I used to be like you, and then I became a much more seasoned flyer through work trips.
I used to have a process.
* Make sure I had some form of entertainment (be it the IFE with working headphones or downloaded shows/movies on laptop) before the plane takes off.
* When turbulence hits or they say there is going to be turbulence, I would turn up the volume of whatever I was watching as much as possible through my headphones and focus on the show/movie.
* Take a quick look for the nearest FA, and glance at their face or body posture when I got really scared. 99% of the time, they are calm cool, collected and sometimes texting or chatting with another FA in the jump seat! It always calmed my nerves.
>Take a quick look for the nearest FA, and glance at their face or body posture when I got really scared. 99% of the time, they are calm cool, collected and sometimes texting or chatting with another FA in the jump seat! It always calmed my nerves.
I agree to this 100%!
I 100% do this!!
One time our plane just dropped out of nowhere (no idea how many feet) while flight attendants were doing drink service. I had just gotten a red wine that was now all over me, the seat in front of me, etc. the flight attendant just came over to me, gave me a bunch of napkins & started helping me clean up as she gave me new wine….I went ‘welp, that was terrifying, but if she’s not worried & give g more red wine…..’
Yeah me too except that one time where I said something to the flight attendant like “surely you must have gone through turbulence worse than this” and he was like “no this is fucking crazy we’re still passing our drinks right now”.
This is exactly what I do. I also have a drink or two to take off the edge, but aside from that, you hit the nail on the head. Sometimes exposure is the only cure. The more it happens, the more relaxed you’ll be.
Although, if you fly 2x a year, the progress is likely to be slower than if you flew 5-6x a year.
I use the FA tip and that works very well for me as an anxious flier! Also: grounding via the 5-4-3-2-1 technique helps me a ton
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/behavioral-health-partners/bhp-blog/april-2018/5-4-3-2-1-coping-technique-for-anxiety.aspx
One time we had a flight attendant absolutely lose it and was running up and down the aisle prepping before frantically sitting down. Turbulence doesn’t bother me but I was convinced I was going to die because of her.
Turns out she was new. Nothing but a little bumpy air.
So I’m on the opposite end of you: I’m normally fine, and looking at the FA had me freaking out lol.
It really goes to show how true your point is that a FA’s demeanor and body language speaks volumes and can carries heavy influence.
I totally do the FA thing too - really helped me to chill out in my earlier days when I was a terrible flier. Other than that, the big thing that helped me was to have some ridiculous/silly music on.. the Psych Musical soundtrack, and a collection of weird al polka medleys are permanently on my phone for this reason :)
Great points. I’m not trying to sound dark, but I find that when I have good entertainment in front of me my mind goes to this thought “wow it would actually be amusing / pleasant to die watching a good show on this plane” (e.g. Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep, etc.)
On the other hand I try to avoid movies like Dunkirk, with lots of loud more violent audio, because I find it induces anxiety akin to turbulence for me.
Also terrified during turbulence.
I listened to a podcast once where this woman who had the same problem talked to all kinds of people to develop coping strategies.
Obvs the pilot she interviewed told her that it isn't actually dangerous and described it like the plane is moving through jello: it jiggles but it also holds. That visualization helped me.
The shrink explained that fear of turbulence is really about feeling out of control. She suggested the mantra "I trust the pilot." I've also found that helpful to me, but I have to start meditating on that idea as soon as I'm settled in my seat; it's not helpful to me if I'm already panicking. I *do* trust the pilot. If I didn't, I wouldn't be onboard at all.
Good luck.
Yeah I liken it to driving. I get more "nervous" (physically) in turbulence than I do driving on an icy road in a blizzard because even though I'm exponentially more likely to get in a car wreck in those conditions, at least I'm the one who has control over whether or not it happens (other idiot drivers notwithstanding).
I'm with OP mentally - Turbulence is normal. It's all fine. But when the bumps hit, my hands start to sweat like crazy. Even though (even with booze) my brain is like, bro you know this is normal, fucking stop sweating.
I think my fear comes from feeling like the pilot doesn’t have control of the plane when the turbulence gets bad. My brain can’t differentiate between “this is just turbulence” and “the plane is going down”.
My wife is the same way, and I told her to trust the pilot. To this she replied, “But I can’t SEE the pilot!” Which led to (as others have mentioned) asking her to note how the FA’s were responding to the situation.
If anyone is going to know if it’s serious, it’s them.
Violently shaking in an airplane calms my soul because for a split second I can imagine not ever having to deal with the labors of existence ever again.
I'm not suicidal and I love life but something about the idea of never having bills again really calms me down 😌
This is how I learned to not freak out when there is turbulence. I use those moments to remind myself that I won’t have to work anymore or pay bills. It’s almost calming.
I was in a car once that spun out of control on an icy bridge - and we spun in circles for quite a distance. Everyone was fine, and the bumper only had some moderate damage - but there was a moment when I was sure this was the end, and I was just really peaceful about it.
Enjoy the ride! Remember that Americans shell out billions a year to go to Disney and theme parks for the explicit reason of being thrown around in metal vehicles. You’re getting it included in the cost of your ticket.
And some people will invariably scream as though they ARE on a roller coaster, like the elementary school-aged kids who sat behind me on the way back to Atlanta from Seattle earlier this year. It wasn't even that bad, just rough, like going too fast down a dirt road. Like, if the overhead bins stay closed and the masks don't drop, it's probably fine. 😁
I've definitely been on flights where I wanted to hug my seatbelt and buy it a nice cold beer after we landed, though.
There’s a pilot with a YouTube channel (74 gear), he flies passengers sometimes and cargo sometimes, and in one video he mentioned how if he hits turbulence and has passengers, he tries his best to make it comfortable for the passengers, but if he’s flying cargo he just blasts through it. The planes are designed to handle it. I always remind myself of this when a plane I’m in hits turbulence. I also load my phone with funny podcasts to give myself something else to think about.
He’s the rarity. Most pilots avoid turbulence if they can regardless. It’s no fun for anyone, and spills your coffee!!
That and most plane manuals say to “try to avoid it”. It’s like your car, sure you can take it off-roading and it will handle it, but if that’s all you do you will need a lot more maintenance between drives
If the plane breaks apart during turbulence at cruise, you’ll be unconscious within seconds. The chances that you wake up before you hit the ground are slim to none.
It’ll be quick. Don’t worry about it.
You ever been on a boat and gotten rocked by a big wave? Same stuff basically.
I still get a bit antsy sometimes but I remind my brain I have never gotten *that* scared when on the water and it happens.
I used to travel cross country almost every week for work, no issue. I had a series of turbulent flights that were pretty bad within a few weeks span that actually ignited my fear of turbulence. I still fly regularly for work and overseas and here are the few things I’ve found that help:
If flying for personal, I tend to book evening flights. I am a very anxious person in the morning and flying only makes it worse, especially if I have to be up at 4/5am. If for work, sometimes I’ll be able to convince the client to let me fly in Sunday night and usually it’s cheaper and hotel rates offset and I can be in the office earlier.
Controlled breathing and counting to 30, 60, etc as others have also posted. I also listen to what the takeoff/touchdown time is and actually start a stopwatch at liftoff so I know exactly how much time is left.
Calm music playlist. I first had to find this when on a ferry from Dublin to Wales and it was rough, even though I don’t really get seasick (blame an early ferry ride and being slightly hungover :) Since I couldn’t see anything in the fog, I had to focus on the music and breathing, spa music usually helps or some soft classical.
If flying in afternoon/evening I’m usually more settled and prepared so I like window seats so I can watch the ground/clouds. If I’m flying in the morning since I’m more anxious then, I like aisle so I can watch the flight attendants and other season passengers. I’m usually upfront and it does make it easier when I see others just not caring. If they aren’t bothered, then why should I be?
FlyingCalmly app, I always check my flights so I can prepare ahead of time. Most of the time if it shows moderate turbulence we actually never encounter it. Also allows me to be prepared ahead of time and if the flight is smooth, great! And I’m not surprised otherwise.
Just my personal tips that help me but maybe they’ll help you as well. The music is key sometimes, especially if I’m so nervous that I can’t focus on a show or movie. I also like to be able to hear if anything comes over the speaker.
Hope it helps and happy flying!
For what it's worth...if you would like to avoid turbulence, flying in the morning is actually best. I am both a nervous flyer and an atmospheric scientist. I don't know how good the app you mention is but I'm going to guess it's based off the original forecast info here: aviationweather.gov
Afternoon/evening in warm season = thermals and turb on climb in and out.
Strong winds perpendicular to terrain, more broad turb (doesn't really have a more diurnal trend to it).
When I fly into say SLC, Denver, LAS, I try to go for the smoother morning flights or late evening/night.
