Aviophobia Information
Aviophobia is a fear of flying of being on a plane while in flight. Fear of flying may be a distinct phobia in itself, or it may be an indirect manifestation of one or more other phobias, such as Claustrophobia (a fear of enclosed spaces) or Acrophobia (a fear of heights). It may have other causes as well. It is a symptom rather than a disease, and different causes may bring it about in different individuals.Fear of flying receives more attention than most other phobias because air travel is often difficult for people to avoid especially in professional contexts and because the fear is widespread, affecting a significant minority of the population.
A fear of flying may prevent a person from going on vacations or visiting family and friends, and it can cripple the career of a businessperson by preventing him or her from traveling on work-related business. Despite its ubiquity, commercial air travel continues to cause a significant proportion of the public and some members of the aircrew to feel Anxiety. When this Anxiety reaches a level that significantly interferes with a person's ability to travel by air, it becomes a fear of flying
Aviophobia Causes
The fear of flying may be created by various other phobias and fears such as; a fear of closed in spaces (Claustrophobia), such as that of an aircraft cabin, a fear of heights (Acrophobia), a feeling of not being in control, fear of having Panic Attacks in certain places, where escape would be difficult and/or embarrassing (Agoraphobia), fear of hijacking or terrorism, fear of turbulence, fear of flying over water or night flying, fear of crashing resulting in injury or death.
Aviophobia Treatments
In some cases, educating people with a fear of flying about the realities of aviation can considerably diminish their fears. Learning how aircraft fly, how airliners are flown in practice, and other aspects of aviation can assist people with a fear of flying in overcoming its irrational nature. Many people have overcome their fear of flying by learning to fly or skydive, and effectively removing their fear of the unknown. Behavioral therapies for fear of flying such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Systematic Desensitization rest on the theory that phobia is due an initial sensitizing event (ISE) that has created the feelings of fear. In other words, the initial sensitizing event was the first time that the person felt those intense feelings of fear.
Fear of flying may be treated by the use of psychoactive medications. For individuals experiencing Anxiety due to a phobia, the standard psychiatric prescription might be any of a number of different psychoactive medications such as benzodiazepines or other relaxant/depressant drugs. Psychiatrists are sometimes reluctant to prescribe any medication for the treatment of fear of flying due to the need for patients to medicate irregularly. Some individuals with fear of flying may self-medicate with other psychoactive substances-particularly alcohol, which is served in many commercial airline cabins-in order to deal with their Anxiety. Most mental health professionals would advise against consuming alcohol as a medication both due to the strong risk of dependency (Alcoholism) and due to the particular physiological effects on the body of air travel.
Aviophobia is a fear of flying of being on a plane while in flight. Fear of flying may be a distinct phobia in itself, or it may be an indirect manifestation of one or more other phobias, such as Claustrophobia (a fear of enclosed spaces) or Acrophobia (a fear of heights). It may have other causes as well. It is a symptom rather than a disease, and different causes may bring it about in different individuals.Fear of flying receives more attention than most other phobias because air travel is often difficult for people to avoid especially in professional contexts and because the fear is widespread, affecting a significant minority of the population.
A fear of flying may prevent a person from going on vacations or visiting family and friends, and it can cripple the career of a businessperson by preventing him or her from traveling on work-related business. Despite its ubiquity, commercial air travel continues to cause a significant proportion of the public and some members of the aircrew to feel Anxiety. When this Anxiety reaches a level that significantly interferes with a person's ability to travel by air, it becomes a fear of flying
Aviophobia Causes
The fear of flying may be created by various other phobias and fears such as; a fear of closed in spaces (Claustrophobia), such as that of an aircraft cabin, a fear of heights (Acrophobia), a feeling of not being in control, fear of having Panic Attacks in certain places, where escape would be difficult and/or embarrassing (Agoraphobia), fear of hijacking or terrorism, fear of turbulence, fear of flying over water or night flying, fear of crashing resulting in injury or death.
Aviophobia Treatments
In some cases, educating people with a fear of flying about the realities of aviation can considerably diminish their fears. Learning how aircraft fly, how airliners are flown in practice, and other aspects of aviation can assist people with a fear of flying in overcoming its irrational nature. Many people have overcome their fear of flying by learning to fly or skydive, and effectively removing their fear of the unknown. Behavioral therapies for fear of flying such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Systematic Desensitization rest on the theory that phobia is due an initial sensitizing event (ISE) that has created the feelings of fear. In other words, the initial sensitizing event was the first time that the person felt those intense feelings of fear.
Fear of flying may be treated by the use of psychoactive medications. For individuals experiencing Anxiety due to a phobia, the standard psychiatric prescription might be any of a number of different psychoactive medications such as benzodiazepines or other relaxant/depressant drugs. Psychiatrists are sometimes reluctant to prescribe any medication for the treatment of fear of flying due to the need for patients to medicate irregularly. Some individuals with fear of flying may self-medicate with other psychoactive substances-particularly alcohol, which is served in many commercial airline cabins-in order to deal with their Anxiety. Most mental health professionals would advise against consuming alcohol as a medication both due to the strong risk of dependency (Alcoholism) and due to the particular physiological effects on the body of air travel.
