Long before Sept. 11, the
thought of setting foot in a
plane made me weak
in the knees. Since then, my
fear has only been reinforced.
My only method of
controlling this fear is downing
three valium pills hours before
I must board a plane. I
suspect that many other
Guilford students are anxious
about flying, especially since the
recent plane crashes.Fear of flying can begin several
ways. For me it was having a
traumatic experience
on an airplane. This includes
an especially rough flight or sitting
next to someone who is
afraid of flying.

A third way to develop fear
is to actually hear information
that’s consistent with the fear.
There’s always intense media
coverage of airplane crashes that
can play into peoples’ worries
and skew their perceptions of
how safe flying is.

Although I am skeptical I
know there are ways to deal with
inevitable flights, without Valium
or other medication. Here are a
few ideas:

1) In order to overcome a
fear, you have to face the fear.
So, to get rid of the fear of
flying one must eventually get on
an airplane.

2) Before you get on the
plane, you can develop a realistic
perception about the fear. For
instance, flying remains typically
safer than driving. According to
the National Safety
Council, in 1998, the odds of dying
in an air accident were 1 in
390,532, while the odds
of dying in a traffic accident were
1 in 6,212.

3) Challenge negative thinking
or scary thoughts about flying.
This means do not let
your imagination get ahead
you. Do not picture yourself in
an airplane crash. Do not
think about the worst scenario.

4) Manage anxiety with
breathing techniques
or meditation. Often
taking slow deep
breaths helps calm
the nerves. Not
everyone is good at
this, and sometimes
professional statiscan
help. At Guilford, Ernest
McCoy, the college counselor,
can help with this.

5) If you are still nervous
and anxious long after others
have come to terms with their
fears, consider treatment.

In the end it’s up to you to
overcome your fears. How you
choose to do so
completely up to you. But let’s
face it, flying has become a necessity
these days. Many
students from Guilford are outof-
state, and go home for breaks.
For those who are afraid
to fly, these trips home can be
grueling. Overcoming the fear
flying will not guarantee
anyone a safe flight, but it can
bring someone a little peace in
uncertain times. As for me,
I will continue with the Valium.