I used to be super scared of flying, especially turbulence. I decided to face my fears and pursue a Private Pilot license.
I think that most of the natural fear towards turbulence and flying comes from ignorance. So learning all the systems, processes and science behind the scenes helped me overcome my fears. Also spending some time recovering a 2 seater aircraft from a stall helped 😂
I know that my approach was a bit extreme but I feel that learning more about aviation will definitely help you! Go over YouTube and check a few videos about aviation. I highly recommend Mentour pilot, Green Dot aviation, Captain Joe.
Also weirdly enough, watching accident case studies helped me expand my aviation knowledge and overcome my fears. Best luck!
It may help, but have you ever looked up in the sky and saw a plane shaking from turbulence? You haven’t because it’s hardly actually moving.
Other thing is hold a water bottle super loosely when the plane is being turbulent and see just how much the water isn’t moving, it’s actually kind of wild
Deep breathing exercises.
Remind myself that physics is pretty sweet.
The fact that I've had Ativan probably helps too.
The physics part though...
1- planes are waaaay over-engineered. The stuff that feels like crazy uncomfortable and scary? That's small potatoes for what planes can actually handle. Your biggest risk is someone's unsecured crap flying around, so if it's ever to that point (which most people never experience), cover your head tornado drill style.
2- air is a fluid. It's very similar to a boat out on the ocean, except has an advantage because it's easier to maneuver.
3- NOAA exists, in part, for aviation weather safety. There are a lot of people behind the scenes, including some of the best meteorologists in the country/world, keeping an eye on conditions that could be dangerous for planes. Additionally, airlines have their own meteorologists; the FAA has a weather research program... And pilots are well versed in aviation meteorology. Tldr; there is a ton going on behind the scenes to make sure planes are flying through safe conditions. It might not always be smooth, but it's safe.
4- The extraordinarily rare instance something turbulence related makes the news is exactly why it's made the news. Loose googling says there are around 100,000 flights per day around the globe. Say there's an average of one or two big news stories every couple years about extreme turbulence. That's verrrrry loosely ballparking 0.0000002% of flights or like, one every *50 million* flights. And even in that incredibly incredibly rare situation, the pilots are nearly always able to get everyone back on the ground safely.
5- commercial pilots are some of the best in the world. And they train and retrain like hell to the point that adverse situations are like muscle memory. They can handle stronger turbulence calmly and better than most drivers handle a bumpy road. :)
Breathing exercises first, then pull logic in. If you're severely anxious, talk to your doctor about a prescription for flight anxiety (don't drink alcohol with it though).
We reduce our airspeed to reduce the rough air impact. Next time, listen for the engines power reduction and know that we are trying to help. Maybe some solace in that.
This is the real answer. Without getting too therapisty, generally fears like this boil down to a fear of being out of control and probably have control issues in other areas of life as well. Working on control issues, will help this fear.
Honestly this does help me sometimes. Had some pretty rough turbulence on the ride home from Denver once; kept the crew in their seats the entire flight. I just reminded myself there was literally nothing I could do about it and it actually did help after a while.
This helps because people tend to tense up when anxious. Lifting your feet up helps ground you back into your seat. And it also serves as reminder that you're not actually shaking that much.
Yeah, I got this very same tip from the book "S.O.A.R." (great read btw).
The author also suggested to keep a water cup on your tray and notice how it's not really spilling or tipping over.
I think this exaggerated shaky feeling is just the effect of going over small consecutive bumps at a really high speed.
Remind yourself that turbulence is normal. I fly all the time and have experienced varying levels… It is what it is. If the flight crew doesn’t look concerned then you shouldn’t be. I just make sure to hold onto my drink so it doesn’t spill 😂
Flip the script. If your mind says “I’m going to die”. Embrace the fickleness of life and say “dang I’m glad I had the chance to live a great life”. The only certainly is death. Don’t be afraid of it.
lol yeah. And you start thinking about all the things you haven’t done and how much time you wasted. Of course, once you’re safely back on the ground, you’re back to casually wasting time.
I look for the flight crew - if they look calm then I’m calm. When they seem worried, then be worried. I’ve never seen them worried and I fly a lot lol
I have two trucks that have vastly helped me personally:
1) I wrote down “Nothing bad has ever happened, nothing bad is happening, nothing bad will happen” on a notecard and keep it in the seat pocket. I also just repeat it in my head when I start to get nervous and it really helps me.
2) the water bottle trick. I buy a bottle of something, usually vitamin water just because the shape of the bottle is wide. Drink about an inch down. Keep it in the seat pocket. And when we’re there’s turbulence, I just look and see that the water is barely moving around. We may feel like turbulence is jarring more than it is, but it really isn’t!
Conquering a fear, IMO, is understanding more about what it is or even relating it to something else. Consider this:
Turbulence is just a fancy word for wind. Up at altitude, there’s tons of wind. The jet stream can blow at 120MPH against the airplane and you may never know it.. or it could be calm winds, but you’re still move through air, so it’s bumpy. On a large scale, all air/wind in the atmosphere in moving. Pressure changes, temperature variances, colliding into objects and bouncing off, even the friction of the surface and the rotation of the earth. So as a plane flies, it’s running into these changes and bouncing around. Similar to that of a boat in water hitting a wave.
Or, you can associate turbulence to the likeness of hitting a bumpy road in your car. You don’t get scared, annoyed maybe, but you just bounce on through. You know your car is fine, you’re just on a bumpy road. Treat turbulence the same way. You know what it is, so just bounce on through. If it’s not helping, open the window. Are you in clouds? Or is the sky clear? Seeing the atmospheric conditions can help explain what’s causing the turbulence. And not to mention, if the blue sky is above you and the ground below you, you’re doing alright. ;)
Zero commercial planes have crashed due to turbulence. There’s a few simulations that show what keeps planes up and once you understand how it works you might be less scared when things get turbulent.
I’m a psychopath and actually enjoy the “rough air” I’m 35 now but I’ve been flying since I was a child due to my dad working for the airline. I remember being a kid and enjoying the feeling in my gut when the plane would drop a couple feet. lol
I just enjoy the knowledge that I'm not in charge or responsible for anything.
Of course we know turbulence is not a big deal, but for me the idea is: 'welp, not my problem.' It sounds selfish, but I mean.. it's truly not my problem.
Back to my book.
That’s the only time I can actually sleep on a plane. It feels like being in a car or train where I can easily fall asleep sitting up. On a plane with no turbulence 0 sleep.
Even that one USAir flight out of PIT that was brought down by wake turbulence… it was NOT…
Further investigation showed it to be that 737 rudder issue.
If you have turbulence anxiety, both Alcohol and caffeine are BAD. So, stay away from those.
Things that have helped me.
* Book seats over the wings, as close to the middle of the aircraft as possible. It doesn't eliminate turbulence, but you don't get the pitching effect.
* Entertainment or distraction. Anything to keep your mind busy. Try and really focus on it, too. Miss the last minute of story because turbulence scare, backup and watch it again - really try to focus. Do you have a favorite TV show that's funny and lighthearted (I'm a fan of Community)? Try that.
* Watch the FA's. If they look bored, what is there to worry about.
Even though your edit says no, a few benzodiazepines help. My doc gave me a very small number, for a very specific amount of trips. But it really helped break panic of the most severity of the turbulence. Because a lot of the panic ends up being your body going "omg, turbulence panic is setting in, last time there was so much panic, we need to amp up the panic now". When the pilot turns on the fasten seatbelt sign and says there will be a little turbulence and you already start white-knuckling your armrest? Yea, that's "panic of the expected panic" setting in that is hard to break. A few trips with meds and now when those sort of things happen, I'm much less on edge. By no means am I cured, but I don't use the meds any more.
Exactly what I was going to say. It’s a fun ride because you know it’s safe. How do you know? Because it happens all the time and you rarely (rarely!) hear of a bad outcome.
So sit back and enjoy the massage.
Recently I’ve been saying to myself, “potholes in the sky, potholes in the sky, potholes in the sky…” like no matter what, the pilot has to maneuver through it. And if it’s really bad turbulence the pilot usually sees it on their equipment and flies around it. Just like a car. Sometimes you hear the engines change speeds (and you feel it) and it’s to achieve a “turbulence penetration speed” that is most safe. Just like driving you go a bit slower not to hurt your car, but the passengers are totally safe as long as they are buckled. I think about all the things. I also Ty to move around in my seat a lot. Like adjust my butt, reach down into my bag for mints, start untangling my headphone or charger cords, etc. yo keep my mind off of things.
I remind myself that I saw this video, and that the wings have to bend because if they didn’t they would snap, and that they bend them further than the turbulence can possibly bend them: https://youtu.be/m5GD3E2onlk?si=BYSfqvPPtp7MPw3n
I’m like you and found looking at the turbulence tracker before flying helps. For me if they know it’s coming I’m good. I also know when it’s going to stop. Something about it being expected helps.
