For many, planning a dream holiday is the perfect escape from the seemingly endless grind of the daily routine. And with airline prices at an all time low, many more people are planning cheap holidays to exotic destinations. Of course, a dream vacation can quickly turn into a living nightmare if you suffer from aerophobia, the fear of flying.

What is Aerophobia?
Aerophobia is considered an irrational fear of flying where sufferers will feel inexplicable anxiety and panic about flying. Aerophobia exists in various stages, with some sufferers experiencing shortness of breath and queasiness but others will find that their fear is so great they won’t be able to fly, even on short flights. Unfortunately, the fear can be quite debilitating especially when flying and travel has become an essential part of many jobs.

For those who suffer from acute bouts of aerophobia, there are number of relaxation and coping techniques to help sufferers overcome their anxiety and conquer their fears. Consider some of these ideas:

Educate yourself – part of your anxiety can stem from the fear of the unknown so understanding more about the mechanics and physics of aviation can help. Find out more about how flying works, what sort of backup systems are in place in case something fails and familiarise yourself with safety procedures. Do research online or ask a friend to find out more the next time they go on a trip.

Get help –You don’t have to do this alone. Support and treatments are available such as hypnotherapy that can help you relax and control your fears. Sometimes, you can trace the origin of your phobia to a particular incident or traumatic event that may even be blocked from the sufferer’s conscious memory. Therapists can help pinpoint these moments which will help you better understand your fear so that you may be able to ultimately control it.

Desensitize yourself – if you’re running out of a plane every time you feel anxious about flying, it’s much harder to just get “used to” the experience. Try to simulate the situation and the circumstances that make you feel most on edige. Watching movies or reading articles may help recreate the feeling of anxiety you may feel on a plane. Use breathing exercises to calm down the moment you feel the nerves coming on. The important thing is to try and control the fear, instead of letting your fears control you.

Work your way up - don’t jump on a long haul flight to Europe, if you’ve got the jitterbugs about flying. Start local and work your way up to longer flights. An Australia holiday, with just an hour or so in the air, is a better starting point for those who are uneasy about air travel. You should give yourself plenty of time to adjust to the experience.

You are not alone – there are a number of support groups where sufferers can share their fears and the successful techniques they’ve used to overcome them. Sometimes just being a part of a community of like-minded people is enough to inspire and conquer the fear.

Medication – Another final option is medication for relaxation that has been prescribed by a medical professional. Most physicians do believe that aerophobia can generally be controlled without medical assistance. Consider medication as a last resort.