Conquer Fear Of Flying

Suicide

The Psychiatrist Who Witnessed Evil

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on November 25, 2025

I was shocked to discover today that Hermann Goring and my mother had the same psychiatrist.

I was shocked to discover today that Hermann Goring and my mother had the same psychiatrist.

Anxiety

Certainty and Uncertainty When Flying

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on February 19, 2025

Becoming trapped in their inner world is a common problem with fearful fliers. Imagination of the plane plunging, if not recognized as imagination, is experienced as plunging.

Becoming trapped in their inner world is a common problem with fearful fliers. Imagination of the plane plunging, if not recognized as imagination, is experienced as plunging.

Fear

A Pilot's View on the Crash of Flight 5342

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on January 31, 2025

The questions that need to be answered to keep this from happening again.

The questions that need to be answered to keep this from happening again.

Disaster Psychology

Crashes That Happen Elsewhere Should Stay Elsewhere

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on January 6, 2025

According to some reports, the average amateur pilot in the U.S. is better at hand-flying than the average professional pilot in Korea.

According to some reports, the average amateur pilot in the U.S. is better at hand-flying than the average professional pilot in Korea.

Executive Function

Don't Just Imagine Reality. Test It.

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on June 26, 2024

Anxious passengers can't accept not knowing. To fill the information vacuum, they make something up. A typical image is that the plane is falling out of the sky.

Anxious passengers can't accept not knowing. To fill the information vacuum, they make something up. A typical image is that the plane is falling out of the sky.

Trauma

The Most Basic Way We Control Our Feelings

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on June 21, 2024

Traumatic experiences, even ones that have nothing to do with flying, can make flying difficult by increasing our sensitivity to not being in control and not being able to escape.

Traumatic experiences, even ones that have nothing to do with flying, can make flying difficult by increasing our sensitivity to not being in control and not being able to escape.

Fear

Managing Turbulence During Air Travel

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on June 1, 2024

Wearing a seat belt is all you need to do to be physically safe. To feel safe, you may need to change the "valence code" associated with turbulence from negative to positive

Wearing a seat belt is all you need to do to be physically safe. To feel safe, you may need to change the "valence code" associated with turbulence from negative to positive

Fear

The Man Who May Have Saved Your Life

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on June 8, 2023

Don Bateman's life-saving invention was ignored until a crash it could have prevented happened and lawmakers realized "That could have been me."

Don Bateman's life-saving invention was ignored until a crash it could have prevented happened and lawmakers realized "That could have been me."

Fear

A Visual to Combat Fear of Flying

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on March 31, 2023

Deep in a tunnel, there is nothing to see. Intellectually, we know the exit will eventually come into view. But emotionally, It seems like the blackness will never end.

Deep in a tunnel, there is nothing to see. Intellectually, we know the exit will eventually come into view. But emotionally, It seems like the blackness will never end.

Anxiety

Coping With Turbulence When Flying

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on March 16, 2023

When flying, wear your seat belt. The only passengers who get hurt are those who refuse to wear seat belts.

When flying, wear your seat belt. The only passengers who get hurt are those who refuse to wear seat belts.

Anxiety

A Simple Exercise to Help You Calm Down

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on June 24, 2022

The 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise a quick way to dispel anxiety. It's a concentration exercises that, by occupying your mind, pushes anxiety-producing thoughts aside.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise a quick way to dispel anxiety. It's a concentration exercises that, by occupying your mind, pushes anxiety-producing thoughts aside.

Fear

Misinformation About Fear of Flying

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on June 21, 2022

When a therapist offers aviation safety statistics as reassurance, an anxious client incorrectly thinks they can't be helped, or correctly thinks the therapist is clueless.

When a therapist offers aviation safety statistics as reassurance, an anxious client incorrectly thinks they can't be helped, or correctly thinks the therapist is clueless.

Fear

The Fear of Flying Tip That Went Viral

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on June 18, 2022

Flying is a lot more comfortable when you picture something holding your plane up. A solution to flight anxiety just went viral.

Flying is a lot more comfortable when you picture something holding your plane up. A solution to flight anxiety just went viral.

Stress

Should a Cup of Coffee Cause Panic?

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on March 24, 2022

So many of us lack good emotional down-regulation, the inability to easily calm down may seem normal.

So many of us lack good emotional down-regulation, the inability to easily calm down may seem normal.

Anxiety

Thoughts of Falling From the Sky Disturb Anxious Fliers

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on March 22, 2022

Am email said, "I have done well with flying recently. But now I heard about the China plane crash and am panicking."

Am email said, "I have done well with flying recently. But now I heard about the China plane crash and am panicking."

Deception

When Is Self-Deception Helpful or Dangerous?

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on February 15, 2022

Early in the pandemic, refusing vaccination due to caution could be rational. But after research established vaccination as the less risky choice, refusal is no longer rational.

Early in the pandemic, refusing vaccination due to caution could be rational. But after research established vaccination as the less risky choice, refusal is no longer rational.

Anxiety

Why Panic Starts—And How to Control It

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on December 30, 2021

If it is too hard to calm down, we control everything that happens, and avoid everything we can't control.

If it is too hard to calm down, we control everything that happens, and avoid everything we can't control.

Anxiety

Want To Stop Panic Attacks? Certain Memories Can Do That.

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on December 21, 2021

Turbulence at thirty-five thousand feet that makes a person believe their plane is falling out of the sky is a great lab for studying panic attacks.

Turbulence at thirty-five thousand feet that makes a person believe their plane is falling out of the sky is a great lab for studying panic attacks.

Fear

Being Safe vs. Feeling Safe

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on October 7, 2021

Our survival as a species was made possibly by the development of an ability to send and receive signals that we are safe when we are with a person who is trustworthy.

Our survival as a species was made possibly by the development of an ability to send and receive signals that we are safe when we are with a person who is trustworthy.

Neuroscience

Everything a Fearful Flier Needs to Know About Turbulence

Tom Bunn L.C.S.W. on September 1, 2021

Understanding that a plane moves less than we thought is a good place to start if we want to stop feeling afraid when in turbulence.

Understanding that a plane moves less than we thought is a good place to start if we want to stop feeling afraid when in turbulence.