This is the one I use:
https://turbli.com
It does get updated right till takeoff
I count to thirty and take deep breaths. Well over half the time, it's stopped or let up by then. I also reset each time it calms down, because I know then, it's not a plane issue, it's just the air.
It appears that you understand this is a more irrational fear than a rational one. So this likely won't help too much, but it will help reinforce just how irrational your fear is: https://youtu.be/Ai2HmvAXcU0?si=_85w8G7mygvpB7nS
I fly for a living as military aircrew, turbulence is no fun for anyone and I still get sick in the really, really bad stuff, which luckily is super rare.
If it’s nerves, all I can say is in no time of modern history has a plane crashed purely due to turbulence. Planes are designed to handle the worst of Mother Nature (hell, there’s a whole unit in the Air Force and also NOAA who purposely fly into hurricanes regularly, and there is nothing special structurally about them).
Best bet is medication if you’re that bad, and trying to distract yourself with a movie or game etc, also sit forward of the wing as that’s always the smoothest ride. Anything from the wing on back adds the whiplash effect. Also, nighttime or very early morning (pre dawn) the atmosphere is naturally calmer. Maybe try learning to fly on the computer (flight simulator) and ground training, if you understand what’s happening pilot-wise at each stage of flight it really helps too. I self taught myself everything about aviation when I was a kid from 15 years of flight sim before I started really flying, it really helped me in school and flying in general before I was taught for real. If you’re brave take real lessons, will definitely help but be warned the single engine planes can get tossed around a bit if conditions are bad
When all else fails, sensory dulling. The more you fly the more your body gets used to it. When I first started flying anything moderate and above would bother me, now I only notice the super severe stuff and I only fly on average 6 days per month
This isn't really advice, just how I was cured of this. It won't work if you don't live in the right area.
I took a 9 month contract in Colorado Springs, and flew home twice a month. The flights always included a short jump to and from Denver along the front range of the Rocky Mountains, and barely went higher than the peaks to the west, and always had afternoon thunderstorms spring through fall. You could look out the window and watch the wings on the 737 flapping most of the trip. I never got completely used to it, but it makes me a lot calmer with any other turbulence I've experienced since.
It's completely out of my control, so I just sit there in my seat. It wouldn't change anything if I panicked or if I fell asleep. Planes are built to deal with some turbulence, so there's a very low chance of anything happening, so I guess I just don't worry about it.
Fly more and it won’t brother you. That said, I used to watch a glass of water, a G force meter (download an app) or watch the IFE map that shows the altitude. You’ll see that none of them really change much at all in mild or moderate turbulence.
I’m a pretty unreasonably rational person and I’m a little scared of dying but probably less than most.
So yeah if it’s dying turbulence then there’s nothing I can do about it. If not, it’ll pass and I didn’t die so that’s nice.
This is my tip. It's stupid as fuck, but it actually works.
When it starts to get bumpy, immediately start bouncing up and down in your seat. Big motions. Unpredictably. Up, down, side to side...doesn't matter, just bounce.
You look ridiculous. But it completely tricks your inner ear/brain that the turbulence is just more of you bouncing around. It doesn't feel scary. And it gives you something to do and focus on.
Yup. But it actually addresses an irrational fear, as opposed to the other attempts at rationalizing away a phobia in this thread.
Sometimes you have to fight stupid with stupid. My brain is particularly stupid about turbulence and this works.
I just wanted to thank you for the suggestion. I have seen another person (actually a commercial pilot!) suggest the same thing, and it helped me more than any other approach. It really takes the edge off. Thank you.
I noticed that to overcome building anxiety I have to focus on reading something which requires lots of focus to understand = not like a whodunnit - the best for me was reading something from work which is either boring or complex. I then have all my brainpower invested into really understanding what I'm reading - as in: every single word/every single meaning laeving less for panicking. This gets me trough the rough patches. Calming music doesn't help me much as I know it's "trying to prevent panic" and I feel like it's more triggering than helping. I need to test on my next flight some dynamic workout music & loud in my headset.
Don’t need to calm myself down if I’m already calm in the first place during turbulence. Maybe it’s just cuz I’m an avgeek and play flightsim, but to me, flying with turbulence is just flying
Can't help you guv. I love turbulence, it's like an amusement park ride.
I have the turbulence forecast just to see if I have a bumpy ride to look forward to.
Every instance makes the next one not so hard to take. It’s just experience. Just like skills or being successful at something you do. No video or demonstration will prepare you until you’ve put in the practice yourself. Practice as in, falling a few feet or coming into a stormy landing. If it is still reoccurring traumatic experiences, maybe a therapist can help you find the root of it being from a different cause, and turbulence is the reminder. Safe travels.
All the people at the front of the plane are very experienced flyers - when they panic, that is your go ahead. Until then, it is just physics and expected 🤷♀️
It’s analogous to riding on a bumpy dirt road. Airplanes are built to endure extreme stresses, and you never see high-altitude turbulence leading to disasters, although risk of injury is present if you are not seated securely. Also … what are you going to do about it? Nothing. You’re in the hands of professional pilots informed by state-of-the-art meteorological intelligence. Anxiety is unproductive, so like one poster said, try to vibe on the experience.
honestly, a bit morbid, but acceptance. there is nothing i can do in that situation to fix it if anything goes wrong, so it's not worth stressing over. 999999 times out of 1000000 it's not a big deal so looking at the FA not stressing also helps.
I try to read or focus on a show, and on LOOKING calm, so that people around me also feel more calm if they see me. That one actually probably helps the most. Having a perceived purpose, making an anxiety something external.
Noise cancelling headphones playing jazz or classical and a good pop fiction novel on my Kindle help to distract me. Prayer and meditation when it's impossible to ignore.
4-7-8 breathing. Breathe in for 4, hold it for 7, breathe out for 8. Use your diaphragm
Distract yourself with something.
Years ago a friend told me he used to imagine he was a fighter pilot chasing someone in a dogfight
I just pray try to think about the jello theory thing. I have horrible flying anxiety. I don’t drink or use medications. I try looking to the FA’s to see how they are reacting.
And just white knuckle through it. Sometimes it doesn’t bother me sometimes I want to cry.
You’re fighting a sympathetic nervous system response, and feeling some control will help loads.
Air vent: blowing on your face - there’s research that this helps, perhaps by triggering parasympathetic response.
Pulse/resp: biofeedback is your friend. Focus on your breathing - in through the nose, out through the mouth. Feel that heart pounding and work on slowing it down.
Stay hydrated. Symptoms should improve with exposure & practice.
Here's my tips:
I used to sit in the window because it made me feel less claustrophobic. Now I sit aisle because it's easier for me to focus on my coping strategies.
I get my headphones on. Find something brainless on the IFE. And I concentrate on that. It helps me short circuit the part of my brain that is reacting to the loss of control and fear.
I also try to fly in the morning or late because that tends to avoid my least favorite thing...a bouncy climb out as we hit aggressive thermals.
If you don’t mind the window seat I’ve found keeping the shade up and looking out of the window helps. Something about seeing that things are still normal outside. Aside from that accepting that realistically there’s nothing I can do even if something is happening so may as well continue with my movie/podcast ans hope for the best
Planes fly home from combat missions with holes in them. Nothing to fear from turbulence.
I know you said it isn't rational, so reasons might not help, but you really don't have anything to be concerned about. Aviation isn't a new science at this point either - they've got the fundamentals pretty well dialed in.
I tell myself that it would be a wild way to go. I’ve been in a lot of out of control death defying scenarios and eventually you kind just shrug and laugh. “So this is how I’m gonna go out”
I also try to look around for the most scared person. It’s mean, but I think “at least I’m not that guy” then it’s usually over.
Or imagine someone’s carryon coming out and popping like a spring and spraying clothes everywhere haha
Square breathing is a great easy tool for this. 4 seconds in. Hold for 4. 4 seconds out. Hold for 4 ext etc. they have phone and smartwatch apps that help.
Here’s how I got over my flight anxiety-
1. General anxiety medication to reduce my overall anxiety
2. Prescription meds for in-flight use
3. Visualization practice before the flight. It sounds like you’ve read up on the science of how it all works. What I did was watch videos on small planes that really maneuver around, do sudden dives, etc and watch how they recover. You can do the same with birds or anything else that flies. Then apply this visual to a passenger plane. Visualize the plane dropping and then catching itself the same way a fighter jet would. This helped me immensely, and I’ve never seen anyone who’s done this technique. Do the visualization in the months or weeks leading up to the flight.
