Using REBT to Address My Sudden Flying Anxiety

I’m a huge believer in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) simply because I use it in my everyday life. I cannot knowingly suggest a therapeutic model that I do not practice myself, it seems a bit unethical. I find myself using REBT in many situations in which I do not predict it necessary.

I recently went on a trip to Colorado. I decided to fly out with my colleague who was returning home after spending many years in Chicago for school and work. I’ve flown on airplanes throughout my life, so I never really had any nerves about the endeavor. I was well packed and arrived to the airport at least 1 hour before onboarding began. I looked on the screen and learned that our flight was full which indicated it would be a pretty crowded flight. Again, no worries, I’ve been in this situation before, however, I’ve described myself as a claustrophobic in the past, (I still believe it true when it comes to tight spaces) and yet, I was unfazed. My friend and I boarded our plan and had a restful 2 hour flight, that is until it came time to land (or at least try to anyway). During the last 20 minutes of our flight, we faced rough turbulence and our pilot appeared on the intercom to explain the situation. There was some sort of air pocket, preventing us from landing. This meant that we would have to circle the area for a while for it to settle, or land at a nearby landing zone for us to refuel.

I looked around and felt my chest tightening. I kept looking around, fooling myself into thinking that the airplane was getting smaller. I clenched my fists and tried to calm my breathing. The thought of losing fuel in midair flooded me. I felt so uncomfortable and anxious about the plane crashing and I began viewing the discomfort at the worst feeling imaginable.

I took a deep breathe and utilized my go to coping statements “I can bear this discomfort, I can bear this discomfort”. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths all the while my friend began sharing with me how her plans would be inconvenienced. I opened my eyes and then repeated my coping statements so that I could regulate myself enough to engage in conversation with her. After a couple of minutes, we were able to land nearby, fuel the airplane, and land in our appropriate airport.

Looking back on that moment, I wondered how I would bode in a truly life or death situation (in that moment, it could have proven to be so!). I thought of how important it was to regulate your emotions and behavior during high risk situations. I did not like what I was feeling, but it wasn’t unbearable. If I truly panicked in that moment, my potential last hours would have been miserable! I’m grateful for my practice in REBT, I truly believe it had equipped me with enough knowledge to handle that uncontrollable situation with grace.