What is aviophobia and what causes fear of flying? Symptoms, treatment and celebrity sufferers

MANY of us will get a bit nervous when it comes to taking off in an aeroplane, but usually, once we are smoothly gliding along in the air, we let any worries slide away and look forward to our holiday.

But, for some people the fear is much greater - and seriously hinders their lives when it comes to travel.

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What is aviophobia and what causes a fear of flying?

Aviophobia is also referred to as flying phobia, flight phobia, aviophobia or aerophobia and research suggests that as many as 20 per cent of people experience some degree of fear when it comes to boarding a plane.

Those who suffer with anxiety are more likely to be affected by a fear of flying – and it all comes down the many stresses that come with travelling via aeroplane.

Flying can be stressful before you even take to the skies - there are long lines of security checks, searches that can feel like an invasion of privacy and the dreaded fear of terrorism.

All of the above can add up into one massive trigger for people with anxiety – as well as those without.

The fear can develop even after years of flying or can be present in people that have never flown before.

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What are the symptoms of aviophobia?

Those with aviophobia may experience panic attacks and the symptoms are the same as those associated with many other phobias.

These include:

• Headache
• Sweating
• Muscle tension
• Rapid heart beat
• Stomach-ache
• Shortness of breath
• Irritability
• Trouble concentrating

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Is there a cure for a fear of flying?

Many people with a phobia don't need treatment and avoiding the object of their fear to control their problem.

But this can be a problem when it comes to flying – as quite often it is a must for those wanting to visit another country or those who need to travel for business.

While no single cure is guaranteed to work for all phobias, there are treatments that can be worked with in an attempt to ease symptoms.

Possible treatments include talking treatments, such as counselling and psychotherapy, as well as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and ‘mindfulness’.

When it comes to CBT, part of the process that's often used to treat simple phobias involves gradual exposure to that person’s fear – so they become less anxious about it.

This is known as desensitisation or exposure therapy.

Medication isn't usually recommended when it comes to treating phobias – but is sometimes prescribed on a short-term basis.

Any medication that is given usually works to ease the symptoms of anxiety.

Medications prescribed are usually antidepressants, tranquillisers or beta-blockers.

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Do any celebrities suffer from aviophobia?

There are many celebrities who have been open about their own fears when it comes to flying – an especially big issue for famous folk who often need to jet across the globe for various events.

Celebrities who have spoken about experiencing a fear of flying include Jennifer Aniston, Megan Fox, Gary Barlow, Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst, Holly Willoughby and Aretha Franklin.