If you are avoiding flying because the idea of getting into a plane is just too terrifying, then perhaps now is a good time to uncover the causes and bring your apprehension down to a more manageable level. We know that the fear response, when working properly, is an amazing function that fires us up and gets us in a position to either fight or to run like hell. It gets us out of scary places when we need to get out, and when the danger is over the system returns to normal and all is well. The problem comes in when, for some reason, we rev too high with the fear, or we rev to an appropriate level but then forget to turn off the response when the danger is past.
Fear of flying is an excessive response to a situation that should more appropriately cause something like mild apprehension or, well, no discernable reaction at all. Once you’re in the plane there’s nothing much you can do about what happens, so you might as well relax and enjoy the flight. But if you can’t do so, then something is happening that is triggering the fight or flight response. Perhaps you had a bad experience on a flight once, or perhaps you suffer from claustrophobia or from the fear of losing control. Whatever the cause, we can find it using hypnosis and then “reset” the body and mind so that a more appropriate reaction is given.
Treatment using hypnosis will involve discovering whatever causes might be at work, and it will also involve mental rehearsal of pleasant flight experiences to create new neural pathways associating flight with excitement, adventure, or other positive effects. Immediate relief can be expected from the very first session, but it’s best to factor in at least three to five sessions to really get those new, fearless, habits anchored in your body and mind.
