Confession: I'm terrified of flying

Confession: I'm terrified of flying -

I have a confession to make: I hate flying. It scares the living shit out of me. This is how my typical airport experience goes:

Before the flight: "I can not wait for a plane, and to relax and watch a few movies That will be great."

When starting: "Why are we so turn are we roll I do not like that Get me off?!?."

During the flight, I watch a movie or do work: "I can not believe that we fly Science is amazing I have Wi-Fi in the sky !! look at all the beautiful clouds.."

During turbulence:?!? "What was that noise Shall we turn so why is that bumpy ?! that was a big drop What's wrong with you die we all are !!! Ahhhh !!! "

During landing: "... breathe breathe breathe It will be OK breathe "

After the flight: " , I love to fly. Let's go do it again! "

Flying Fear gives me a lot I know knuckles grip the armrest at least half the flight And I'm not alone:.!. Have about 25% of people from flying anxiety

For me it is because I fear of heights ... or, more precisely, to fall. I do not like to beat bungee jumps, proximity to bars or even down from a tall building. it sets my heart racing and are me a little dizzy.

Heck, sometimes on high bridges, I have to go and on the floor to look down to mediate on the inside of the sidewalk.

and is also statistically but (a a dying in a plane crash, but a there in 5000 in a car in 11 million chance) is one of the safest modes of transport to fly, I do not have a similar reaction when'm driving. I feel safe because I'm in control .

"I'm going, I'm great - it's everyone else should I pay attention to," I (and most people) think

However, if we in a plane. It's all up to two strangers we've never met in front of an aluminum tube going 500 miles per hour 37,000 feet above the air.

On a rational level, I know I'm going to make it to my destination. According to MIT researchers, I could fly every day an average of 123,000 years before dying in a plane crash. But the lost sense of control freaks me out. I mean, who are these pilots? Do they have enough sleep night before? Are you healthy? Are they experienced enough to know what to do in an emergency?

I sat down recently on a flight next to a man who asked for pilots and flight attendants with addiction problems advice. On the one hand I was by the fact that FAA (not, unfortunately, in many other countries do) consoled strict rules in connection with the subject has. On the other hand I was worried how much of a problem, he told me that this was in the industry.

I'm 37,000 feet above the ground with my fate in the hands of two strangers. It combines my two greatest fears. I mean, what if we go down? You have twenty or thirty seconds sheer drop alarmingly, as you realize, that's it! (After he once experienced a rapid descent, I can tell you, it's not funny.)

I like Kristin Wiig look basically of Bridesmaids , when I in the sky:

But I fly 100,000 miles a year, so I have to learn how to deal with my fear. Flying is part of my job, and brings me to where I want to go the most efficient way -. And I want a lot of places to go

So I have three tricks to help learned fear get over the flight (or at least reduce the fear):

1. Fake it - As the saying goes, fake it till you make it. When I fly, as I introduce myself as a normal person. What would a person not Flugangst doing right now? They would sit there, read the in-flight magazine or sleep and be calm. You would tune out. So I turn on my headphones, take a deep breath, and read a book or to focus on a movie. I tune out my fear and pretend it does not exist. I distract my mind and have it focus on something else. This trick works wonders, by the time I tune back in, we are at cruising altitude and the fear is gone

2. to recite the facts - I like reciting facts about aviation safety to assure itself that airplanes are safe and I'll be fine. I repeat myself always things like "Airplanes are sure airplanes are safe. They have strict safety rules" or "Turbulence does not cause plane crashes. It is only changes in air flow." Or "Cars are much more dangerous." Use your mind the fear realize how stupid and how there is no reason for you to be afraid. , The fact that we make as a society from plane crashes a big deal, because they are

3. Drink so rare - If I do not falsify it may or my mind does not work, I drink to calm my nerves. It works wonders. On long flights, it is me, this mini-bottles of wine (or Ambien) and sleep until my goal. Sometimes just to take the edge is the only way to deal with it.

It was not always so - I used rollercoasters to love heights, flying, and was a bridge from falling not afraid - but something changed greatly in recent years.

Now I see from the plane down and think: "We are far above We have screwed up Somebody get me a glass of wine..!"

So while I may never about my fear of flying had, I can manage it and not let it control me.

After a few deep breaths to realize some wine, there are safety standards in place and the zone to leave up to date Hunger Games , soothe I, enjoy the flight, and marvel at the science that brings me halfway around the world in 15 hours.

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