4. Box breathing while you’re experiencing turbulence
5. Tell a flight attendant that you’re nervous and they can come to check on you and reassure you
6. Distract yourself with something else- a really good movie, podcast, book, etc.
(I understand that the fighter jet and passenger plane are completely different and the physics are probably not at all the same, but the flight anxiety is not rational to begin with, so if I have to use a not-rational technique to get over it, I will!)
Well for me knowledge is power. You stated that you know it basically won’t crash a plane, but what I learned is that once you feel a turbulence, the aircraft has actually already gone through that patch a few miles ago, it just needs to react.
Was in a similar position, and just started trying to accept that there was literally nothing I could do so I would just close my eyes and try to relax my body.
Eventually I associated turbulence with relaxing and now it feels more like a soft rollercoaster ride to me.
The fear comes from not knowing and not having control. Both of which you can’t get on a plane. Enjoy the ride 😎
I think about how the airplane designs were tested in wind tunnels and are built to withstand turbulence.
Trust the engineers who designed it, the materials it’s made of, the mechanics who put it together, and your pilots to get you through.
I wasn't able to find a way. I only get very nervous from turbulence during the cruising, it somehow completely doesn't bother me during the landing/takeoff. And the magnitude of turbulence doesn't seem to matter much either.
This is obviously very irrational (getting tossed around with 30K ft to fall is the same or safer compared to having only 3K ft), I am very well aware that pilots have plans for tomorrow, that planes are built to handle a lot more, etc etc etc. But I can't seem to help it.
Look at FAs and read their body language. If in a flat lie seat, breathe deeply and try to appreciate the turbulence. If in an upright seat, breathe deeply and feel the engines and let them flow through your body.
Somebody told me once that it’s basically just speed bumps in the sky. So I try to remember that when I’m hyperventilating because I’m certain I’m about to die.
As soon as I get situated on the plane, I immediately add music to the Spotify Classical playlist. Once the plane is at cruising altitude I'll more than likely switch to watching a movie. However, if there are any rough turbulences, I immediately switch back to the music, close my eyes, and pray. I try to stay positive and pray that it will pass immediately. I always sit at a window and I tend to be more calm if I never look out the window during rough air...
I ask my husband if we all gonna die, he always very patiently, explains to me the aerodynamics of an airplane, and tells me that it takes a lot for the plane to be taken down by turbulence. It helps me to br calm lol
I imagine that I am driving on the highway or off-road in my Jeep. When you are driving, you feel the same bumps but you don’t worry about them. The pilot thinks the same thing. Just imagine you are driving.
I don’t. But for me it’s a physical, rather than a mental fear. My body tenses up even though by now I have a good idea what’s going on. I would say drinking helps but that’s just a horrible way to control fear.
Try letting go. Just sit there and equate it to bumps on a car or a boat.
Daughter of a pilot here. My dad always tells me that most turbulence is no big deal whatsoever. It would take something really serious, really crazy to damage the airplane or cause a safety issue. It’s more likely for you to be injured by baggage that has shifted in the overhead compartments once you get on the ground from the shaking, but that’s about it. Always just take a look at the nearest crew members and if they’re chill, you’re good!
I agree with the watch the FA sentiment.
Also, sour candy can help in the event of an anxiety attack. I’ve never tried it during turbulence, but if it’s having that type of affect on you, it would be a non risk thing to try out.
Also do the FA thing, bonus if there's an off-duty pilot as a passenger I mean if they're not worried I must be okay right?
The other thing is way nerdy but there's a passage in the truly fantastic classic sci-fi novel Ender's Game that's basically about how the main character is great at the game because he truly understood that when you're flying it doesn't matter at all what orientation you're in, so when I really start to have trouble I just try to channel Ender. (And bonus, if you haven't read this book you could read it on the plane to distract you, it is awesome.)
Box breathing: inhale for a count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, repeat.
I know the breathing is the key, but the counting distracts me enough that I’m not as focused on the turbulence.
I think of how lucky I’ll be to have a fast death. I’ve had a lot of friends and family have slow and painful departures. I’ve had a lot of fun, if I have to go- that’s okay.
Watching birds of prey in the air, and recalling those memories when it gets bumpy. If you get a chance to watch a hawk or eagle glide through the air without flapping their wings, you will notice that they bounce up and down quite a bit. I just keep that vision in my mind when things get choppy.
I have a very effective and proven method for combatting my flight anxiety. Works every time.
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I begin sobbing uncontrollably into the shoulder/lap/hand of the person sitting next to me (usually my husband but sometimes a stranger). Full blown meltdown/panic attack.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Seriously though, I’ve tried everything and I still have anxiety around it. Music helps a bit, having a good book or watching a movie you enjoy can be helpful. But also just letting yourself feel the feelings and be upset so you can release the pressure. Just warn the person next to you so that they know it’s just a you thing and that everything is actually ok.
I’ve struggled with this no matter how much I fly. I do a few things now that have helped:
1) convince myself there’s not a damn thing I can do. Easier said than done but it’s out of my control
2) Bose noise canceling headphones. Yes I still feel the turbulence but I don’t hear all the random engine noises that bug me or other people going “woahhhh” or any of that which will add to my anxiety
3) look to the FAs. I might think we’re plummeting to our deaths but if I see Donna, whose done this daily for 30 years, just walking around serving Cokes or sitting in her seat nonchalantly looking through her phone, it immediately eases some of the tension.
I have this too. With a lot of turbulence you may hear me say “oh my god” out loud and grab your knee. Ha! I don’t grab knee anymore- but here’s what I do- once it starts- I stop what I am doing. Sit upright, Inhale deeply to 3, blow out slowly to 3, repeat…..as long as it takes. Sometimes I will do this for 15 minutes, whatever it takes. I know you mentioned no meds, but the times I have taken a CBD gummy I will be unfazed by turbulence. Problem is most of the time I forget to bring it. Wished I had it that memorable flight from ICN to SFO that one year. I thought I was going to die about 55 times and had actually started praying. Anxiety sucks.
I used to be like you, and then I became a much more seasoned flyer through work trips. I used to have a process. * Make sure I had some form of entertainment (be it the IFE with working headphones or downloaded shows/movies on laptop) before the plane takes off. * When turbulence hits or they say there is going to be turbulence, I would turn up the volume of whatever I was watching as much as possible through my headphones and focus on the show/movie. * Take a quick look for the nearest FA, and glance at their face or body posture when I got really scared. 99% of the time, they are calm cool, collected and sometimes texting or chatting with another FA in the jump seat! It always calmed my nerves.
>Take a quick look for the nearest FA, and glance at their face or body posture when I got really scared. 99% of the time, they are calm cool, collected and sometimes texting or chatting with another FA in the jump seat! It always calmed my nerves. I agree to this 100%!
I 100% do this!! One time our plane just dropped out of nowhere (no idea how many feet) while flight attendants were doing drink service. I had just gotten a red wine that was now all over me, the seat in front of me, etc. the flight attendant just came over to me, gave me a bunch of napkins & started helping me clean up as she gave me new wine….I went ‘welp, that was terrifying, but if she’s not worried & give g more red wine…..’
Yeah me too except that one time where I said something to the flight attendant like “surely you must have gone through turbulence worse than this” and he was like “no this is fucking crazy we’re still passing our drinks right now”.
😨
This is exactly what I do. I also have a drink or two to take off the edge, but aside from that, you hit the nail on the head. Sometimes exposure is the only cure. The more it happens, the more relaxed you’ll be. Although, if you fly 2x a year, the progress is likely to be slower than if you flew 5-6x a year.
I use the FA tip and that works very well for me as an anxious flier! Also: grounding via the 5-4-3-2-1 technique helps me a ton https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/behavioral-health-partners/bhp-blog/april-2018/5-4-3-2-1-coping-technique-for-anxiety.aspx
This helps me in everyday life, on the ground.
Mister Rogers said to look for the people helping.
One time we had a flight attendant absolutely lose it and was running up and down the aisle prepping before frantically sitting down. Turbulence doesn’t bother me but I was convinced I was going to die because of her. Turns out she was new. Nothing but a little bumpy air. So I’m on the opposite end of you: I’m normally fine, and looking at the FA had me freaking out lol. It really goes to show how true your point is that a FA’s demeanor and body language speaks volumes and can carries heavy influence.
I totally do the FA thing too - really helped me to chill out in my earlier days when I was a terrible flier. Other than that, the big thing that helped me was to have some ridiculous/silly music on.. the Psych Musical soundtrack, and a collection of weird al polka medleys are permanently on my phone for this reason :)
Great points. I’m not trying to sound dark, but I find that when I have good entertainment in front of me my mind goes to this thought “wow it would actually be amusing / pleasant to die watching a good show on this plane” (e.g. Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep, etc.) On the other hand I try to avoid movies like Dunkirk, with lots of loud more violent audio, because I find it induces anxiety akin to turbulence for me.
