Fear & Phobias

Flying Without Fear

Your palms are sweating before you even get to the airport. Every bump feels like the plane is going down. You've missed family events, turned down jobs, planned vacations around avoiding flights. These are stories from people who finally got their wings back.

43% Avg. Stress Reduction
78% Complete Flight After Tapping

Why Your Brain Treats Flying Like Mortal Danger

Your amygdala—the brain's alarm system—evolved millions of years before airplanes existed. It learned to trigger fear responses to heights, enclosed spaces, loss of control, and loud noises. Flying combines all of these. When you board a plane, your amygdala fires warning signals as if you've climbed into a predator's mouth. It doesn't know about aviation safety statistics. It only knows this situation contains multiple ancient threat cues.

This explains why rational understanding doesn't help. Your prefrontal cortex (the logical thinking part) knows you're safer in a plane than in a car. But the amygdala processes threat signals faster than conscious thought—it triggers the fear response before your rational brain can intervene. By the time you're thinking "statistically this is fine," your body is already flooded with cortisol and adrenaline.

Tapping works by sending calming signals directly to the amygdala. The physical stimulation of acupressure points, combined with focusing on the fear, appears to reduce amygdala activity. Studies using brain imaging show that after Tapping, the amygdala's reaction to previously triggering stimuli decreases measurably. You're not arguing with your fear—you're rewiring the circuit that produces it.

The good news: Flying phobias respond remarkably well to Tapping. Because they're usually tied to specific triggers (takeoff, turbulence, closed doors), you can tap on each one individually. Many people see significant improvement in just a few sessions.

Real Results of Overcoming Flight Fear

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Connie

Canada - Fear of flying overcome

"Tapping has helped me overcome my fear of flying, a great deal of stress dealing with my own kids who don't get along, step-kids and an ex-wife."

Connie has been Tapping for several years after being introduced to it through a friend who administered a Members' Assistance Programme. What started as help with one challenge—flying—expanded into a tool she uses for multiple life stresses. At 62 with hypertension and type II diabetes, Connie continues her Tapping practice. Her biggest challenge now is maintaining focus with ADD: "I start off gangbusters and then I just lose interest." But for the fear of flying that once limited her travel options, that's been resolved. She's now working with Jessica on weight loss, showing how Tapping becomes an ongoing companion for whatever challenges arise.

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Atholl

Scotland/Northern Ireland - 55 years of fear resolved in one session

"I am 62 years old and as a 7 year old boy my father brought me to see the William Wallace memorial in Edinburgh Scotland. I suddenly took this fear of heights that it was a real struggle for my father to get me down."

From that single childhood incident, Atholl's life was shaped by avoidance. He couldn't join the army as a teenager despite wanting to. He skipped ski trips with friends. He avoided famous tall buildings around the world. He could fly—but couldn't go above three floors in a hotel. I got to the age of 40 and was doing an equine course when someone in the group mentioned Tapping. When I got back to my home, now living in Co Fermanagh N Ireland I found a Dr Eileen O'Kane from Armagh who over a Skype call chatted with me and went over the Tapping motions with me. What happened next was remarkable: "I went out into my farm yard and climbed the tallest hay shed and took a photo from the edge of the roof." From that day to now I have skied and went up many tourist high buildings around the world. It was a life changing moment for me and my family.

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Kerri

6 years of panic attacks to Travel freedom

"I was diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks around 6 years ago and living on medication for it... I always felt guilty taking the medication. I got to a stage where I wanted to leave this planet because I could no longer drive, I was stuck indoors and whenever I had to be somewhere I would pop one of my tablets just to get through the event."

Kerri's anxiety had shrunk her world to almost nothing. She relied on her husband for everything, even grocery shopping. She couldn't do things for her kids and "would come up with any excuse" to avoid leaving home. However now things have changed thanks to Tapping... The last time I took my medication was about 4 weeks ago, just decided that I didn't need it. I have had no anxiety tension and when I do it's very minimal, actually normal I think is a better description. Now she goes shopping on her own and is "very relaxed while doing it." She still has some fear around long-distance driving, "but again the fear isn't like before so I will be working on those issues next." Thank you so much on sharing and teaching this amazing technique... I AM SPREADING THE WORD and now I am the example...

Before, During, and After Your Flight

Before: In the days leading up to a flight, tap on anticipatory anxiety. "Even though I'm dreading this flight..." Address specific worries as they come up—turbulence, takeoff, being trapped, crashing. Work through each one individually.

During: You can tap discreetly by pressing on the side of your hand, fingernail beds, or the collarbone point (which looks like you're just resting your hand on your chest). Some people tap under a blanket or in the bathroom. Focus on calming breaths while pressing the points.

After: If a flight was difficult, tap on the memory before it solidifies into stronger fear. Process the experience so it doesn't add to the phobia. Celebrate the wins—you did it!

Prepare for Your Next Flight

Use these sessions in the days before flying and at the airport.

Reduce Anxiety Preflight For the days and hours before Finding Calm on a Plane Use during the flight Go Deeper: Fear of Flying Address root causes
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Common Questions About Tapping for Fear of Flying

Q: Can Tapping really help with fear of flying?

Yes. Flying phobias respond remarkably well to Tapping because they're tied to specific triggers—takeoff, turbulence, enclosed spaces, loss of control. Each trigger can be addressed individually. Tapping sends calming signals to the amygdala while you focus on these fears, essentially rewiring the circuit that produces the panic response. Studies using brain imaging show measurable reductions in amygdala reactivity after Tapping. Many people see significant improvement in just a few sessions.

Q: Why doesn't knowing flying is safe help my fear?

Your prefrontal cortex (rational brain) knows flying is statistically safer than driving. But your amygdala processes threat signals faster than conscious thought—it triggers fear before logic can intervene. The amygdala evolved millions of years before airplanes and responds to ancient threat cues: heights, enclosed spaces, loud noises, loss of control. Flying triggers all of these at once. Tapping works because it calms the amygdala directly, rather than trying to reason with it.

Q: Can I tap on a plane without people noticing?

Yes. You can tap discreetly by pressing on the side of your hand, fingernail beds, or the collarbone point (which looks like you're just resting your hand on your chest). Some people tap under a blanket or in the airplane bathroom. Even just pressing the points without Tapping provides some benefit. The key is to maintain focus on what you're feeling while stimulating the points—the exact technique matters less than staying present with the fear while calming your nervous system.

Q: How long before a flight should I start Tapping?

Start Tapping on anticipatory anxiety as soon as you book the flight. The fear often starts building days or weeks before travel, so address it early rather than waiting until you're at the airport. Tap daily in the week leading up to travel, addressing specific worries as they arise. Then tap at the airport, during boarding, and during the flight itself. After landing, tap on any difficult moments to prevent them from reinforcing the fear.

Q: What if my fear is too intense to tap on?

You don't have to dive into the most intense fear first. Start by Tapping on the general idea of flying from a safe distance. "Even though the thought of flying makes me uncomfortable..." Work with milder aspects before approaching the peak fear. You can also tap on past flights that were scary, or on the feeling of imagining a future flight. Reducing the charge on these related aspects often makes the core fear more manageable. If fear of flying is connected to deeper trauma, consider working with a Tapping practitioner who can guide you safely.

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Important Notice: The Tapping Solution App is intended for general wellness purposes, including stress management and emotional wellness support. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. If you have been diagnosed with a medical or mental health condition, please consult with your healthcare provider. This app is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.