Fear of flying – Is an age and gender issue

According to a research conducted in Holland a few years ago, by Mr. Van Growen of the University of Leiden, 4 out of 10 people suffer from fear of flying.

He distinguished among 4 types of fear of flying related phobias:

The first group, who was categorized as the least afraid to fly, was of men in their mid 30’s. Their fears stem from the inability to have any control of the plane as well as of technical mishaps.

The second group, women aging less than 35, suffer of a “socially” related fear of flying phobia.
These women were mostly afraid for other people, and of terrorists hijacking the plane. Another clear cut fear was of losing their sense of self control and fearing that they will start screaming in hysteria.

Women between the ages of 32 and 54 populate the third group. Their basic fear is of closed spaces (claustrophobia). Their greatest fear begins at the moment the doors of the aircraft are closed before takeoff and they feel confined to a closed space for the next couple of hours. The women in this group are most likely to suffer a panic attack while flying.

The last group is a mixed gender group aging older than 54. Their phobia stems partly because of fear of heights as well as of a sense of lack of control over the plane. This group also tends to suffer of panic attacks during the flight. The members of this group also are the ones who try to avoid flying at all.
The researcher said he was not surprised that men and women suffer fear of flights for different reasons, but that he was stunned to find out that the age was also a main factor on the type of anxiety. “the fact that as people age they become MORE anxious came as a complete surprise to me” – he said.
The bottom line to this research – If you know what is the source of your fear, then you can find the best therapeutical approach to deal with it.
As for me - I am definitely suffering of a fear that stems of a sense of lack of control as well as very afraid that I will feel sick during the flight. The funny thing is that this is a crippling fear, yet, TO-DATE, and after have flown hundreds of flights in the past 30 years, I have not even ONCE, felt sick during a flight……..but I tell myself there is ALWAYS a first time so doing my best to keep myself anxious about it (…) thinking it will take away the sense of surprise that will hit me if I DO feel sick suddenly….
Have a great day.

Karen