How to Face Your Fear of Flying

There are those people in the world who are insistent upon the fact that one has a greater chance of dying in a car accident than in an airplane crash. For the average driver who reserves airplane travel for special occasions, this would certainly be the case. But that acknowledgement in and of itself, does little to console those who have lost loved ones in airline crashes; that fact also does little to soothe a nervous passenger who is deathly afraid (pun intended) of getting onto an airplane. Time restraints usually dictate that many of us will need to fly at some point in our lives. While some people undergo psychotherapy treatments in order to conquer their fears, there are those whose fear of flying is bit less severe, but scary nonetheless. There are however, ways (in addition to prayer, perhaps) to face one's fear of flying in airplanes, rather than cover them up with sedatives or other similar methods. First, let's look at some of the common myths about flying:

• TURBULENCE IS BAD. Let the record show that turbulence is not a bad thing during airplane flight. Basically, when an airplane flies relatively close to a jet stream, it creates small pockets of air which push the plane alternately up and down, creating the turbulence you feel. This is perfectly natural, if you consider that jet streams travel somewhere around 30,000 to 40,000 feet in the air. When you feel the bumps during air travel, simply think of the plane as a car driving across a gravel road.
  
  
• SLEEPING PILLS WILL HELP YOU RELAX. While it seems like a great idea to pop a sedative when you're feeling antsy about your plane ride, it may not be good for your health. The altitude during your flight may have adverse effects. Additionally, some airline passengers may experience venous thrombosis (a blood clot which forms in the legs from lack of movement) while seated for long periods of time during flights. Taking a sedative may cause your blood flow to move along more slowly, thus encouraging a blood clot.