Five Travel Phobias (and How to Overcome Them)

Aerophobia (Fear of Flying)

Some basketball fans worried that Royce White's fear of flying would cost him a choice spot in the NBA draft this past June. The former Iowa State forward had publicly admitted to suffering from an aversion to air travel. In 2003 he told the Chicago Sun-Times, "Every time I get on a plane, I get something to eat real quick and get my headphones on and close all the blinds. I don't want to see nothing. I hate flying. There's no reason to go up that high."

Whether your anxiety is caused by heights, claustrophobia, or the loss of control, you're certainly not alone, as White's story shows. According to The New York Times, a number of studies have indicated that up to 40 percent of travelers are somewhat fearful of flying. Solutions range from the quick-fix to the intensive: Those with acute aviophobia can turn to personal therapy, antianxiety medication, or therapy-based programs like the Freedom to Fly workshop at the Anxiety & Phobia Treatment Center at White Plains Hospital in New York or SOAR's video courses. Less affected flyers could do well to download a simple app, such as Flying Without Fear from Virgin Atlantic. Other strategies like meditation or discussing your fears with the airline crew could also help.

White, by the way, was a top pick in the 2012 NBA draft, despite his struggles with anxiety. He's now a power forward for the Houston Rockets.

Zoophobia (Fear of Animals)

Vacations are often centered on animal encounters—there's the requisite trip to the city zoo, the wildlife-watching hike through the national park, the whale-watching excursion off the coast. For travelers suffering from zoophobia, a fear of animals, this presents quite the difficulty on many a trip—especially in backwoods destinations like those aforementioned national parks, where local creatures big and small are likely to pop up without warning.

It may alleviate some anxiety to know that animal attacks around the world are extraordinarily rare. If, for example, you're terrified of predatory animals living in the ocean, keep some statistics in mind: The chances of being attacked by a shark are one in 11.5 million, according to Animal Planet. Similarly, in the past five years, animal attacks accounted for less than 1 percent of fatalities in U.S. national parks.

Therapy is, of course, the best option for those with debilitating zoophobia. But for more information about fears of specific animals, see Animal Planet's guide to animal phobias.

Mysophobia (Fear of Germs)

Foreign restrooms, airplane seat-back trays, and the hotel bedspread may induce a deal of anxiety for travelers suffering from mysophobia, a fear of germs. On Doctor Drew's Lifechangers, mysophobic comedian Howie Mandel told Doctor Drew that he carries his own black lights to use in hotel rooms. Said Mandel, "I remove all the blankets. I order clean towels and I make a path 'cause I won't touch the carpets. … I have a cocoon thing that I travel with, like a sleeping bag kind of thing so I don't touch the [hotel bedding]."

While Mandel admittedly suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, many travelers can identify with his fears on some level. But there's no need to travel with a cocoon or cover the carpet with towels to stay healthy on the road. (Apologies, Howie.) Wash your hands often, fling off the hotel bedspread (it is seldom washed at many hotels) and, most importantly, check for bedbugs. Our sister site IndependentTraveler.com offers more suggestions for how to find a clean hotel room.

For tips on staying healthy and clean while traveling by air, read The Germiest Places in the Airport and on Your Flight.

Thalassophobia (Fear of the Ocean)

Thalassophobia, or fear of the sea, can keep travelers from visiting far-flung continents (for some, flying over the ocean is particularly panic-inducing), taking a cruise, or even enjoying a day at the beach. Blogger Lissa Rankin recounts her struggle with anxiety about the ocean on Owning Pink: "It's not exactly that I'm scared of the ocean. I'm a strong swimmer, and I had the good sense never to watch Jaws, but there's something about being buffeted by the waves, stung by the salt, and brushed upon by sea life that usually keeps me out of the ocean."

Rankin tackled her feat with a kind of immersion therapy: She spent six days by the sea and forced herself to swim in the water. Rankin's anxiety was ultimately quelled by a team of friendly dolphins. She writes, "The dolphins approached me, encircling me. One brushed up against my leg, and any fear I'd had evaporated. … Had I not overcome my hesitation, I would have missed this experience."

Finding a partner to swim with or joining a local swimming or surfing group could also help alleviate some fears of the water. Those who are too overcome with panic to try ocean immersion should seek therapy with a professional who specializes in treatment of anxiety.

Enochlophobia (Fear of Crowds)

Those traveling to popular destinations will likely have to face long lines and mobs of people, especially during high seasons—think the Eiffel Tower on a Saturday during summer or Times Square on New Year's Eve. For those with crowd anxiety, also known as enochlophobia, one way to cope is avoidance: Visit popular attractions when the multitudes have yet to arrive—shortly after opening or before closing, on weekdays, or during the low season.

But if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. It's virtually impossible to avoid all crowds while traveling (airports and train stations are commonly swarmed), and if you want to see any world-famous attractions, you'll likely have to deal with a little company. When crowd-caused stress starts to set in, use this technique to prevent panic attacks, suggests Paul Dooley of AnxietyGuru.net: Breathe, recognize your thought patterns, use positive self-talk, accept the situation, and be patient. According to Dooley, "If you find yourself saying things like, 'Oh no,' 'What if?' or any other negative thought pattern, stop it. Redirect your thoughts away from the negative."

Psychotherapy and hypnotherapy are also options for the enochlophobic. Hypnosis Downloads offers prerecorded therapy for the crowd-adverse, starting at $12.95.

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