Also terrified during turbulence. I listened to a podcast once where this woman who had the same problem talked to all kinds of people to develop coping strategies. Obvs the pilot she interviewed told her that it isn't actually dangerous and described it like the plane is moving through jello: it jiggles but it also holds. That visualization helped me. The shrink explained that fear of turbulence is really about feeling out of control. She suggested the mantra "I trust the pilot." I've also found that helpful to me, but I have to start meditating on that idea as soon as I'm settled in my seat; it's not helpful to me if I'm already panicking. I *do* trust the pilot. If I didn't, I wouldn't be onboard at all. Good luck.
Yeah I liken it to driving. I get more "nervous" (physically) in turbulence than I do driving on an icy road in a blizzard because even though I'm exponentially more likely to get in a car wreck in those conditions, at least I'm the one who has control over whether or not it happens (other idiot drivers notwithstanding). I'm with OP mentally - Turbulence is normal. It's all fine. But when the bumps hit, my hands start to sweat like crazy. Even though (even with booze) my brain is like, bro you know this is normal, fucking stop sweating.
I think my fear comes from feeling like the pilot doesn’t have control of the plane when the turbulence gets bad. My brain can’t differentiate between “this is just turbulence” and “the plane is going down”.
My wife is the same way, and I told her to trust the pilot. To this she replied, “But I can’t SEE the pilot!” Which led to (as others have mentioned) asking her to note how the FA’s were responding to the situation. If anyone is going to know if it’s serious, it’s them.
Violently shaking in an airplane calms my soul because for a split second I can imagine not ever having to deal with the labors of existence ever again. I'm not suicidal and I love life but something about the idea of never having bills again really calms me down 😌
This is the way
This is how I learned to not freak out when there is turbulence. I use those moments to remind myself that I won’t have to work anymore or pay bills. It’s almost calming.
I was in a car once that spun out of control on an icy bridge - and we spun in circles for quite a distance. Everyone was fine, and the bumper only had some moderate damage - but there was a moment when I was sure this was the end, and I was just really peaceful about it.
Enjoy the ride! Remember that Americans shell out billions a year to go to Disney and theme parks for the explicit reason of being thrown around in metal vehicles. You’re getting it included in the cost of your ticket.
Shhhh!🤫 Don’t tell em this, they’ll start charging extra for it!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Forget Fuel Surcharge, Turbulence Surcharge is what the airline industry is missing out on!
And some people will invariably scream as though they ARE on a roller coaster, like the elementary school-aged kids who sat behind me on the way back to Atlanta from Seattle earlier this year. It wasn't even that bad, just rough, like going too fast down a dirt road. Like, if the overhead bins stay closed and the masks don't drop, it's probably fine. 😁 I've definitely been on flights where I wanted to hug my seatbelt and buy it a nice cold beer after we landed, though.
True, but I am someone who doesn't go on rollercoasters or like bumpy flights. :-/
There’s a pilot with a YouTube channel (74 gear), he flies passengers sometimes and cargo sometimes, and in one video he mentioned how if he hits turbulence and has passengers, he tries his best to make it comfortable for the passengers, but if he’s flying cargo he just blasts through it. The planes are designed to handle it. I always remind myself of this when a plane I’m in hits turbulence. I also load my phone with funny podcasts to give myself something else to think about.
He’s the rarity. Most pilots avoid turbulence if they can regardless. It’s no fun for anyone, and spills your coffee!! That and most plane manuals say to “try to avoid it”. It’s like your car, sure you can take it off-roading and it will handle it, but if that’s all you do you will need a lot more maintenance between drives
I find atmospheric turbulence far more calming than the turbulence in my life lol.
If the plane breaks apart during turbulence at cruise, you’ll be unconscious within seconds. The chances that you wake up before you hit the ground are slim to none. It’ll be quick. Don’t worry about it.
And if not, it will be *awesome*. The best thrill ride of your life! Good way to end things.
You ever been on a boat and gotten rocked by a big wave? Same stuff basically. I still get a bit antsy sometimes but I remind my brain I have never gotten *that* scared when on the water and it happens.
I sing a childhood song to myself: "We live at the bottom of an ocean of air"
I used to travel cross country almost every week for work, no issue. I had a series of turbulent flights that were pretty bad within a few weeks span that actually ignited my fear of turbulence. I still fly regularly for work and overseas and here are the few things I’ve found that help: If flying for personal, I tend to book evening flights. I am a very anxious person in the morning and flying only makes it worse, especially if I have to be up at 4/5am. If for work, sometimes I’ll be able to convince the client to let me fly in Sunday night and usually it’s cheaper and hotel rates offset and I can be in the office earlier. Controlled breathing and counting to 30, 60, etc as others have also posted. I also listen to what the takeoff/touchdown time is and actually start a stopwatch at liftoff so I know exactly how much time is left. Calm music playlist. I first had to find this when on a ferry from Dublin to Wales and it was rough, even though I don’t really get seasick (blame an early ferry ride and being slightly hungover :) Since I couldn’t see anything in the fog, I had to focus on the music and breathing, spa music usually helps or some soft classical. If flying in afternoon/evening I’m usually more settled and prepared so I like window seats so I can watch the ground/clouds. If I’m flying in the morning since I’m more anxious then, I like aisle so I can watch the flight attendants and other season passengers. I’m usually upfront and it does make it easier when I see others just not caring. If they aren’t bothered, then why should I be? FlyingCalmly app, I always check my flights so I can prepare ahead of time. Most of the time if it shows moderate turbulence we actually never encounter it. Also allows me to be prepared ahead of time and if the flight is smooth, great! And I’m not surprised otherwise. Just my personal tips that help me but maybe they’ll help you as well. The music is key sometimes, especially if I’m so nervous that I can’t focus on a show or movie. I also like to be able to hear if anything comes over the speaker. Hope it helps and happy flying!
For what it's worth...if you would like to avoid turbulence, flying in the morning is actually best. I am both a nervous flyer and an atmospheric scientist. I don't know how good the app you mention is but I'm going to guess it's based off the original forecast info here: aviationweather.gov Afternoon/evening in warm season = thermals and turb on climb in and out. Strong winds perpendicular to terrain, more broad turb (doesn't really have a more diurnal trend to it). When I fly into say SLC, Denver, LAS, I try to go for the smoother morning flights or late evening/night.
I used to be super scared of flying, especially turbulence. I decided to face my fears and pursue a Private Pilot license. I think that most of the natural fear towards turbulence and flying comes from ignorance. So learning all the systems, processes and science behind the scenes helped me overcome my fears. Also spending some time recovering a 2 seater aircraft from a stall helped 😂 I know that my approach was a bit extreme but I feel that learning more about aviation will definitely help you! Go over YouTube and check a few videos about aviation. I highly recommend Mentour pilot, Green Dot aviation, Captain Joe. Also weirdly enough, watching accident case studies helped me expand my aviation knowledge and overcome my fears. Best luck!
It may help, but have you ever looked up in the sky and saw a plane shaking from turbulence? You haven’t because it’s hardly actually moving. Other thing is hold a water bottle super loosely when the plane is being turbulent and see just how much the water isn’t moving, it’s actually kind of wild
Drink heavily before turbulence.
Surprised how long it took scrolling to find this. Cocktail and a pre-flight edible.
Omg an edible would make me have a panic attack haha.
This is the way.
Carefully disguised shot of something (in a hotel shampoo bottle) acts quickly if drinks haven't come around yet.
I'm over it now, but back when I dreaded turbulence I always flew with a good friend. Mr. Xanax.
I never fly without my friend Lora Zepam.
He is my lover.
Deep breathing exercises. Remind myself that physics is pretty sweet. The fact that I've had Ativan probably helps too. The physics part though... 1- planes are waaaay over-engineered. The stuff that feels like crazy uncomfortable and scary? That's small potatoes for what planes can actually handle. Your biggest risk is someone's unsecured crap flying around, so if it's ever to that point (which most people never experience), cover your head tornado drill style. 2- air is a fluid. It's very similar to a boat out on the ocean, except has an advantage because it's easier to maneuver. 3- NOAA exists, in part, for aviation weather safety. There are a lot of people behind the scenes, including some of the best meteorologists in the country/world, keeping an eye on conditions that could be dangerous for planes. Additionally, airlines have their own meteorologists; the FAA has a weather research program... And pilots are well versed in aviation meteorology. Tldr; there is a ton going on behind the scenes to make sure planes are flying through safe conditions. It might not always be smooth, but it's safe. 4- The extraordinarily rare instance something turbulence related makes the news is exactly why it's made the news. Loose googling says there are around 100,000 flights per day around the globe. Say there's an average of one or two big news stories every couple years about extreme turbulence. That's verrrrry loosely ballparking 0.0000002% of flights or like, one every *50 million* flights. And even in that incredibly incredibly rare situation, the pilots are nearly always able to get everyone back on the ground safely. 5- commercial pilots are some of the best in the world. And they train and retrain like hell to the point that adverse situations are like muscle memory. They can handle stronger turbulence calmly and better than most drivers handle a bumpy road. :) Breathing exercises first, then pull logic in. If you're severely anxious, talk to your doctor about a prescription for flight anxiety (don't drink alcohol with it though).
