How To Get Over a Fear of Flight

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ABCNews.com

The horror of hijacked planes taken on suicide missions has kept peopleoff
airplanes but doctors have tips for getting back in the air.

"Since Sept. 11, there is a new population of people afraid to fly becauseof a specific fear of terrorist attack," said Dr. Jonathan Slater, a psychiatrist at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. A recent ABCNEWS.com poll showed that 42 percent of Americans surveyed were worried about air terrorism.

These fears are reflected in the dramatic falloff in airline passengers since the terrorist attacks. Northwest Airlines saw a 34 percent drop inthe number of passengers flying in September compared to one year ago, andUnited Airlines is set to reduce departures by 27 percent.

How to Cope

If you're one of the many left wondering how you'll ever set foot in aplane again, there are several coping strategies doctors believe can help.

First, become emotionally prepared. Doctors say people feel better if theyknow they are prepared for any situation.

Second, talk yourself through the situation. Slater refers to thistechnique as "selftalk." This includes thinking logically about the situation, and realizing that the odds of anything bad happening are very low.

Third, keep your mind busy. An excellent behavioral strategy to help calm those frayed nerves is to occupy yourself with a book, music, orpracticing relaxation techniques and breathing exercises.

A High-Tech Solution

Another method to combat terrorist related and other types of flying fears is the virtual reality airplane, first developed at Emory University in Atlanta.

The treatment begins with a few preliminary therapy sessions in which patients are taught various anxiety management and breathing techniques. "When patients are ready for exposure we use the virtual plane. We can simulate taking off and landing, so people can become more comfortable," said Dr. Barbara Rothbaum, director of the trauma and anxiety recovery program at Emory School of Medicine. Rothbaum said a recent study of this technique has found it to be very effective in treating people who are afraid to fly.

Children's Fears

While these strategies can be used effectively by adults, experts agreethat children must be treated differently. "The parents' response will very much influence the child's response,"said Slater. "Fear is very contagious from adult to child."

Parents therefore need to be careful not to show fear around theirchildren, and to reassure them that they wouldn't be flying if it weren't safe. Doctors also agree that children need to be shielded from a lot of the information surrounding the terrorist attacks. "I think we need to limit the information kids are getting. Sometimes it's too much and too scary," said Rothbaum