Overcoming my fear of flying was one of the biggest turning points for me. When I first decided to get back into shape after recovering from a sports injury, I thought that conquering my fear of flying would be an easy task. I would just need to find the right mental exercises and learn to conquer my anxiety and fear. What I soon found out however, is that it's not as easy as that. This article is going to talk about overcoming fear of flying, or VF, and what you can do to get rid of this phobia.
First off, what is VF? It's a disorder where an individual is completely terrified of flying. VF is actually defined as an anxiety disorder that is persistent. It is something that attacks your mind when you are on the airplane, or even a ride in an automobile. To put it simply, when you're afraid of flying, you cannot let yourself even consider getting on a plane.
So how can you overcome your fear of flying and start conquering your VF? It all starts with eliminating all the possible causes of VF. The most common of those causes is turbulence. Turbulence causes you to experience an increase in turbulence while flying. So the first step to conquering VF is to eliminate all possible causes of turbulence, which include: high altitudes, long flights, long periods of flying, etc.
Once you eliminate all possible causes of turbulence, I would then recommend you start changing your mindset. Before you go on a flight, you should visualize yourself being comfortable on the plane. For me, I usually would visualize myself walking through the airport, or sitting next to a flight attendant. I would feel like I was talking to her, and feeling like she was a good friend. After that, I would slowly close my eyes and pretend that I am cruising the plane.
This may not be easy for some, but I can assure you that it is very effective. If you really are serious about conquering your fear of flying, and if you want to eliminate VF completely, you need to change your way of thinking. Try to visualize yourself cruising the plane with a friend next to you, and you will soon feel comfortable with the thought of cruising. Visualizing yourself on a good flight is one of the best ways of conquering your VF.
Another thing you can do to begin conquering your VF is to write down anything you have ever feared about flying, and read it out loud. Once you finish reading your fear, write down two things that you can start doing now to conquer that fear. That way, when you get on that plane, your heart will be filled with confidence, instead of fear.
So what is the most effective way of conquering your VF? Well, you have two choices: to fly with absolutely no fear at all, or to overcome your fear of flying with as much ease as possible. Which choice would you rather be living with?
In the book, Learn How To Overcome Your Fears Of Flying, Michael J. Sage discusses this in great detail. His techniques will help you conquer your VF. However, I must warn you that conquering your fear of flying might take some time. However, if you persist, eventually you will be able to get that plane into the sky.
There are many ways to deal with fear of flying. You could try some hypnosis techniques, you could take a trip to your local flight school (there are plenty of these around), or you could simply do your best to stay calm. When you get to your destination, try to take pictures of the scenery. This will help to relax your mind, and help you conquer your VF. The more relaxed you are, the better your chances will be of not dreading your next flight. You can also try breathing exercises to help calm your body.
Once you get off the plane, you will naturally experience some fear at first. But don't let that stop you. Instead of immediately crashing into the ground (which won't help you feel any better), think about how you just survived your previous flight. Remember how your fear of flying seemed to paralyze you. If you can remember that, perhaps you can overcome your fear of flying. Remember that if you are feeling nervous during a flight, it is perfectly normal.
It may even help to talk to an airline pilot before you fly. Because they have been there before and probably feel the exact same way as you, they will be able to give you some pointers. If they cannot help you, your local library has plenty of books on flying, or you can always check the internet for more advice. But remember, if you can get over your VF, there is no need to avoid flying altogether.