Conquering Fear of Flying: Hyderabad Psychiatrist Brings Therapy to the Skies with VR

If your palms get sweaty at the thought of boarding a plane, you’re not alone—aviophobia, or the fear of flying, keeps many people grounded. From missed family vacations to skipped career opportunities, the silent toll of this phobia can be overwhelming. But now, Hyderabad has taken flight in a whole new way, thanks to a cutting-edge therapy that brings the skies indoors.

Dr. Jyothirmayi Kotipalli, a senior psychiatrist and founder of Manaha Mind and Neuro Centre in Hyderabad, has launched a unique Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) program that promises to help nervous flyers leave their fears at the gate. Partnering with US-based VR and AR company Imaginate, Dr. Jyothirmayi has crafted a three-part immersive therapy that gently guides individuals through every stage of air travel—without ever leaving the ground.

“Using immersive 360-degree VR, we safely walk people through the entire journey, starting from the airport check-in to the moment they step out of the destination terminal,” Dr. Jyothirmayi explained.

Inside the VR Flight Experience

The program is structured like a real trip but designed to soothe and support at every step:

• Part One: The Airport Experience

  Users virtually enter the airport, navigate security, explore duty-free shops and boarding gates—all while learning calming strategies to stay relaxed.

• Part Two: Inflight Journey

  This stage takes participants into the cabin, preparing them for take-off, cruising and even turbulence. With real-time therapeutic guidance, users learn how to manage anxiety during the trickiest moments of a flight.

• Part Three: Arrival and Landing

  Finally, the program simulates a smooth landing, disembarkation and the walk through the arrival hall—helping individuals feel grounded and confident right until the journey’s end.

A Step Toward Accessible Mental Wellness

What sets this programme apart is its accessibility. Instead of waiting for years of therapy or braving flights unprepared, people struggling with aviophobia can now tap into an immersive, clinically backed solution available locally. For Dr. Jyothirmayi, the goal is simple—make mental health support both effective and widely accessible.

“We’ve seen how the fear of flying quietly robs people of experiences and opportunities. This initiative is our way of putting control back into their hands,” she said.

The therapy videos are available online at @manahaclinic on YouTube for those who want to explore virtually, or individuals can visit the Hyderabad facility for the full VR-guided experience.

So, the next time you’re daydreaming about Paris, Bali or New York, you just might be able to turn that dream into reality—without your fear of flying holding you back.