New York Times Offers 2 Key Tips for Traveling With Panic Attacks

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 29

The guide says panic attacks do not have to stop people from traveling and focuses on practical ways to reduce fear before and during a trip.
Two main strategies lead the advice: take short practice day trips close to home as exposure therapy, and treat anticipatory anxiety as a cue to prepare rather than a sign an attack is inevitable.
Simon Rego of Montefiore Medical Center recommends testing feared scenarios on nearby outings and then checking whether the outcome was as bad as expected.
Jenny Matthews, who leads flying-anxiety workshops at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, says pretravel anxiety is common and can be used to plan for triggers and moments of panic.

Can airports and airlines be redesigned to systemically reduce passenger anxiety before it starts?

Could virtual reality offer a safer and more effective cure for travel phobias than real-world exposure?

What breakthrough treatments exist for panic attacks when standard therapies and medications fail?