| People who are afraid of flying are often | | | | As the end of the flight nears, their dread |
| mistakenly regarded as a homogenous group in | | | | begins to wane and when the descent starts |
| which all individuals suffer the same fears. | | | | they may even smile with relief. They feel |
| Most people who fear flying are usually | | | | that if the flight is almost over and nothing |
| worried about various matters related to | | | | has happened, there is a good chance it may |
| flight-safety. | | | | end safely. The landing is accompanied by a |
| | | | feeling of victory - the statistics were |
| However, a significant group of fearful | | | | wrong, apparently,and nothing happened. |
| fliers suffer from claustrophobia - a fear of | | | | |
| enclosed spaces. | | | | However, with claustrophobics things happen |
| | | | differently. They are very careful about |
| Claustrophobia is a fear of going into places | | | | their seating arrangement and will always |
| it might be difficult, or impossible to leave | | | | pick an isle seat, preferably near the door. |
| when one wants and includes fear of being in | | | | Claustrophobics have two main crisis points |
| a place that might have a shortage of air. | | | | on the flight - one the beginning and one at |
| | | | the end. Already in the terminal they are |
| These feelings may be experienced in a wide | | | | wondering "will I come home again or not." At |
| variety of places - an elevator, a theater, a | | | | the crucial moment of boarding the plane the |
| shopping center, an underground train, taxis | | | | question "am I staying here or not?" torments |
| or car, a train or bus, not to mention | | | | them. The captain's instruction to the crew |
| various facilities in amusement parks and | | | | to close the doors is their moment of truth, |
| other enclosed places. | | | | for it is their last chance to escape from |
| | | | the plane. |
| Fear of flying in this context derives from | | | | |
| the claustrophobic person's apprehension that | | | | Many claustrophobics cannot stand the |
| the airplane is a closed-in space - and there | | | | pressure and may decide to leave the airport, |
| is no way of getting out of it. This makes | | | | regardless of the trip's importance - be it a |
| claustrophobic feelings in a plane more | | | | honeymoon or a family reunion or a major |
| severe than in most other enclosed places. | | | | business trip. Others who are braver may make |
| While one can step out of a shopping mall or | | | | it to the departure gate before turning back. |
| a theater, and stop the bus and get off, this | | | | |
| cannot be done on a plane. From the moment | | | | I always explain to air crews on my courses |
| the doors are closed one has no control over | | | | that a passenger who wants to get off the |
| the situation, the pilots are isolated from | | | | plane just before the doors close is probably |
| the passenger cabin and it is not possible to | | | | suffering from claustrophobia. But what is |
| stop and get off. | | | | interesting is that once claustrophobics |
| | | | decide to remain on the plane, they adjust to |
| It is estimate that 35% of those who are | | | | their new environment quite quickly. They |
| afraid of flying and avoid flying are | | | | adjust to the reality of being on a flight |
| claustrophobics. Another word, their main | | | | and from a certain point on they are normal |
| concern is the fact that the aircraft is | | | | passengers who walk around, eat, maybe even |
| closed. This is why many of the Relaxed | | | | watch a movie or doze. Like many who fear |
| Flight seminar participants suffer from | | | | flying however, they will avoid going into |
| claustrophobia. | | | | the toilet during flight - the toilet booth |
| | | | is tiny and cramped and cannot be left |
| If the sufferer also gets a feeling that the | | | | unlocked. Their trick is to avoid drinking on |
| air might run out it is easy to understand | | | | flight so to reduce the need to use the |
| why the fear of enclosed spaces is more | | | | toilet. During the flight claustrophobics |
| intense on a fight than anywhere else. | | | | have faith in the crew; they have no safety |
| Claustrophobics therefore avoid flying as | | | | related anxieties and are usually not |
| much as possible. Some tell me they are | | | | bothered by turbulence. |
| willing to take very short flights - say up | | | | |
| to an hour long - to shorten nightmare, but | | | | But all is not well for long. As end of the |
| are not prepared to even consider a long | | | | flight nears and the "normal" fearful fliers |
| flight. | | | | start smiling with relief, the claustrophobic |
| | | | will start fretting about how to "get out of |
| After years of dealing with fear of flying | | | | here as fast as possible" after landing. |
| and helping so many, I can say that there is | | | | Claustrophobics have a difficult time after |
| a great difference between those who are | | | | the plane lands and starts to taxi slowly to |
| afraid of flying because of claustrophobia, | | | | the terminal. The fear of closed-in places |
| and those who fear it for safety reasons. | | | | starts to mount again and they become more |
| Anyone can easily recognize if, and to what | | | | anxious to get off the plane immediately. |
| extent, he or she suffers inenclosed places. | | | | Their nightmare is that the plane might be |
| If you avoid elevators, or look for exit | | | | delayed in getting to the terminal or that |
| signs and stroll mainly near the exits a | | | | there will be a long wait for the doors to |
| shopping mall, or find it important for you | | | | open. The moment the plane stops and all the |
| to sit on the theater aisle rather than in a | | | | passengers rise from their seats and fill the |
| middle-row seat in the theater, you are | | | | isles can even trigger a panic attack. |
| probably suffering from claustrophobia. | | | | |
| | | | I have describe the differences between |
| Up to the time of flight, differences in | | | | fearful fliers in a general way, but of |
| behavior among individuals afraid of flying | | | | course each person can react individually and |
| are not great - for example, they may all | | | | differently to the various flight situations. |
| feel an increasing sense of pressure the | | | | |
| closer the flight gets. But the differences | | | | I mentioned that as part of my specialization |
| during the flight become most significant. | | | | in fear of flying, I give courses on the |
| | | | subject to air crews. Among other things, I |
| Here are a few examples. | | | | train them to recognize and distinguish |
| | | | passengers suffering from claustrophobia from |
| People who are afraid of flying for safety | | | | those who are afraid of flying for safety |
| reasons become more fearful the longer the | | | | reasons, and I explain how critical the |
| flight lasts. They constantly look at their | | | | seating arrangement is to these people. I |
| watches and wish the flight would end; they | | | | emphasize the importance of helping them get |
| cannot eat or get up, they are worried by | | | | off the plane first, even if they are not |
| every glance of the 1 of 4 about | | | | sitting in the front seats. |
| claustrophobia cabin crew, they are on the | | | | |
| verge of a panic attack every time the plane | | | | Coping with claustrophobia - The main |
| enters turbulence and shakes, they yearn for | | | | question of course is what can be done to |
| explanations from the cockpit and there is no | | | | alleviate the condition. |
| question of them watching a movie or napping. | | | | |