UP IN THE AIR: THREE STEPS TO MANAGE YOUR IN-FLIGHT ANXIETY Alongside the therapy options discussed here, there are simple, practical steps you can take when you’re midflight. If you feel your fear starting to rise alongside the altitude, try these useful tips from Harry:
HOW CAN WE FLY WITHOUT FEAR? Understanding why flying can cause anxiety is one thing, but knowing what to do about it is another. Fortunately there are several different treatments available, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and fear of flying programmes run by airlines, which explain the more technical aspects of flying. Harry notes that a good therapy programme should engage both the conscious and subconscious aspects of the mind to be effective – and this is where hypnotherapy steps in. “It is useful to think of the human mind as consisting of two layers. The outer layer is our conscious mind, which deals with our daily decisionmaking processes, and is intelligent, realistic, logical, and proactive. “When capacity is reached, any additional information is stored away in the filing system of the subconscious mind, which is concerned with our emotions, 52 • happiful • May 2019
1. Listen to a song on your phone and pay attention to the lyrics. Switch the device off and try to repeat the words from memory. Repeat with other songs. Using noise-cancelling headphones will also help to block out unfamiliar technical noises from the cabin.
imagination, and memories, as well as our sympathetic nervous system that controls the functioning of our fight or flight response.” He tells us that when we encounter something unfamiliar, such as turbulence, we learn a particular behaviour in response. Every time something similar happens, our reactions attached to the memory are triggered. For some of us, this means we experience anxiety symptoms.
2. If you’re worried by turbulence, place a cup halffull of water on the tray table. Notice that the turbulence hardly disturbs the water (what can feel like plunging hundreds of feet is actually only a matter of inches!). 3. Learn abdominal breathing (guidance on this can be found online) as it’s not possible to manifest full-blown physical symptoms of a panic attack while doing it – and knowing this could help to prevent one!
With hypnotherapy you can reprogramme your old or unwanted behaviour patterns and create new, more positive ones