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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: It has been my experience that one of every 8 individuals seeking treatment for the fear of flying has a diagnosable Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Conservatively speaking, we can say that there are between 2.5 and 4 million fearful flyers in the United States who have PTSD. We could also state this in the reverse, that is there are between 2.5 and 4 million individuals whose Post Traumatic Disorder has spilled over to the fear of flying. The most malignant events for the individual with PTSD are the sense of confusion (produced by the high stimulation in the flight environment) and the sense of helplessness frequently experienced by airline passengers. PTSD sufferers report the sense of helplessness as the most powerful final emotional experience just prior to their anticipated death. Post trauma living includes avoidance of this emotional state at all costs. A complicating problem for the post-trauma individual is that his or her life energy is frequently bound by a preoccupation with the trauma. As a result, learning is slow and painful as it requires detachment from this preoccupation. It has been my experience that treatment for the trauma and the fear of flying proceed in concert, with therapist and patient paying attention to the flying problem more as the PTSD loosens its grip. An important point to be made here is that treatment programs are quite mutually supportive. When PTSD sufferers gain against their flight anxiety, they also gain against their PTSD and vice versa. While gains are certainly made in the case of other emotional problems, this is the only situation in the group of conditions described here that requires, in my opinion, dual treatment efforts. |
