Happier with Gretchen Rubin Little Happier: How Do You Cure a Fear of Flying? Try a Hangover.
May 4, 2026
A quirky story about a massive hangover that unexpectedly cured a fear of flying. Discussion of teaching stories and what they reveal about human behavior. A look at the Four Tendencies framework and the key question about responding to expectations. Reflections on how the body can block anxiety and what that might mean for treatment.
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How The Four Tendencies Explains Habit Differences
- The Four Tendencies framework reveals how people differently respond to expectations, explaining why identical goals succeed for some and fail for others.
- Gretchen Rubin traced the insight to a friend who could run on a high school team but not alone, sparking the upholder/questioner/obliger/rebel distinction.
Hangover Eliminated A Lifelong Fear Of Flying
- A publishing colleague cured a lifelong fear of flying after getting extremely drunk and nauseous on a return flight, because her body couldn't mount a fear response.
- She vomited at the airport and on the plane, felt awful, and afterwards lost her fear of flying permanently.
Body States Can Reset Emotional Fear Responses
- The hangover story suggests strong links between bodily state and emotional experience, implying that disrupting physical fear responses can alter long-term anxiety.
- Gretchen Rubin sees this as a potential avenue for treating anxiety, noting she hasn't fully worked it out yet.