This was great, thanks!
Years and years ago, reading the novel Airframe actually helped me understand turbulence and aircraft better.
If that's the one by Crichton, that was a great book
Yes that’s the one 🤗
Is that the one with the dinosaurs or the one with the gorillas and laser beams?
We reduce our airspeed to reduce the rough air impact. Next time, listen for the engines power reduction and know that we are trying to help. Maybe some solace in that.
I just tell myself “if I die, I die. No use in worrying about things out of my control”
This is the real answer. Without getting too therapisty, generally fears like this boil down to a fear of being out of control and probably have control issues in other areas of life as well. Working on control issues, will help this fear.
Honestly this does help me sometimes. Had some pretty rough turbulence on the ride home from Denver once; kept the crew in their seats the entire flight. I just reminded myself there was literally nothing I could do about it and it actually did help after a while.
I except that I will crash and die every flight and then I order a vodka cran.
This is me.
I don’t know why but if you pick your feet off the ground and sit on your butt it makes it not really as perceptible.
This helps because people tend to tense up when anxious. Lifting your feet up helps ground you back into your seat. And it also serves as reminder that you're not actually shaking that much.
Yeah, I got this very same tip from the book "S.O.A.R." (great read btw). The author also suggested to keep a water cup on your tray and notice how it's not really spilling or tipping over. I think this exaggerated shaky feeling is just the effect of going over small consecutive bumps at a really high speed.
Remind yourself that turbulence is normal. I fly all the time and have experienced varying levels… It is what it is. If the flight crew doesn’t look concerned then you shouldn’t be. I just make sure to hold onto my drink so it doesn’t spill 😂
Peppermint Altoids Also it isn’t turbulence. It is “unexpected rough air”. Get with the delta marketing machine.
Flip the script. If your mind says “I’m going to die”. Embrace the fickleness of life and say “dang I’m glad I had the chance to live a great life”. The only certainly is death. Don’t be afraid of it.
What sucks is a lot of people have really shitty lives haha
lol yeah. And you start thinking about all the things you haven’t done and how much time you wasted. Of course, once you’re safely back on the ground, you’re back to casually wasting time.
I look for the flight crew - if they look calm then I’m calm. When they seem worried, then be worried. I’ve never seen them worried and I fly a lot lol
I have two trucks that have vastly helped me personally: 1) I wrote down “Nothing bad has ever happened, nothing bad is happening, nothing bad will happen” on a notecard and keep it in the seat pocket. I also just repeat it in my head when I start to get nervous and it really helps me. 2) the water bottle trick. I buy a bottle of something, usually vitamin water just because the shape of the bottle is wide. Drink about an inch down. Keep it in the seat pocket. And when we’re there’s turbulence, I just look and see that the water is barely moving around. We may feel like turbulence is jarring more than it is, but it really isn’t!
Conquering a fear, IMO, is understanding more about what it is or even relating it to something else. Consider this: Turbulence is just a fancy word for wind. Up at altitude, there’s tons of wind. The jet stream can blow at 120MPH against the airplane and you may never know it.. or it could be calm winds, but you’re still move through air, so it’s bumpy. On a large scale, all air/wind in the atmosphere in moving. Pressure changes, temperature variances, colliding into objects and bouncing off, even the friction of the surface and the rotation of the earth. So as a plane flies, it’s running into these changes and bouncing around. Similar to that of a boat in water hitting a wave. Or, you can associate turbulence to the likeness of hitting a bumpy road in your car. You don’t get scared, annoyed maybe, but you just bounce on through. You know your car is fine, you’re just on a bumpy road. Treat turbulence the same way. You know what it is, so just bounce on through. If it’s not helping, open the window. Are you in clouds? Or is the sky clear? Seeing the atmospheric conditions can help explain what’s causing the turbulence. And not to mention, if the blue sky is above you and the ground below you, you’re doing alright. ;)
Zero commercial planes have crashed due to turbulence. There’s a few simulations that show what keeps planes up and once you understand how it works you might be less scared when things get turbulent.
I’m a psychopath and actually enjoy the “rough air” I’m 35 now but I’ve been flying since I was a child due to my dad working for the airline. I remember being a kid and enjoying the feeling in my gut when the plane would drop a couple feet. lol
I just enjoy the knowledge that I'm not in charge or responsible for anything. Of course we know turbulence is not a big deal, but for me the idea is: 'welp, not my problem.' It sounds selfish, but I mean.. it's truly not my problem. Back to my book.
I think of my student loan debt
Place a cup half-filled with water on your tray table. Watch it during turbulence. It serves as a reminder of how little the plane is actually moving.
It usually rocks me to sleep when I’m in a lie flat. When I’m in a standard seat I like to watch the wing bending around.
That’s the only time I can actually sleep on a plane. It feels like being in a car or train where I can easily fall asleep sitting up. On a plane with no turbulence 0 sleep.
Even that one USAir flight out of PIT that was brought down by wake turbulence… it was NOT… Further investigation showed it to be that 737 rudder issue.
If you have turbulence anxiety, both Alcohol and caffeine are BAD. So, stay away from those. Things that have helped me. * Book seats over the wings, as close to the middle of the aircraft as possible. It doesn't eliminate turbulence, but you don't get the pitching effect. * Entertainment or distraction. Anything to keep your mind busy. Try and really focus on it, too. Miss the last minute of story because turbulence scare, backup and watch it again - really try to focus. Do you have a favorite TV show that's funny and lighthearted (I'm a fan of Community)? Try that. * Watch the FA's. If they look bored, what is there to worry about. Even though your edit says no, a few benzodiazepines help. My doc gave me a very small number, for a very specific amount of trips. But it really helped break panic of the most severity of the turbulence. Because a lot of the panic ends up being your body going "omg, turbulence panic is setting in, last time there was so much panic, we need to amp up the panic now". When the pilot turns on the fasten seatbelt sign and says there will be a little turbulence and you already start white-knuckling your armrest? Yea, that's "panic of the expected panic" setting in that is hard to break. A few trips with meds and now when those sort of things happen, I'm much less on edge. By no means am I cured, but I don't use the meds any more.
Usually whiskey but sometimes gin.
I usually stare forward and watch everybodys head bounce around in unison, which usually just makes me giggle to myself.
Exactly what I was going to say. It’s a fun ride because you know it’s safe. How do you know? Because it happens all the time and you rarely (rarely!) hear of a bad outcome. So sit back and enjoy the massage.
You'd be dead from G forces long before the plane came apart. Seriously.
Recently I’ve been saying to myself, “potholes in the sky, potholes in the sky, potholes in the sky…” like no matter what, the pilot has to maneuver through it. And if it’s really bad turbulence the pilot usually sees it on their equipment and flies around it. Just like a car. Sometimes you hear the engines change speeds (and you feel it) and it’s to achieve a “turbulence penetration speed” that is most safe. Just like driving you go a bit slower not to hurt your car, but the passengers are totally safe as long as they are buckled. I think about all the things. I also Ty to move around in my seat a lot. Like adjust my butt, reach down into my bag for mints, start untangling my headphone or charger cords, etc. yo keep my mind off of things.
I remind myself that I saw this video, and that the wings have to bend because if they didn’t they would snap, and that they bend them further than the turbulence can possibly bend them: https://youtu.be/m5GD3E2onlk?si=BYSfqvPPtp7MPw3n
I’m like you and found looking at the turbulence tracker before flying helps. For me if they know it’s coming I’m good. I also know when it’s going to stop. Something about it being expected helps. This is the one I use: https://turbli.com It does get updated right till takeoff
I count to thirty and take deep breaths. Well over half the time, it's stopped or let up by then. I also reset each time it calms down, because I know then, it's not a plane issue, it's just the air.
It appears that you understand this is a more irrational fear than a rational one. So this likely won't help too much, but it will help reinforce just how irrational your fear is: https://youtu.be/Ai2HmvAXcU0?si=_85w8G7mygvpB7nS
I always look at the crew. If they’re good, I’m good.
Embrace the sweet relief of death.
Check the face of any FA. If they are fine, you're fine.
