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While many people
are uncomfortable with flying, the events of Sept. 11 have
only intensified these fears. If you need to get on an
airplane, here are ways to cope. |
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1. Realize That Your Fear Does Not Mean You Are in Danger
Because of the recent events, it may take very little to trigger
a fear reaction in your body. This fear causes adrenaline to
rush through your blood stream. The more adrenaline, the more
fear you feel -- even if there is no reason to feel it.
This experience is analogous to feeling acute hunger, which
doesn't mean that you're actually starving. If you can resist
that hunger impulse and not "feed" into it, gradually it will
lessen. So, too, with adrenaline. On the other hand, if you play
into your adrenaline, you'll make matters worse by intensifying
your fear.
2. Calm Your Present With Your Past
Think of other times in your life when you felt afraid or even
paralyzed by fear. Remember that you made it through. Then
remember how you made it through.
3. Occupy or Distract Yourself
When you're afraid, it's natural to stop in your tracks. Yet the
longer you stay stopped the more you'll begin to feel frozen, a
feeling that will intensify your fears.
Fiction or biographical stories, however, can be helpful at
distracting you from whatever is on your mind. It might even be
helpful to read a story or biography of someone who overcame his
or her fears. Absorb yourself in reading and you'll send a
message to your brain that you are not "stuck," whereupon you'll
begin to feel calmer.
4. Get Into a Conversation With the Passengers Next to You
Ask questions like, "What do you do?" or "How'd you get into
that?", which are great ways to start your neighbors talking.
You may begin to notice that as they talk about something of
personal interest to them, they'll start to calm down themselves
-- and that can rub off on you.
5. Take Slow and Deep Breaths
Just changing your breathing pattern can actually change how you
feel. There is something about taking deep breaths and then
blowing them out that helps to release a little tension with
each exhale. Be sure to breathe through your nose instead of
your mouth.
6. Go Zen
If all else fails and you can't make your experience seem safe,
you can choose to let it be unsafe. As preposterous as
this seems, choosing to let it "be the way it is" can help you
feel less out of control and frightened. |
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Fear Smashing
Checklist
1.
Realize That Your Fear Does Not Mean You Are in Danger
2. Calm Your
Present With Your Past
3. Occupy or Distract
Yourself
4. Get
Into a Conversation With the Passengers Next to You
5. Take Slow and Deep
Breaths
6. Go Zen
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