A study of airplane phobia showed that 50% of phobics and 53% of non-phobics had experienced frightening events in flight, but this alone does not explain the phobia. Some 37% of phobics and 23% of non-phobics were influenced by the experiences of others, with no significant difference. However, 70% of phobics were influenced by negative media reports, compared with 37% of non-phobics. What's more, 60% of phobics experienced stressful life events at the time of their frightening flight experience, compared with 19% of non-phobics.
In conclusion, frightening in-flight events are common, but not sufficient to cause a phobia. Stressful life events and negative media information play a crucial role in the development of flight phobia.
Another study compared 66 people with a severe fear of flying to 21 without. The average age of the phobics was 46, and 89% were women. Among them, 27% met the criteria for Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, and 17% had had this disorder in the past. Phobics were more concerned about internal or social anxiety during flights than those with Simple Phobia.
All groups also feared external dangers during flight. Traumatic flight-related events were frequent in all, but phobics reacted more intensely to them. The study suggests that fear of flying may be due to a vulnerability-stress model with vulnerability factors, notably cognitive. The implications for treatment underline the importance of therapeutic strategies targeting cognitive aspects and specific anxiety reactions.
To understand how this phobia can be treated with Hypnosis, another study involved 178 patients. Researchers followed these patients between six months and ten years after a 45-minute hypnosis and problem-restructuring session.
The results showed that patients who were receptive to hypnosis were more than two and a half times more likely to experience a positive impact than those who were less so. In addition, previous experience with psychotherapy was related to treatment outcomes.
The results underscore the potential efficacy of hypnosis combined with problem restructuring to treat flight phobia, especially in patients who are receptive to hypnosis and have a history of therapy.
In summary, flight phobia is influenced by stressful life events and negative media information, with clinical signs related to internal and social anxiety. Treatment with hypnosis and problem restructuring shows notable efficacy.
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