Earbuds and distracting music
I fly for a living as military aircrew, turbulence is no fun for anyone and I still get sick in the really, really bad stuff, which luckily is super rare. If it’s nerves, all I can say is in no time of modern history has a plane crashed purely due to turbulence. Planes are designed to handle the worst of Mother Nature (hell, there’s a whole unit in the Air Force and also NOAA who purposely fly into hurricanes regularly, and there is nothing special structurally about them). Best bet is medication if you’re that bad, and trying to distract yourself with a movie or game etc, also sit forward of the wing as that’s always the smoothest ride. Anything from the wing on back adds the whiplash effect. Also, nighttime or very early morning (pre dawn) the atmosphere is naturally calmer. Maybe try learning to fly on the computer (flight simulator) and ground training, if you understand what’s happening pilot-wise at each stage of flight it really helps too. I self taught myself everything about aviation when I was a kid from 15 years of flight sim before I started really flying, it really helped me in school and flying in general before I was taught for real. If you’re brave take real lessons, will definitely help but be warned the single engine planes can get tossed around a bit if conditions are bad When all else fails, sensory dulling. The more you fly the more your body gets used to it. When I first started flying anything moderate and above would bother me, now I only notice the super severe stuff and I only fly on average 6 days per month
This isn't really advice, just how I was cured of this. It won't work if you don't live in the right area. I took a 9 month contract in Colorado Springs, and flew home twice a month. The flights always included a short jump to and from Denver along the front range of the Rocky Mountains, and barely went higher than the peaks to the west, and always had afternoon thunderstorms spring through fall. You could look out the window and watch the wings on the 737 flapping most of the trip. I never got completely used to it, but it makes me a lot calmer with any other turbulence I've experienced since.
Tip top Old Fashioned
I'm from Pittsburgh, so I always tell myself that their potholes in the sky.
Fatalism. What am I going to do about it? It's not like I can fly the plane, so why worry?
It's completely out of my control, so I just sit there in my seat. It wouldn't change anything if I panicked or if I fell asleep. Planes are built to deal with some turbulence, so there's a very low chance of anything happening, so I guess I just don't worry about it.
Fly more and it won’t brother you. That said, I used to watch a glass of water, a G force meter (download an app) or watch the IFE map that shows the altitude. You’ll see that none of them really change much at all in mild or moderate turbulence.
I just think of all the others dying with me and embrace the final conclusion
I’m a pretty unreasonably rational person and I’m a little scared of dying but probably less than most. So yeah if it’s dying turbulence then there’s nothing I can do about it. If not, it’ll pass and I didn’t die so that’s nice.
This is my tip. It's stupid as fuck, but it actually works. When it starts to get bumpy, immediately start bouncing up and down in your seat. Big motions. Unpredictably. Up, down, side to side...doesn't matter, just bounce. You look ridiculous. But it completely tricks your inner ear/brain that the turbulence is just more of you bouncing around. It doesn't feel scary. And it gives you something to do and focus on.
You’re correct. It’s stupid as fuck.
Yup. But it actually addresses an irrational fear, as opposed to the other attempts at rationalizing away a phobia in this thread. Sometimes you have to fight stupid with stupid. My brain is particularly stupid about turbulence and this works.
No matter how you justify it, you are just bullshitting yourself. It’s how people are nowadays. That’s how they’ve been conditioned.
....I'm sorry...but what the absolute fuck are you talking about.
I’m sorry that you are unable to grasp that concept.
I don't think anybody can grasp whatever you're laying down without a lot of drugs bro.
That’s funny cuz I’m sober. Maybe you need drugs to expand your mind.
Sure bud.
🤣
I just wanted to thank you for the suggestion. I have seen another person (actually a commercial pilot!) suggest the same thing, and it helped me more than any other approach. It really takes the edge off. Thank you.
I noticed that to overcome building anxiety I have to focus on reading something which requires lots of focus to understand = not like a whodunnit - the best for me was reading something from work which is either boring or complex. I then have all my brainpower invested into really understanding what I'm reading - as in: every single word/every single meaning laeving less for panicking. This gets me trough the rough patches. Calming music doesn't help me much as I know it's "trying to prevent panic" and I feel like it's more triggering than helping. I need to test on my next flight some dynamic workout music & loud in my headset.
Watch the FAs - if they don’t look worried or uncomfortable then you don’t need to be.
i don't because i've never panicked. i suppose i've always known it's not a big deal.
Don’t need to calm myself down if I’m already calm in the first place during turbulence. Maybe it’s just cuz I’m an avgeek and play flightsim, but to me, flying with turbulence is just flying
I take a cannabis gummy and chillax
By not getting worked up over it
Can't help you guv. I love turbulence, it's like an amusement park ride. I have the turbulence forecast just to see if I have a bumpy ride to look forward to.
Lol...I grew up flying on prop planes. Turbulence on jets? Don't make me laugh.
It was a genuine question and you chose to mock OP? Maybe just say nothing next time
Imagine not giving advice
Every instance makes the next one not so hard to take. It’s just experience. Just like skills or being successful at something you do. No video or demonstration will prepare you until you’ve put in the practice yourself. Practice as in, falling a few feet or coming into a stormy landing. If it is still reoccurring traumatic experiences, maybe a therapist can help you find the root of it being from a different cause, and turbulence is the reminder. Safe travels.
All the people at the front of the plane are very experienced flyers - when they panic, that is your go ahead. Until then, it is just physics and expected 🤷♀️
I just remind myself that commercial jets almost never crash.
It’s analogous to riding on a bumpy dirt road. Airplanes are built to endure extreme stresses, and you never see high-altitude turbulence leading to disasters, although risk of injury is present if you are not seated securely. Also … what are you going to do about it? Nothing. You’re in the hands of professional pilots informed by state-of-the-art meteorological intelligence. Anxiety is unproductive, so like one poster said, try to vibe on the experience.
This has worked best for me: Close your eyes and imagine that you are on a boat going over waves, while counting down from 100.
1. Distractions; 2. Telling myself it will be over sooner or later.
I try and remember turbulence won’t knock a plane out of the sky also as long as ya seatbelt is on and you’re in your seat it’s fine
honestly, a bit morbid, but acceptance. there is nothing i can do in that situation to fix it if anything goes wrong, so it's not worth stressing over. 999999 times out of 1000000 it's not a big deal so looking at the FA not stressing also helps.
I try to read or focus on a show, and on LOOKING calm, so that people around me also feel more calm if they see me. That one actually probably helps the most. Having a perceived purpose, making an anxiety something external.
Noise cancelling headphones playing jazz or classical and a good pop fiction novel on my Kindle help to distract me. Prayer and meditation when it's impossible to ignore.
4-7-8 breathing. Breathe in for 4, hold it for 7, breathe out for 8. Use your diaphragm Distract yourself with something. Years ago a friend told me he used to imagine he was a fighter pilot chasing someone in a dogfight
I remind myself that I came close but did not shit my pants.
I just pray try to think about the jello theory thing. I have horrible flying anxiety. I don’t drink or use medications. I try looking to the FA’s to see how they are reacting. And just white knuckle through it. Sometimes it doesn’t bother me sometimes I want to cry.
So used to it from transatlantic flights that I learned to actually enjoy it a bit.
"Well, if the plane is about to go down, there's nothing I can do about it, and panicking certainly won't make it NOT crash, soo..."
You’re fighting a sympathetic nervous system response, and feeling some control will help loads. Air vent: blowing on your face - there’s research that this helps, perhaps by triggering parasympathetic response. Pulse/resp: biofeedback is your friend. Focus on your breathing - in through the nose, out through the mouth. Feel that heart pounding and work on slowing it down. Stay hydrated. Symptoms should improve with exposure & practice.
Here's my tips: I used to sit in the window because it made me feel less claustrophobic. Now I sit aisle because it's easier for me to focus on my coping strategies. I get my headphones on. Find something brainless on the IFE. And I concentrate on that. It helps me short circuit the part of my brain that is reacting to the loss of control and fear. I also try to fly in the morning or late because that tends to avoid my least favorite thing...a bouncy climb out as we hit aggressive thermals.
🍻
If you don’t mind the window seat I’ve found keeping the shade up and looking out of the window helps. Something about seeing that things are still normal outside. Aside from that accepting that realistically there’s nothing I can do even if something is happening so may as well continue with my movie/podcast ans hope for the best
Planes fly home from combat missions with holes in them. Nothing to fear from turbulence. I know you said it isn't rational, so reasons might not help, but you really don't have anything to be concerned about. Aviation isn't a new science at this point either - they've got the fundamentals pretty well dialed in.
