness

• Short temper

In anticipation of the journey, you may also be suffering from panic attacks or sleepless nights.

What causes a fear of flying?

You’re not born with a flight phobia. Like other irrational fears, a fear of flying is a learnt pattern of behaviour. For some reason, at some point in your life, you create and store negative patterns of behaviour in your subconscious mind. These negative patterns could have been learnt from others, typically family or friends, or created following a traumatic incident.

The patterns are stored deep within your subconscious mind, and associated with unconscious anxious reactions. When triggered, it creates a subconscious reaction, that can feel overwhelming, and puts us into a way of thinking that limits our ability to think clearly and with perspective.

It can be hard to overcome this fearful reactive with conscious thinking, as the more we think about the trigger and associated fear, the more our subconscious, anxious response is amplified.

How can I stop being scared of flying?

The positive news is that you don’t need to live with a fear of flying. Hypnotherapy is incredibly effective in enabling people to overcome specific fears and phobias in a short period of time. You’ll be able to feel calmer, more relaxed and in control, which in turn can open up a whole new world of opportunities.

Learn to enjoy the prospect of flying

Using a proven technique to remove the emotion and power in these negative patterns, Solution-Focused hypnotherapy allows you to feel in control, relaxed and think rationally. In as few as 3-4 sessions, you can regain control over how you react to the prospect of flying. Indeed this process can be used to remove other irrational fears and phobias.

You can quickly overcome your fear of flying

After an initial consultation, which includes a full explanation of the science behind how phobias and irrational fears are created, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy uses practical, safe and proven techniques which draw upon the latest research from neuroscience, and could enable you to actually start enjoying air travel!

Hypnotherapy is a relaxing, positive and enjoying process. Like most things, success is dependent upon your full participation and desire to change.

If you are ready and motivated to live a full life, free from the fear, anxiety and restrictions created by a fear of flying, then Hypnotherapy could be that catalyst to positive change.

The first step is to reach out for an initial conversation, to discuss your needs and establish whether Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a good fit for you.