A fear of flying is a common phobia in the United States. Aerophobia, aviatophobia, aviophobia, and pteromerhanophobia are some of the names given to the phobia of flying. Some resources say that this phobia affects over ten percent of Americans.

People who do not have the fear of flying may assume that the fear resulted from a bad experience during a flight. In many cases, a traumatic flying experience is the root of the fear. Especially since 9/11, the phobia of flying has been associated with a fear of terrorism by many people.

The fear from past experiences and fear of terrorism are only two possible causes of the fear of flying. The individual may be completely aware of why they have this phobia. For some people, the phobia of flying is a complex problem with multiple causes that the individual may have difficulty identifying.

The fear of flying may involve two other common fears, claustrophobia and the fear of heights. Claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed places. During a flight, the person is forced to remain in the often crowded enclosure of the plane which can be a trigger for those with claustrophobia.

A fear of heights, known as acrophobia, obviously can impact a person’s comfort level during the flight. Even those who do not have a fear of heights may have some fear associated with the height and potential fall of an airplane in flight.

Some people experience heightened anxiety and fear when they cannot be in control of their circumstances. While in an airplane, the passenger has no control over the destiny of the flight. This fear over a lack of control can be further antagonize by the rigid expectations of their behavior during the flight. For example, when the passengers must be seated, the passengers have no other choice. Therefore not only are they not in control of the success of the flight, but they have little control over such things as when they are allowed to stand or who is seated in close proximity to them.

Other stressors related to the flight can make the person susceptible to fear or panic associated with the flight. If the purpose of the flight is an emotional one or if the person already has anxiety about the destination, this heightened anxiety or emotional response can diminish the person’s ability to combat the fear of flying.

There are many methods of fear of flying treatment. Hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy are two forms of treatment for fear of flying. Understanding the cause of this phobia may help the treatment be as effective as possible.