Hypnotherapy Cured My Flying Fear

It wasn't too long ago that I became a blithering idiot when someone even hinted that I might have to travel by air. Now, thanks to hypnotherapy, I can travel whenever and wherever I want.

Aviophobia, or the fear of flying, is a perfect subject for hypnotherapy treatment. Self-help DVDs and CDs are available online. Prices range from $10.00 (used) to $1,500.00. Almost without exception, online businesses separated their lessons into 4-8 distinct areas, encompassing approximately 6-20 hours of coursework. Some even offered one-on-one counseling. I was surprised to learn that, statistically, one in eight Americans avoid flying because of fear.

The common goal was to alter the thought processes that cause a fear reaction. Primary topics were: learning about airplanes and air travel; controlling anxiety, claustrophia and feelings of being powerless; developing "triggers" to use during the flight experience; gaining self-confidence to mentally overcome fear; and learning how to sleep or how to re-focus to make the time pass quickly.

The final step for my hypnotherapy experience was to book and take an actual trip. The company suggested I choose a short flight (one hour or less), so I booked a roundtrip from Seattle to Spokane.

I won't say I wasn't very anxious at first but I used all of the techniques I learned through hypnotherapy to overcome my fears. By the time we passed over the Cascade Mountains, my knuckles were no longer white and as I stepped off the plane in Spokane I was looking forward to my trip home.