Why do I get anxiety going to the airport?

“In combination with the time constraints and travel pressure (from both everyone around you, and your travel companions), someone in an airport may have a lot of anxiety simply about navigating the space, getting to where they need to go, being in a crowded environment, and the journey of actually getting to your ...



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Airport anxiety comes in many different forms. The single thing that worries 63% of travelers the most is simply getting to the airport – with traffic and public transport significant factors. At 57%, three in five people actively worry about losing their passport or missing the plane altogether.

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Try Deep Breathing Rinaldi advises deep breathing if you need a calming technique to use in the moment. “While waiting in line or sitting at the gate, take slow, deep breaths in through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. This can help calm your nervous system and reduce anxiety.”

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Mental health professionals can help individuals overcome a fear of flying through the use of cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure and response prevention, says Dr.

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Aerophobia is a fear of flying. It's very common, affecting more than 25 million adults in the U.S. Psychotherapy can usually help people overcome their fear and fly without extreme anxiety or panic attacks.

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For people who get anxious when there is a change in environment, just arriving at an airport can signal a perceived threat to the brain, Jodi De Luca, a Colorado-based psychologist who studies the impact of high altitudes on emotions.

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The key symptoms of travel phobia are excessive fear and avoidance of travel situations. These symptoms overlap with those of PTSD. In particular, persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and fear and other negative emotions in response to trauma reminders are common PTSD symptoms.

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Although it is normal to feel anxious when faced with unfamiliar situations such as traveling, an individual should speak with a doctor if they find that anxiety is restricting their life. Doctors may recommend lifestyle changes, planning, therapy, or medication to help ease symptoms.

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Flying phobia is a highly prevalent anxiety disorder, which causes sufferers significant distress and life interference.

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If your fear is mild, it may go away with time. If it's more severe, you may need to take some steps to face your fear head-on. Give yourself time to adjust to the idea of flying. Once you understand that flying is safe, you may feel more relaxed about getting on a plane.

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She told the group what worried her. “I am afraid of dying.” Fear of flying, or aviophobia, is an anxiety disorder.

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Try holding your breath and then breathing deeply, or better still, force yourself to breathe out for as long as you can and then take a long, deep breath. Seif and Farchione both recommended taking deep breaths, since this triggers the calming response and can help to prevent hyperventilation.

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People often come to us requesting the doctor or nurse to prescribe diazepam for fear of flying or assist with sleep during flights. Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed.

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How to Handle Travel Stress
  1. Before you check in for your flight, check in with yourself. ...
  2. Pinpoint what is it is about travel that makes you stressed. ...
  3. Make a packing list and check it twice. ...
  4. Download your games and books in advance. ...
  5. Keep yourself sustained by prepping food. ...
  6. Print out important documents before you leave.


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They may be triggered, but they can also be random. Anxiety disorders are the most common travel-induced mental health problems, according to research published in the Journal of Travel Medicine. “Anxiety thrives when we don't have control and when there is a lot of uncertainty,” says Julia Martin Burch, Ph.

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People fear the unknown. In addition to a fear over losing control, people generally fear the unknown. Passengers on airlines face fears of crashing because they don't know about all the safety measures that pilots take before they fly.

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It's not just your imagination – flying in an airplane can zap your energy, dry your skin and make various body parts feel different or weird. How come? “The pressure, temperature and oxygen levels in the cabin fluctuate, and the humidity level is lower than it is at sea level,” says Matthew Goldman, MD.

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