You're listening to life kit from NPR.
Hey, everybody, it's Marielle.
I have this friend who loves flying.
He loves walking around the airport and imagining all the destinations he could get to in a day or half a day's time.
He loves looking out the window at takeoff as he's whisked away into the clouds, and then again at landing, watching teeny tiny buildings and trees come into sharp relief through his airplane window.
Air travel, he says, is a miracle.
That is a beautiful sentiment, but tell it to someone who's afraid of flying.
Even thinking about flying in a plane induces fear and panic in many people's bodies.
That's the case for Beck, Harlan Life Kids digital editor.
She will drive 12 hours to avoid getting on a plane, but she has learned that there are ways to get through that fear.
On this episode of Life Kit, which first published in July 2022, Beck talks to a psychology professor who shares tools and tips to help you cope when you are afraid of flying.
And by the way, even if you're not, this episode is full of great advice on how to handle all of life's uncertainties.
I am really, really, really afraid to fly.
If you or someone you love feels a similar way.
Welcome.
I'm glad you're here, and we are gonna talk about it because it can be a lot.
There are all these feelings that bubble up when you get that invitation to a wedding or a family reunion or a conference or whatever it is across the country or, heaven forbid, across the ocean.
And there's this huge internal battle over whether you can even bring yourself to buy a ticket.
I've skipped weddings, vacations, even work opportunities because I was just too afraid to fly.
And even after hearing all the statistics about how safe flying actually is, my brain just replays the worst case scenarios.