What are you afraid of? Sharing your phobia(s) will help others!

[Rafterman]

I have a fear of flying which boils down to the fear of not being in control.  I also think it’s the fear of death.  I’ve tried everything but being hypnotized.

Hi Happyville,
I think that you are right when you say that a fear of not being in control is the primary fear behind those who avoid flying. I used to fly regularly between NJ and South FL, about a 3 hour trip. Seemingly normal people would suddenly act out when on a plane. I observed so many incidents of people exploding in anger over almost nothing. I think that even though most people aren't in touch with it on a conscious level, pretty much everyone who does fly senses that lack of control and it puts them on edge. Also true that there are other fears that make it even more difficult... like fear of death (as you say), claustrophobia, and social phobia, to name a few. Have you flown before? I have seen some rather impressive results using progressive desensitization techniques coupled with light use of benzo's. The success rate depends on what the primary fear is. The hardest group were always the claustrophobics. The easiest were those who feared a loss of control. The feeling of being in control is mostly an illusion. Seldom are we in total control of anything. Even when driving a car, we can't control what another driver might do to us. Even though a plane ride takes that feeling to the extreme, knowing that you already conquer many situations daily where you aren't in control may help you eventually conquer your fear of flying. As for the fear of death, that is usually diminished when a person studies statistics about the safety of air travel versus other forms of transportation. It is a process, though. Are you someone who has attempted flying and has had a bad experience? Or do you just sense that you might be afraid to do so you haven't tried?  Just curious, in case you care to answer. Cheers.  RM