Fear of Flying?

These days, it is not unusual for many people to be uncomfortable with -- if not outright fearful of -- flying. There are, however, some easy ways to make air travel less stressful.

• Realize that your fear does not mean you are in danger
  Because of recent events, it may take very little to trigger a fear reaction in your body, sending adrenaline rushing through your body. The more adrenaline, the more fear you feel -- even if there is no real reason for it. Bottom line: if you indulge unbased fears, you'll make matters worse by intensifying them.

• Calm your present with your past
  Think of other times in your life when you felt afraid or even paralyzed by fear. Remember that you made it through them, then remember how you made it through.
• Distract yourself
  When you're afraid, it's natural to stop in your tracks. Yet the longer you stay stopped the more you'll begin to feel frozen, a feeling that will intensify your fears. Absorb yourself in reading or other pastimes, and you'll begin to feel calmer.
• Converse
  Open a conversation with your travelling partner or neighbor. You may begin to notice that as they talk about something of personal interest to them, they'll start to calm down themselves -- and that can rub off on you.
• Take slow and deep breaths
  Just changing your breathing pattern can actually change how you feel. There is something about taking deep breaths, holding them for a beat, and then blowing them out that helps to release a little tension with each exhale. Be sure to inhale through your nose instead of your mouth for the best effect.
• Go Zen
  If all else fails and you can't make your experience seem safe, you can choose to let it be unsafe. As preposterous as this seems, choosing to let it "be the way it is" can help you feel less out of control and frightened.