Why Airplane Crash Injuries Are So
Different.
First of all, our
natural habitat is the ground, not the water or the air. So it is
utterly unnatural for us to be in the air, since we are earthbound
and do not fly. We do not say a prayer before getting into our car
or boat. But, it is quite common for a person to say a prayer
or hold onto a locket before a plane takes off or lands. Being
30,000 feet in the air simply runs counter to our natural and
instinctive behavior.
Secondly, when we
fly, we lose control. Unlike driving or riding in a car or even a
boat, when we enter an airplane, we surrender that sense that we
can fight through a problem or we can escape if we have to. In an
airplane, we have to depend totally on the pilots, who are in
control, not us.
Thirdly, our imagination plays a greater role in an airplane
than in any other vehicle. The normal things that can go wrong in a
car seem way more dangerous in an airplane.
Therefore our whole psychology is different the moment we enter
an airplane. For these reasons, when something does go wrong in an
air disaster, the impact on us is disproportionately and
substantially greater than in an 'ordinary' accident. Since our
psychological reaction to an air disaster is so hyper-amplified, it
is fair to say that the cure for overcoming the psychological
impact of such an incident must take this into account. In
addition, post-traumatic stress disorder is a very real concern
with airplane
crash survivors and must be addressed
intelligently. There are many helpful websites that deal with
the psychological aftermath of an air disaster.
Copyright 2005 by PlaneCrashSurvivor.Com. All rights
reserved.
