fear of flying
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From: Milwaukee Area
[QUOTE=ElTianti,Jan 24 2006, 01:15 PM] I draw a distinction between rational fears; say feeling fear when standing on the edge of a steep precipice versus irrational ones, like feeling panic when driving across a suspension bridge.
Fear of flying is irrational.
Fear of flying is irrational.
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From: Rome, GA
Originally Posted by Wisconsin S2k,Jan 24 2006, 12:11 PM
you're right. i'm such a girl because I have a fear of flying. 
my fear is perfectly rational. our mind determines what is real and what isn't. it's a very real fear to many people, and is no different from your fear of standing on a precipice. why is that a more real fear? after all, how many people do you hear of that died because they stood on a precipice and then fell in? I bet more people die in plane crashes, than by falling into precipices, so how is a fear of flying not rational? if there were NEVER any plane crashes, then the fear would be irrational.
take your own advice, be a man and grow up. you're doing no good to this thread, so do us all a favor and
my fear is perfectly rational. our mind determines what is real and what isn't. it's a very real fear to many people, and is no different from your fear of standing on a precipice. why is that a more real fear? after all, how many people do you hear of that died because they stood on a precipice and then fell in? I bet more people die in plane crashes, than by falling into precipices, so how is a fear of flying not rational? if there were NEVER any plane crashes, then the fear would be irrational.take your own advice, be a man and grow up. you're doing no good to this thread, so do us all a favor and
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From: Blackswamp
I think the worst thing about the fear of flying, is there is nothing proactive you can do to "protect" yourself. If you were afraid of muggers, you could not wander home at night from the bars, get a black belt, not walk alone, etc.).
But with the plane, your life is in the hands people you have no way to influence (as you suggested Wisconsin). If you have the fear to start with, because there is nothing you can to protect yourself, you may tend to focus on how helpless you are about it, and psych yourself out.
Try doing something on the plane keep from focusing on your fears. If you like to read, read your favorite book, or play a gameboy, or whatever you can do to take your mind off the issue. Focus on something besides the fact that you are flying. If take offs or landings are the worst, try getting your sweetie to smooch with you during the parts of the flight that freak you out the worst (it will at least get you focused back on the honeymoon, the important part of the trip anyways).
But with the plane, your life is in the hands people you have no way to influence (as you suggested Wisconsin). If you have the fear to start with, because there is nothing you can to protect yourself, you may tend to focus on how helpless you are about it, and psych yourself out.
Try doing something on the plane keep from focusing on your fears. If you like to read, read your favorite book, or play a gameboy, or whatever you can do to take your mind off the issue. Focus on something besides the fact that you are flying. If take offs or landings are the worst, try getting your sweetie to smooch with you during the parts of the flight that freak you out the worst (it will at least get you focused back on the honeymoon, the important part of the trip anyways).
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From: Los Angeles, Miami
Originally Posted by ElTianti,Jan 24 2006, 02:15 PM
Be a man and get over it.
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From: limerick
Originally Posted by Wisconsin S2k,Jan 24 2006, 04:17 PM
There is more than just the fear of dying in a plane crash. There are other fears that compound this fear. And part of the reason it crosses your mind more than fear of dying in a car crash is because it's not a fear you necessarily face every day.
There is something to be said of the "facing your fears" phrase. The more you face it, the less you tend to fear it. i drive every day, therefore the fear of dying in a car crash is minimal, since I face it constantly.
A plane crash, however, is something that is far more rare an occasion. Not to mention that at least driving we have SOME control, where on a plane, we have NO control over our own life and the actions taken to ensure our own safety.
So again, the fear is perfectly rational. just because you disagree doesn't give you the right to act like a big tough-guy jock and go "you're a girlie, suck it up and be a man".
There is something to be said of the "facing your fears" phrase. The more you face it, the less you tend to fear it. i drive every day, therefore the fear of dying in a car crash is minimal, since I face it constantly.
A plane crash, however, is something that is far more rare an occasion. Not to mention that at least driving we have SOME control, where on a plane, we have NO control over our own life and the actions taken to ensure our own safety.
So again, the fear is perfectly rational. just because you disagree doesn't give you the right to act like a big tough-guy jock and go "you're a girlie, suck it up and be a man".
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From: Blackswamp
Originally Posted by exceltoexcel,Jan 24 2006, 04:18 PM
I have a black belt, it won't save you from getting mugged nor knocked the f out. It might get you a chance 
I was just pointing out that there were things you could actively do to get over a fear of mugging. There is nothing that you can do to make yourself invulnerable, but if you do things that make you feel safer, it lessens the fear.
However, when you are a passive passenger of a plane there is not much you can do to lessen the fear, except try to take your mind off of the fear in the first place.
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Originally Posted by Wisconsin S2k,Jan 23 2006, 11:14 AM
Many people have a fear of flying. I, for one, share this fear. Upon deciding to go to Orlando for our honey moon, it is up to me to purchase tickets from Midwest Airlines (i have a midwest airline card) for the flight.
Lest anyone forget, I have a fear of flying. Now that can mean many things, so let me explain "fear" "of" "flying".
I get near the point of tears during takeoff. (seriously, don't laugh) It scares the utter shit out of me that my life is in the hands of a pilot I don't know. And not just the pilot. But every single mechanic that looked at this plane in any way, down to the smallest details. How do I know that the mechanic or pilot didn't just get cheated on by their wife, and find out that their dog has cancer? Or maybe it's a Monday, and they are hung over from a hard weekend of partying? Is that the kind of mental state I want my pilot or the mechanics to have?
Am I being paranoid? Sure. I understand that flying is safer than driving, but at least if my engine fails or I rear end someone, I'm not going to plummet 500mph and 30,000 feet to the ground. That's not a ride I wanna take. That's assuming that the knowledge that you're going to die doesn't kill you from anxiety.
So now you're clearly getting the kind of picture my mind paints about flying. So honestly, how many share my fear? Do we have any pilots here who have reassuring words for my cynical fear? What's the secret to surviving airline travel?
Lest anyone forget, I have a fear of flying. Now that can mean many things, so let me explain "fear" "of" "flying".
I get near the point of tears during takeoff. (seriously, don't laugh) It scares the utter shit out of me that my life is in the hands of a pilot I don't know. And not just the pilot. But every single mechanic that looked at this plane in any way, down to the smallest details. How do I know that the mechanic or pilot didn't just get cheated on by their wife, and find out that their dog has cancer? Or maybe it's a Monday, and they are hung over from a hard weekend of partying? Is that the kind of mental state I want my pilot or the mechanics to have?
Am I being paranoid? Sure. I understand that flying is safer than driving, but at least if my engine fails or I rear end someone, I'm not going to plummet 500mph and 30,000 feet to the ground. That's not a ride I wanna take. That's assuming that the knowledge that you're going to die doesn't kill you from anxiety.
So now you're clearly getting the kind of picture my mind paints about flying. So honestly, how many share my fear? Do we have any pilots here who have reassuring words for my cynical fear? What's the secret to surviving airline travel?
I have always enjoyed air travel because I find the mechanics and physics of flight rather fascinating.