Aerophobia, also called aviophobia, is a situation-specific phobia defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the American Psychiatric Association’s professional reference book on mental health and brain-related conditions.
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It involves intense and persistent fear or anxiety related to air travel that lasts for at least six months, and is out of proportion to the actual risk, according to Sharon Batista, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
“Severity ranges from mild apprehension to complete avoidance of flying, with some individuals experiencing significant life limitations, including an inability to travel for work or family emergencies,” she says.
The causes of fear of flying vary. However, the fear is typically rooted in a combination of past experiences, thought patterns, and biological sensitivity, says Dr. Batista.
“A turbulent flight or hearing about a crash can condition a person to associate flying with danger,” she says. “Brain-based factors, such as an overactive fear response and a family history of anxiety, can heighten vulnerability. Media reports of accidents can reinforce the fear.”
Fear of flying can also intersect with other phobias, such as claustrophobia (fear of small spaces) and acrophobia (fear of heights), says Dr. Faynboym.
For people who have panic disorder — which involves frequent and unexpected panic attacks, along with agoraphobia — a fear of being trapped in places with no way to escape in the event of a panic attack, the main air travel-related fear is less about the safety of flying and more about having a panic attack in a setting where escape is impossible.
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