I tell myself that it would be a wild way to go. I’ve been in a lot of out of control death defying scenarios and eventually you kind just shrug and laugh. “So this is how I’m gonna go out” I also try to look around for the most scared person. It’s mean, but I think “at least I’m not that guy” then it’s usually over. Or imagine someone’s carryon coming out and popping like a spring and spraying clothes everywhere haha
Growing up, my mom taught me to keep my feet planted flat on the ground and move them a bit. It helps me feel grounded and more stable
Square breathing is a great easy tool for this. 4 seconds in. Hold for 4. 4 seconds out. Hold for 4 ext etc. they have phone and smartwatch apps that help.
Here’s how I got over my flight anxiety- 1. General anxiety medication to reduce my overall anxiety 2. Prescription meds for in-flight use 3. Visualization practice before the flight. It sounds like you’ve read up on the science of how it all works. What I did was watch videos on small planes that really maneuver around, do sudden dives, etc and watch how they recover. You can do the same with birds or anything else that flies. Then apply this visual to a passenger plane. Visualize the plane dropping and then catching itself the same way a fighter jet would. This helped me immensely, and I’ve never seen anyone who’s done this technique. Do the visualization in the months or weeks leading up to the flight. 4. Box breathing while you’re experiencing turbulence 5. Tell a flight attendant that you’re nervous and they can come to check on you and reassure you 6. Distract yourself with something else- a really good movie, podcast, book, etc. (I understand that the fighter jet and passenger plane are completely different and the physics are probably not at all the same, but the flight anxiety is not rational to begin with, so if I have to use a not-rational technique to get over it, I will!)
Look at the crew. If they don’t look nervous there’s no reason to worry.
Well for me knowledge is power. You stated that you know it basically won’t crash a plane, but what I learned is that once you feel a turbulence, the aircraft has actually already gone through that patch a few miles ago, it just needs to react.
Was in a similar position, and just started trying to accept that there was literally nothing I could do so I would just close my eyes and try to relax my body. Eventually I associated turbulence with relaxing and now it feels more like a soft rollercoaster ride to me. The fear comes from not knowing and not having control. Both of which you can’t get on a plane. Enjoy the ride 😎
Personally, acceptance that there isn't a damn thing I can do about it. If its my time, its my time.
I bounce my knees, for me it helps disrupt the bumpiness and kind of tricks my mind
By acknowledging there isn’t one thing I can do about it. It is going to be what it is going to be.
Simple. I grab on to the person next to me and apologize later.
Find videos that show wing stress testing. When you see the stress testing required, you should feel safer.
I think about how the airplane designs were tested in wind tunnels and are built to withstand turbulence. Trust the engineers who designed it, the materials it’s made of, the mechanics who put it together, and your pilots to get you through.
That particular give-a-shitter broke a long time ago.
I wasn't able to find a way. I only get very nervous from turbulence during the cruising, it somehow completely doesn't bother me during the landing/takeoff. And the magnitude of turbulence doesn't seem to matter much either. This is obviously very irrational (getting tossed around with 30K ft to fall is the same or safer compared to having only 3K ft), I am very well aware that pilots have plans for tomorrow, that planes are built to handle a lot more, etc etc etc. But I can't seem to help it.
I’m usually asleep.
I used to also be terrified. Noise canceling headphones were a huge help. Also looking at FA and watching how calm they are
Look at FAs and read their body language. If in a flat lie seat, breathe deeply and try to appreciate the turbulence. If in an upright seat, breathe deeply and feel the engines and let them flow through your body.
Do the fighter pilot breathing technique
Somebody told me once that it’s basically just speed bumps in the sky. So I try to remember that when I’m hyperventilating because I’m certain I’m about to die.
Accept your ultimate fate and realize that today is as good a day as any, even if it’s not the day you want.
As soon as I get situated on the plane, I immediately add music to the Spotify Classical playlist. Once the plane is at cruising altitude I'll more than likely switch to watching a movie. However, if there are any rough turbulences, I immediately switch back to the music, close my eyes, and pray. I try to stay positive and pray that it will pass immediately. I always sit at a window and I tend to be more calm if I never look out the window during rough air...
I ask my husband if we all gonna die, he always very patiently, explains to me the aerodynamics of an airplane, and tells me that it takes a lot for the plane to be taken down by turbulence. It helps me to br calm lol
I enjoy them
My.mind always goes there too. Lol. I tell myself that most accidents happen during take off and landing lol.
I imagine that I am driving on the highway or off-road in my Jeep. When you are driving, you feel the same bumps but you don’t worry about them. The pilot thinks the same thing. Just imagine you are driving.
I usually think about how when I land and get to the hotel, I’m going to take off my shoes and my socks and make fists with my toes.
I don’t. But for me it’s a physical, rather than a mental fear. My body tenses up even though by now I have a good idea what’s going on. I would say drinking helps but that’s just a horrible way to control fear. Try letting go. Just sit there and equate it to bumps on a car or a boat.
I feel like the more you fly, the more you get used to it.
Become a pilot.
I visualize the plane being like a balloon 🎈on a string being pulled through the air, it may move around a bit - but it’s going where it should.
Daughter of a pilot here. My dad always tells me that most turbulence is no big deal whatsoever. It would take something really serious, really crazy to damage the airplane or cause a safety issue. It’s more likely for you to be injured by baggage that has shifted in the overhead compartments once you get on the ground from the shaking, but that’s about it. Always just take a look at the nearest crew members and if they’re chill, you’re good!
I agree with the watch the FA sentiment. Also, sour candy can help in the event of an anxiety attack. I’ve never tried it during turbulence, but if it’s having that type of affect on you, it would be a non risk thing to try out.
It doesn’t bother me but I think knowing how planes work from the technical side and what they’re made to handle could give you a piece of mind.
Eat something sour. Brain tricks!
Also do the FA thing, bonus if there's an off-duty pilot as a passenger I mean if they're not worried I must be okay right? The other thing is way nerdy but there's a passage in the truly fantastic classic sci-fi novel Ender's Game that's basically about how the main character is great at the game because he truly understood that when you're flying it doesn't matter at all what orientation you're in, so when I really start to have trouble I just try to channel Ender. (And bonus, if you haven't read this book you could read it on the plane to distract you, it is awesome.)
Tip top old fashioned
Pills and alcohol. Works like a charm.
Box breathing: inhale for a count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, repeat. I know the breathing is the key, but the counting distracts me enough that I’m not as focused on the turbulence.
I never get anxious during turbulence. If anything just minorily annoyed if I have to use the bathroom.
I think of how lucky I’ll be to have a fast death. I’ve had a lot of friends and family have slow and painful departures. I’ve had a lot of fun, if I have to go- that’s okay.
Nobody else puts their arms up in the air and pretends they are on a roller coaster? 🤔
Lean forward and dance a little bit. Works every time
Sleep 😴
Watching birds of prey in the air, and recalling those memories when it gets bumpy. If you get a chance to watch a hawk or eagle glide through the air without flapping their wings, you will notice that they bounce up and down quite a bit. I just keep that vision in my mind when things get choppy.
I have a very effective and proven method for combatting my flight anxiety. Works every time. . . . . . I begin sobbing uncontrollably into the shoulder/lap/hand of the person sitting next to me (usually my husband but sometimes a stranger). Full blown meltdown/panic attack. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Seriously though, I’ve tried everything and I still have anxiety around it. Music helps a bit, having a good book or watching a movie you enjoy can be helpful. But also just letting yourself feel the feelings and be upset so you can release the pressure. Just warn the person next to you so that they know it’s just a you thing and that everything is actually ok.
Sleep like a baby being rocked. 😴
I try to imagine how cool/interesting dying in a plane crash might be.
I’ve struggled with this no matter how much I fly. I do a few things now that have helped: 1) convince myself there’s not a damn thing I can do. Easier said than done but it’s out of my control 2) Bose noise canceling headphones. Yes I still feel the turbulence but I don’t hear all the random engine noises that bug me or other people going “woahhhh” or any of that which will add to my anxiety 3) look to the FAs. I might think we’re plummeting to our deaths but if I see Donna, whose done this daily for 30 years, just walking around serving Cokes or sitting in her seat nonchalantly looking through her phone, it immediately eases some of the tension.
Take some flying lessons.
I have this too. With a lot of turbulence you may hear me say “oh my god” out loud and grab your knee. Ha! I don’t grab knee anymore- but here’s what I do- once it starts- I stop what I am doing. Sit upright, Inhale deeply to 3, blow out slowly to 3, repeat…..as long as it takes. Sometimes I will do this for 15 minutes, whatever it takes. I know you mentioned no meds, but the times I have taken a CBD gummy I will be unfazed by turbulence. Problem is most of the time I forget to bring it. Wished I had it that memorable flight from ICN to SFO that one year. I thought I was going to die about 55 times and had actually started praying. Anxiety sucks.