OH! Magazine - Australian Version November 2018 | Page 26

( HEALTH )
HOW TO OVERCOME YOUR
FEAR OF FLYING
Pauline McKinnon shares the therapy designed to help you get over
your fear of flying before it affects your holiday – and your health!
housands of people will start their
end of year holidays this year with
an airline flight that they absolutely hate.
T
It is completely normal to feel some level
of anxiety heading into a holiday; however,
some people are so scared of flying that it
affects their enjoyment of the upcoming
holiday and increases personal health
risks too.
Anxiety can cause spikes in your blood
pressure, which can cause serious harm to
your health. Anxiety can even cause
hyperventilation that leads to panic
attacks. Anxiety creates nervous tension
and when this becomes habitual, anxiety
can become a constant companion.
Some people are so fearful of flying that
they avoid travelling anywhere that
involves getting on an aircraft. This
reduces their holiday options significantly
and fills their lives with potential
disappointment.
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OH! MAGAZINE ( NOVEMBER 2018 )
I’ve helped many people over the years to
overcome their fear of flying by teaching
them intensive meditation. At my centre
we aim to help people master anxiety
before anxiety masters them!
According to statistics, over ten per cent
of people struggle with a phobia. The
American National Institute of Mental
Health describes a phobia as an intense,
irrational fear of something that poses
little or no actual danger. Of these phobias,
aviophobia (fear of flying) is the most
common with some 2.5 to 6.5 per cent of
people scared of flying.
The underlying issue associated with fear
of flying is control – or the feeling of not
being in control. For some, there is also a
feeling of claustrophobia because they are
trapped in a confined space.
The bizarre thing here is that while people
realise they can’t seek comfort by going up
to the cockpit to find out what is going on,
some will resort to hiding in the toilet,
which is an even more confined space.
This is the problem with phobias – in a
bid to feel safer, they can make you do
strange things that are not rational!
In stillness meditation therapy, people
learn to deeply relax their mind. In this
way, reactivity is reduced naturally and
travellers can look forward to an easier
journey. A calm mind creates a calm body
that is relaxed, comfortable and in calm
control.
Pauline McKinnon
Pauline is the owner and founding director
of the Stillness Meditation Therapy Centre
in Kew (Melbourne). The Stillness
Meditation Therapy Centre offers regular
meditation sessions for all age groups,
with options of daytime or evening
attendance. Stillness Meditation Therapy
sessions are available one-on-one or
within a personalised group. To find out
more visit www.stillnessmeditation.com.au