Fatima Bernardes says she avoided traveling by plane for more than two years after anxiety crisis

Fatima Bernardes made a new program on her YouTube channel available on Monday (31) and revealed that she spent two and a half years without a plane after suffering an anxiety crisis during a flight to New York, United States, alongside William Bonner. At the time, she was still married to the presenter, and the triplets Vinicius, Laura and Beatriz were about to turn two years old.

The former Globo host recalled the year of the episode: “It was in 1997, and the crisis happened on the flight back. I had an anxiety attack, a panic crisis inside the plane. I was very anxious to review the children after, I think nine or ten days,” said Fatima.

She continued reliving the moment of tension and physical symptoms. “While William slept, I was extremely agitated. I began to feel a certain embarrassment for fear that people realized how scared I was. My heart was very strong, I was cold, and the muscles of my leg even jump,” he said.

Fatima Bernardes also said that after this flight, she began to avoid traveling by plane. He went to Sao Paulo by car and chose nearby destinations for the holidays, all so as not to board. “At first, I didn’t have such a clear perception, but then I realized that there was something wrong. I started doing a series of treatments with psychologists and therapists, and I understood that phobia arises in people who feel the need to have control over everything,” he explained.

The host, who left Globo last year after 37 years of home, recalled the suffocation she was climbing for the coverage of the Japan World Cup and South Korea, in 2002. With professional help and support from the station, she managed to control fear and embark on the mission. Today, 23 years later, she admits that she still feels tension when flying. “Every time the plane begins to accelerate, I’m crying, with sunglasses. As soon as the takeoff ends, the stewardess comes with a cup of water,” he said. To deal with anxiety, Fatima uses medication and emotional control techniques.