Coping with a fear of air travel

There are numerous mathematical statistics that all point towards the likelihood of a plane crashing being in the hundreds of thousands. Of course, statistics alone are not enough to alleviate the fear, however, and it is beneficial to learn about the mechanics of the plane.

Inform yourself beforehand about the mechanics of air travel
For every one hour a plane is flying, there are twelve hours of maintenance serviced. There is also more than one piece of back-up equipment for anything that has the possibility to fail. Use the Internet to look up the safety procedures, flying mechanisms and the amount of labour-hours put into securing a safe flight. Alternatively, use the local library to research planes. By arming yourself with as much knowledge as possible there is no unknown to fear, just the sensation of flying itself. Turbulence has never caused a plane to crash; there is no record of this ever happening and the way planes are designed and maintained, this should never occur. By knowing this information you can think rationally on board the plane when you experience turbulence. Familiarising yourself with air travel procedures can only help lessen any fears you hold about flying.

Ways to deal with the fear of air travel on board the plane
There a number of things that one can do to reduce the stress associated with flying. Book a seat over the wing of the plane; the flight is smoothest and quietest there. If you find that you notice every bump on a flight then bring on board as many diversions as you can; a book to read, a laptop to watch a film on, snacks or magazines. Anything that can stop you from thinking about the flight and focus your mind on something else will help. There are also a number of tension relieving tasks you can perform: grip the arms of the seat tightly and squeeze your stomach and muscle legs for ten seconds. Hold for ten seconds and then release. This releases tension the body builds up and allows you to relax.