Airplane Fear Goes Viral On The Group Chat, Making For An Emotional Overload

The recent airplane catastrophe was heartbreaking in an every way. But it also brought on waves of panic, often via just forwarded messages on the phone. One ping after another. Grim and depressing, three out of five notifications over the past week, have been about these unfortunate tragedies unfolding in and out of the country. Enter a highly-forwarded link on the family group chat and suddenly, the aunts are worrying, cousins are throwing around conspiracy theories and grannies are barring you from taking that flight you’re supposed to get on, in three weeks. 

As we’re aware, our world is a hyper-connected one—news now travels faster than the speed of light ever and is often shared in real-time with friends and family, on the group chat. However, it can become both a comfort and a source of distress. When something as harrowing as an aviation accident enters the conversation, our emotional reactions can become tangled and quite literally, amplified by the sheer volume of messages. Brutal. We turned to psychologist Jia Sitlani to unpack why these spaces can intensify our fears, and how we might use them more mindfully when aviation disasters like the one that unfolded in Ahmedabad last week, dominate the headlines.

Read on.

“Group chats can be a powerful way to stay connected and share real-time updates,” Sitlani explains, “but they come with their own pitfalls. Without tone, context, or face-to-face cues, messages can be misinterpreted, distorted, or blown out of proportion.” And this is particularly true in the aftermath of a major incident, when facts are still emerging and emotions are running high. “In the wake of a serious event, this often results in a spiral of misinformation, speculation, and unnecessary panic. And with mainstream media already sensationalising such incidents, that tone often seeps into how we speak about them, even casually among friends.”

It's Okay To Talk About Fear

The first step, she says, isn’t to reassure or rationalise, but to acknowledge. “Acknowledge the emotional impact: fear, grief, anxiety, without immediately trying to justify those feelings. Simply naming the discomfort allows space for grounded responses.” In other words: it’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to talk about that fear. But how we do it matters.

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Sitlani emphasises the danger of passing on unverified claims or speculative commentary. “Fear-mongering intensifies when conspiracy theories are shared as facts, so fact-checking becomes crucial. Group chats should be a space for collective care, not amplified distress.” It’s a reminder that we don’t always know who’s reading in silence. Some people in your group might be boarding flights soon, or have lived through a past incident. “It’s important to recognise the secondary trauma that such news can trigger, especially in communities that travel frequently or have lived through similar incidents,” Sitlani says.

Cultivate Distress Tolerance

But yes, there’s room for resilience. There’s something called ‘distress tolerance’, which is the ability to sit with uncertainty. “Group chats need to be used effectively to foster collective distress tolerance. That means consciously waiting for verified updates before reacting or spreading information.” But what if someone you love is clearly panicking? Is there a ‘right’ thing to say? Honestly, one of the most supportive things you can do is simply witness your friend’s distress. Try and not rush to fix it. Holding space for their fear and validating their emotional experience does wonders. Make room for it to exist without judgement.

People all over the world fly every day, and many experience similar anxieties. Sometimes just knowing that others feel the same fear and still find ways to cope can ease the sense of isolation

And there’s solidarity in shared experience. “Let them know they’re not alone. People all over the world fly every day, and many experience similar anxieties. Sometimes just knowing that others feel the same fear and still find ways to cope can ease the sense of isolation.” So what does a healthy expression actually look like in a group chat, when fear is real but so is the risk of spreading it? Sitlani also iterates the importance of using ‘I’ statements. “‘I’m feeling anxious about this’ instead of ‘We should all fear this’ helps maintain emotional ownership. It allows others the space to feel differently and reduces the chance of creating a ripple effect of panic.”

She also cautions against the overbombardment by messages. So when next time the group chat begins to hum with worry after turbulent headlines, take a moment. If needed, request for a deserved break. Comfort over chaos.