When the pilot comes on the PA system and says, “Sit back, relax and enjoy the flight,” some people go yes, okay! They hum their prayers, maintaining a deadly grip on arm comfort or a fellow passenger’s arm, and simply wait for torture to end. While the Air India accident in Ahmedabad has also reconsidered some experienced flyers on their travel plans, people who are suffering from aviopobia or are more reasious to panic from fear of flight.Bangalore -based advisor Donna Baby is one of them. Every time she closes her eyes tightly to take off an aircraft, and closes prayers under her breath. She also tries to distract herself during the journey by watching movies on her phone. Nevertheless, restlessness does not fade. “I think what scare me how serious things can be found when something is wrong,” she says.After the news of the accident, many others posted their fear and concern on social media. In a LinkedIn Post, entrepreneur Jyoti Bhardwaj wrote how she always fly in a panic state: heart racing, palms sweat, scanning the faces of flight attendants for a slight change in expression. “Ever since I became a mother, this fear has deepened, it is almost original. It’s not about me anymore,” she says.Even though the flight is considered to be the safest way to travel statistically today, 40% of the people close to the International Citizen Aviation Organization (ICAO), some forms in relation to air travel. Clinical psychologist Mehul Pandey says, many factors combine to give birth to this aviofobia. “The fear of unknown increases while traveling in the air, as there is little possibility of survival or calling for immediate help during emergency time, or even to contact loved ones. In-flight turbulance often adds to their concerns. There is a feeling of suspended between fate and belief, ”says Pandey.She says that she sees many patients who take worry pills or therapy sessions before taking flights, despite continuous flying. “It deteriorates for those who already have issues of OCD or general anxiety, as they are not under control of a car,” she says.However, there are also interesting methods that people have found to remove this phobia. A Bengaluru -based firm Cockpit Vista, which was established by Dinesh K. Dinesh, retired Indian Air Force Wing Commander, conducts courses that help people to face their fear. Since being established in 2016, Kargil’s veteran Dinesh says he has trained over 2,000 people. For individual courses that cost up to Rs 5,000 per hour, the team uses a real -sized cockpit simulator. The simulator-based session exposes participants to various technical aspects of aviation and psychology around it. This is followed by a real flight with a specialist who takes the message home.Says Dinesh, “Everything that includes it is originally telling the courses taking the course what happens on the flight, how it controls the pilot airplane, and plays air traffic control.” They are allowed to sit in the cockpit and fly almost an aircraft, so that the process can feel more confident about.Whenever a plane crash occurs anywhere in the world, the number of questions increases manifold, they say. Those who sign up are not only flyer for the first time, but also the travelers who travel in the past, and were triggered due to news or bad personal experiences. Some of them experience fear to the extent that they are unable to ride in a flight even during the time of family or health emergency situations.Pandey says that rebuilding fear and using deep breathing techniques can help reduce anxiety and regulate the nervous system. Creating a ‘comfort toolkit’ for flight may also help a cool playlist or podcast, a favorite book, and chewing gum or snacks.
