Fear of flying
It
used to be that the fear of flying required the therapist and the patient
to travel to the nearest airport spend time on planes and often take a
flight together. With therapy using Virtual Reality Exposure help is found
in the therapist's office, eliminating the need for travel to an airport.
Wearing
a headset, you are allowed to enter a computer generated passenger cabin in
a virtual airplane. The feel and sounds of air travel simulate those of
actual flight without ever leaving the ground. You will the full ranges of
feeling associated with flying. You start out sitting in the plane with the
engines off. When that is mastered, you can sit with the engines idling. As
the anxious feelings are reduced, the plane can then taxi to take off
point, wait for take off and when you are ready, the plane takes off and
climbs to a cruising altitude. Taking plenty of time and practicing
techniques you have learned for anxiety management, you are led slowly
through various phases of flight. As much time as needed is taken at every
step to ensure mastery of the anxious feelings associated with flying.
At
every step of the virtual flight, the therapist can see and hear what you
are experiencing. The therapist has control over the exposure, the virtual
flight and the length of the therapy session.
