Camberley, Surrey (PRWEB) May 29, 2012
A sweaty brow, clammy palms, gazing up and down for the reassuring smile of an attendant, or not even considering boarding the plane in the first place – all telltale signs of aerophobia, otherwise known as a fear of flying.
So, what is it that makes flying such a terrifying prospect for some in the first place, and more importantly – what can be done to help sufferers to overcome it?
Most individuals who suffer from a fear of flying will already be well aware that it is, in fact, the safest mode of transportation.
According to statistics, the odds of dying in a plane crash stand at around 11 million to one – considerably lower than the odds of a person meeting their fate in a road accident at around 8,000 to one**.
With advances in technology and aviation safety, reassuring ‘odds’ aren’t the only figures that provide comfort. Apparently, the chances of surviving a plane crash are now far higher than they used to be; with over 90% of incidents now reporting survivors***. So what is there to worry about?
Well whilst these statistics are indeed interesting and relieving to the average flyer, to a person who is too distressed to fly at all they will probably mean very little.
The traditional approach to tackling aerophobia tends to be helping the sufferer to understand the facts – how does the craft stay in the air, what if the engine fails, what is the risk of anything happening? – but appealing to a person’s rational side will be of no benefit to a sufferer who is entirely phobic. So, in cases such as these, what treatment methods could be of use?
Whilst the cause of aerophobia will differ between individuals, it is a problem that manifests itself emotionally and psychologically – therefore responding best to treatments that are designed to work at this level.
Clinical hypnotherapy and NLP techniques have a great proven track record for treating phobias, using the power of the mind to overcome challenges and negative behaviour patterns.
Hypnotherapist Mo Ferrington specialises in a fear of flying and has helped many clients to conquer their fear from her Renfrewshire based practice.
“Flying borders a control problem”, she says, “As the client feels at the mercy of the pilot.”
Mo goes onto explain how the majority of clients harbouring this type of anxiety will be extremely wound up and in great need of some relaxation.
Each session – of which there is typically four – will focus on inducing a deeply relaxed state in the client, so that existing patterns of behaviour can be reprogrammed, the client can become calmer, and a more rational understanding of flying can gradually begin to develop.
During the final hypnosis session – which generally takes place the day before the flight – Mo takes the client through the entire experience whilst they are in a trance. From waking up and zipping the suitcase closed through to closing the overhead locker.
“The feel of sitting on the plane, the noises about them and so on. All in such detail that when the client is actually on the flight they will hear my voice in their head reminding them that all is well and they will be fine”, she said.
Birmingham based hypnotherapist Kelly Anne Hill helps her clients to overcome aerophobia using a combination of NLP and suggestion hypnotherapy.
In cases where clients require fast results, Kelly uses what is known as the NLP Swish Technique – used to quickly reframe negative emotions and fears and focus on positivity and good feelings.
With clients for whom time is not an issue, however, Kelly prefers to first use suggestion hypnotherapy to allow them to create a positive outlook and gradually change their perspective of flying –later following up with the Swish Technique in the final session if necessary.
Whilst there are plenty of self-help books and thousands upon thousands of Internet articles and helpful tips available to help individuals overcome a fear of flying, these are no substitutes for the help of a qualified professional.
A hypnotherapist is not just there to ensure a client successfully overcomes their fear, but also to provide ongoing support and motivation until the client is happy that the changes made are permanent.
So for those who are waiting to book that long-awaited summer holiday, to take that flight to see a relative abroad or to finally be able to say yes to flying for business meetings – visiting Hypnotherapy Directory could provide the solution.
With an extensive library of fact-sheets – including information about fear of flying – and a countrywide database of qualified hypnotherapists, the website encompasses everything needed to help sufferers conquer that fear and get on-board.
References
*Based on a survey of 40 visitors to Hypnotherapy Directory.
**Roper, M. (2008) Scientists calculate odd ways to die, The Daily Mirror. Available:http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/scientists-calculate-odd-ways-to-die-282884
***Harrison, M. (2006)| How to survive a plane crash, BBC News. Available:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5402342.stm
