Therapeutic Travel Tips
Worried you’ll miss your connecting flight? Turbulence got you feeling shaky? Cabin pressure got you feeling under pressure? You’re not alone, and you also have more control than you might think. Feeling anxious on a plane is pretty common, but there are plenty of ways to manage your nerves!
The specific fear of flying is called aviophobia, which is defined an intense, irrational fear that exceeds the actual dangers associated with flying. According to (dated) estimates from the National Institute of Mental Health (NAMI), approximately 2.5% to 6.5% of the population experience this specific phobia, but a significantly larger percentage people experience symptoms of anxiety - and being in an airplane without control over the situation or the ability to leave the plane happens to be a prime trigger for anxious worry.
If you have been clinically diagnosed with a specific phobia, therapy can help! Especially Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy with a licensed specialist. Even without a diagnosis of a phobia, feeling nervous about flying is a fairly common experience. Flight anxiety doesn’t have to keep you grounded! Here are my tips to help you travel like a pro, even when your anxiety stows away for the trip:
Knowledge is power. Research how a plane actually flies to gain a basic understanding of how the giant hunk of metal you’re sitting in gets into the sky and somehow flies safely. I would also suggest learning what turbulence is so you know what’s happening when you feel the plane move. Knowing these things can help you rationally reframe negative automatic thoughts of worry that something is wrong with the plane when you feel it jolting by reminding yourself what’s actually happening from your research.
Flight attendants are awesome. Flight attendants don’t just serve drinks and snacks - they receive training to keep passengers safe. This includes first-aid training, CPR, and helping passengers manage panic attacks and anxiety. If you are prone to panic attacks or feel especially anxious on the day of travel, tell the flight attendant who greets you as soon as you get on the plane. Tell them your seat number and ask them to check on you during the flight. It’s part of their job, and just knowing someone is looking out for you can sometimes be relieving.
Engage your senses. Anxious thoughts of worry tend to be about the future - What could happen? What if something bad happens? What are we going to do? Reorient yourself to the present moment using your five senses. What can you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch? You can give yourself a sense of control by bringing items to engage your senses in ways that are calming and pleasing to you:
Pack an essential oil roller or scented lotion to overpower the smell of the McDonald’s someone inevitably brought on the plane.
Hard candies or flavored gum are great for extended tasting experiences (and ear popping!).
Listening to music, calming nature noises, podcasts, or guided meditations can help the time pass and engage your sense of hearing.
Play “I spy” with yourself to name something in the plane for each color of the rainbow. If you’re fortunate enough to have a window seat, look out the window!
This might be obvious, but wear comfortable clothes! I like to bring a soft travel pillow to squeeze, and I’d also recommend bringing something to hold (or squeeze) that feels nice.
Engage yourself. Refocus your attention toward activities you can bring with you. I like to categorize these beneficial distractions into two categories - active and passive:
Active - Activities that you can actively engage in, such as writing, playing a video game, card games, puzzles, or drawing.
Passive - Activities that include consuming material, such as watching a movie or listening to a podcast.
Download your media. We all know that the Wi-Fi on planes can be unreliable. Download your music, movies, and/or podcasts ahead of time so you’re not stuck searching for a signal that might not come.
Mirror the calm. Find someone on the flight who seems calm and match their vibe. This might be a flight attendant or the person with the window seat who falls asleep as soon as the plane takes off. Use them as an anchor to remind yourself that if they’re fine, you’re fine too.
Mind your mantra. Before your flight, develop a personalized mantra to repeat to yourself in moments of stress and uncertainty. Find one that works for you and practice it before you depart when you’re feeling calm. I’m a big fan of Positive Psychology, which emphasizes “I am…” statements:
I am safe.
I am visiting a loved one.
I am capable. I am brave.
I am fulfilling my values by traveling to new places.
I am a world traveler.
Visualize. You’re flying. How amazing is that?! If the idea of flying in a machine freaks you out, try visualizing yourself flying like a bird or like Superman. This might seem basic and silly, but seeing yourself in your mind’s eye outside of the plane and flying on your own can give you a sense of control and spark the wonder and amazement that humans are capable of flight.
Exhale. When we’re feeling anxious, our bodies naturally start to hyperventilate to supply our blood with more oxygen to help our muscles fight off or run away from danger. This is an automatic process that is actually unhelpful because it can cause muscle tension and an increased heart rate when there’s nothing to fight off and no need to run away. Focus on exhaling slowly, as if you’re blowing out a birthday candle. You can also try using the box breathing method or the alternate nostril breathing technique taught in yoga practices.
Calm the body down. Your body may be naturally more tense when you’re feeling anxious. As stated before, this is part of an automatic fight-or-flight response. Do a body scan, starting at the top of your head and going down to the tip of your toes and notice how tense your body is. Take a few deep breaths and focus on relaxing your muscles as you scan down your body. A great way to do this is through progressive muscle relaxation, which you can use as a meditation at any point during the flight.
Get up! Whether you’re in a window seat or an aisle seat, you are allowed to stand up on planes whenever the flight attendants or pilot indicate that it is safe to do so. Even if you don’t want to bother the other passengers in your row, they will (or should) move for you to get up. By standing or going to the bathroom (whether you need to use it or not), you can remind yourself that you do, in fact, have some control and are not completely stuck in your seat.
Drink, eat, and be merry. Dehydration and hunger can cause physical and emotional discomfort that can trigger or mimic anxiety. Bring snacks and a water bottle to fill at the airport before your flight so you can take care of your body. If you get motion sickness or an upset stomach when you’re nervous, be sure to eat before you get to the airport so you have time to digest before getting on the plane.
If you experience intense anxiety or panic attacks, be sure to mention this to your therapist so you can spend some time in sessions preparing for your travels and practicing coping strategies before you depart. Practice makes perfect, and practicing your coping skills before your trip can increase the effectiveness of these skills when you need to use them. Safe travels, and happy flying!