Out of the plane
How stressful is it for you when you're sitting in heavy traffic and you can't move your car or taking a plane and you have a fear of flying? Is it stressful when you know you're going to take a plane ride?
I had an opportunity recently to talk to a young woman who was anticipating a plane trip for a holiday and, if I said she wasn't looking forward to it, that would be putting it mildly. It brought back the memory of a psychology experiment I recalled and an expression I often use, as a result.
The experiment was on anticipatory anxiety and it involved a group of volunteers who were going to go sky diving for the first time. They measured the anxiety levels of all the people prior to the day of the jump, while getting into the plane and when they were sitting waiting for the jump and while they were in the jump. Know what they found? Their anxiety actually went down as they prepared for their jump because they felt there was nothing they could do now except jump and they were resigned to it.
So, whenever I've had something that might be anxiety-provoking for myself, I've said to myself, "Out of the plane," meaning it's in the works and I can't do much about it, so why get anxious.
When you're sitting in the car, worrying about the fact that you might be late, or getting upset because you can't even get off the freeway, or in a plane, let yourself relax and put your mind to something creative. The time can be spent in something other than getting upset or anxious. Take along an MP3 player for music or a book on tape (not tape anymore, but small MP3-like players) or muse about things you'd like to do. It's a great way to help yourself through something that could have been a drain on your energy and a stress on your mind and body.
Related Topics: Got a Phobia? Hormone May Help, The Fear Factor: Phobias
Technorati Tags: travel, fearofflying, anxiety
I had an opportunity recently to talk to a young woman who was anticipating a plane trip for a holiday and, if I said she wasn't looking forward to it, that would be putting it mildly. It brought back the memory of a psychology experiment I recalled and an expression I often use, as a result.
The experiment was on anticipatory anxiety and it involved a group of volunteers who were going to go sky diving for the first time. They measured the anxiety levels of all the people prior to the day of the jump, while getting into the plane and when they were sitting waiting for the jump and while they were in the jump. Know what they found? Their anxiety actually went down as they prepared for their jump because they felt there was nothing they could do now except jump and they were resigned to it.
So, whenever I've had something that might be anxiety-provoking for myself, I've said to myself, "Out of the plane," meaning it's in the works and I can't do much about it, so why get anxious.
When you're sitting in the car, worrying about the fact that you might be late, or getting upset because you can't even get off the freeway, or in a plane, let yourself relax and put your mind to something creative. The time can be spent in something other than getting upset or anxious. Take along an MP3 player for music or a book on tape (not tape anymore, but small MP3-like players) or muse about things you'd like to do. It's a great way to help yourself through something that could have been a drain on your energy and a stress on your mind and body.
Related Topics: Got a Phobia? Hormone May Help, The Fear Factor: Phobias
Technorati Tags: travel, fearofflying, anxiety
4 Comments:
gee. "relax". That's helpful advice. I travel a lot and always have anticipatory anxiety. Definitely not fear of flying because I always enjoy the flight. But even a simple 1 day trip leaves me sleepless the night before. I get there at least 2 hours early to be sure and can't actually relax until I'm sitting on the plane. MP3 player, books, whatever. Doesn't make any difference.
The reason for my anxiety? Not having control over what's going on. I'll drive if it's within 6 hours and be happy to do it - because I have control over averything.
I don't think that relaxing is going to help all that much as you (and the plane) plummit from the sky down to your smokey, firey death.
Even the best anxiety pills can't help with that.
How terrible, why would a person say somedthing so bad about a plain plumitting from the sky. I have suffereed with panic and anxiety for twelve years now. I find the items in this article could be useful in helping others such as myself.
The person who wrote that must be really unhappy. You should smile more it might brighten your outlook on life.
I understand that wish to be in control, but that's something that can be a major problem in travel as well as the rest of life. Sounds like the idea of travel and the anxiety associated with that loss of control has set up a negative feedback loop. The loop, then, fuels the anxiety to keep it going for every trip.
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