Fear of Flying

Surveys estimate that fear of flying exists in 10-20% of the population. Some persons have a fear of crashing, while others have a fear of being in an enclosed place with no means of escape. They may fear they will lose control or suffer a panic attack while on the plane.

Behaviors that may suggest an underlying Fear of Flying include:

• Excessive use of alcohol or sedatives, or changes in behavior prior to or during a flight.
• Need to drive to a customer when flying makes more sense.
• Communicating via telephone, fax, or e-mail when face-to-face contact is needed.
• Avoidance of scheduling appointments that necessitate flying.
• Discrepancy in job performance--e.g. below par sales--related to flying vs. driving.
• Refusal to accept job advancement that requires increased flying.
• "Off-handed" comments related to apprehension or fear of flying.

If you're one of the thousands of people who are limited by a flying phobia, virtual reality therapy might be for you.

Virtual reality exposure therapy places the client in a computer generated airplane where they "experience" the various aspects of flying. The client wears a head-mounted display with small TV monitors and stereo earphones to receive both visual and auditory cues.

In careful, controlled stages, the client is exposed to experiences that elicit higher levels of anxiety. Each stage can be repeated until the client is comfortable with the experience and satisfied with their response.

At every step, the therapist can see and hear what the client is experiencing in the virtual plane. If the client's level of anxiety becomes overwhelming, the client can return to a less stressful level of treatment, or simply remove the head-mounted display and exit the virtual aircraft.

The client is taught relaxation and diaphragmatic breathing skills, with the use of visual feedback of heart rate and respiration rate, prior to beginning the virtual reality exposure therapy. These new skills can be used as coping techniques when in the real-life exposure situation.

The entire process:

• lasts 8-12 sessions on average
• takes you through a graded set of flight experiences, including:
• sitting on an aircraft with engines off
• sitting on an aircraft with engines on
• taxiing on a runway
• take-off
• flight in good weather
• flight in bad weather, with thunderstorms and turbulence landing
• uses head-mounted virtual reality display equipment and real-time physiological monitoring
• is customized for each and every client
• is faster than traditional exposure therapy and desensitization

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call our front office at 1-866-822-VRMC.

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