Does anyone else also have a fear of flying?

[qcd 6]

In addition to my health anxiety I'm also incredibly fearful of flying. I'm flown maybe 6 times in my life and had a panic attack every time. Thankfully those flights were all only 1 - 2 hours each.

[Bobnnat 496]

Next time you are scheduled to fly, ask your doctor for a Xanax/Ativan. Take a 1 milligram pill 30 minutes before take off. You'll be calm but fully aware of your surroundings and able to function just fine. You know of course that driving is a far more serious risk than flying; it's all about the mistaken sense of control. In a car, you feel you are in control, but you really are not. Someone runs a red light, a drunk driver rear-ends you at high speed, etc.

[Gilly 1086]

ME

=

[qcd 6]

18 minutes ago, Bobnnat said:

Next time you are scheduled to fly, ask your doctor for a Xanax/Ativan. Take a 1 milligram pill 30 minutes before take off. You'll be calm but fully aware of your surroundings and able to function just fine. You know of course that driving is a far more serious risk than flying; it's all about the mistaken sense of control. In a car, you feel you are in control, but you really are not. Someone runs a red light, a drunk driver rear-ends you at high speed, etc.

I have a script for Xanax 0.5 mg. I tried a pill once while I was feeling anxious about some other problem and it didn't really seem to do a lot for me. The doctor told me I would probably get tired and sleep through a flight. Well, I tried the pill while I was at home at around 8:00 pm.  Not only did I not get tired, I ended up staying awake later than usual. I don't see how it could help me on a flight.

I know it's a control thing. But I also don't like the idea of shooting around at 500 mph at 35,000 ft. Just seems inherently dangerous up there.

[busybee3 21]

im due to fly in april n i really dont know how im getting on that plane,i cant let my kids down as this is their first proper holiday,im hoping my doctor will give me something

Edited March 2, 2017 by busybee3

[bin_tenn 1252]

I've never flown, and I never will. Simple as that!

[txjenn 17]

I really don't mind flying.  What I don't like are the drops you feel every so often that makes your stomach drop or turbulence of any kind.  

My mom told me once when I was young, that the pilots flying want to get home just as much as everyone else on the plane and for some reason that makes sense and calms me.

 

[qcd 6]

On ‎3‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 4:55 PM, busybee3 said:

im due to fly in april n i really dont know how im getting on that plane,i cant let my kids down as this is their first proper holiday,im hoping my doctor will give me something

I've found they're pretty good about writing prescriptions for anxiety based on fear of flying. Whether or not it works for you is another matter. Good luck!

[utrocket09 115]

On 3/2/2017 at 4:55 PM, busybee3 said:

im due to fly in april n i really dont know how im getting on that plane,i cant let my kids down as this is their first proper holiday,im hoping my doctor will give me something

Usually if you call and tell your doctor you are flying theyll give you a few pills. When I flew a few years ago, I got about 4 xanex, just enough to take the edge off. I think if I fly again, I will take another script.

[Ihadcancer 321]

Not me, but I cringe any trip on the highway! 

[Mark G 1186]

I have not once been on a plane and i'm 35, i think i'd want to but have no idea how i'd react to it.

[joy14 11]

I get nervous to fly also, but I was flying pretty frequently years ago to take vacations and I was getting adjusted to it but now I haven't been on a plane in 10 years so I will most likely be nervous all over again when it is time to fly.

[Jennie048 115]

I never used to be afraid to fly and have travelled a lot over the years.  But last fall, I was on a flight with my family to Orlando (Disney World) and about a half hour after we took off -- I noticed the plane seemed to start to really descend.  The pilot comes on the speaker - says there is a fire in one of the engines and we are going to do an emergency landing at one of the nearby airports.  Talk about full blown panic -- at that point all of the passengers get really silent as everyone is holding hands - praying...luckily - the plane landed with one engine and all was ok!  Now of course -- when I fly -- any time the plane has any sort of turbulence I have great anxiety.  My husband of course was very calm during the whole thing...and they even asked him to help if needed to open the emergency door and slide.

[mimifourtimes 39]

ME.  As I get older it gets worse. The thing is I fly all the time. Ativan doesn't help either. Maybe I need to take 2. It is just .5 mg. God willing, I will be going to Hawaii for Christmas. Hawaii has always been a dream trip of mine and now that it is about to be realized I am petrified to take the flight because it is very lengthy. Everytime I think about it, I get a wave of dizziness. So awful to get that way when it is a dream of mine. I want to be so excited without this anxiety. I have got to get a grip. It affects every aspect of your life if you allow it.

[looking_for_the_purpose 6]

likewise, i am the member of this "club"....last time i flew 3 years ago (conected flights), and before that had flown 5 years....so 8 years ago i experienced so called clear air turbulences..it was not big deal at all, turbulences were not so dire, but since i was watching "Air crash investigation" on NG, they seemed to me as a doom day. 3 years ago, i had real real embarassing situation - since i was with my (female) coleague on bussines trip, so all the time i was holding hat over my head, trying to create "safety" environment, to forget that i was in plane. on our way back, i almost gave up at the airport, because lady told us that we were going to fly with small aircraft (which wasnt small at all)...and my colleague kept persuading me to embark on that plane..and finally i did...and i had very nice flight. all that time i was using some clonazepan etc etc in order to calm me down. now, since my job is related to constant travel, i am expecting two flights in next 3 months...ok, one i can avoid by using car (even though it would be nine hours long ride), but the second one...almost impossible to escape. this is really debilitating thing...prevents us from enjoying the life....   

[Trainwreck 17]

On 3/2/2017 at 4:07 PM, qcd said:

I have a script for Xanax 0.5 mg. I tried a pill once while I was feeling anxious about some other problem and it didn't really seem to do a lot for me. The doctor told me I would probably get tired and sleep through a flight. Well, I tried the pill while I was at home at around 8:00 pm.  Not only did I not get tired, I ended up staying awake later than usual. I don't see how it could help me on a flight.

I know it's a control thing. But I also don't like the idea of shooting around at 500 mph at 35,000 ft. Just seems inherently dangerous up there.

I personally am terrified of flying.  This is just my own personal protocol, so ask your doc.  I take 1 mg. 5 hours before the flight and 1 mg. one hour before the flight.  If it is a long flight I will take 1 mg 4 hours into it.  That seems to be the dosage that works for me.  

Mine is not control, mine is a horrible fear of heights.  And the whole time I am on the plane I know that I am 35,000 feet from the ground.  I have never had a panic attack on a flight , but I have never enjoyed one.  

[Panic_Surfer 1]

I have a HUGE fear of flying. It's always made me a bit uncomfortable for a lot of reasons (one of which is that commercial airliners pack us plebeians in the cabin like sardines), but the last time I had a flight (2013) there was violent turbulence for three hours straight. As in, the flight attendant was walking towards the back and fell on the floor the turbulence was so violent. I was sweating bullets and had a huge panic attack.

The lady next to me? She was crocheting. Seriously. She'd just pause and look aggravated when the turbulence was too violent for her to work, and then she'd get back after it. I couldn't believe it. 

Anyway, I haven't flown since. I've had nightmares about flying ever since. I know it's irrational, but it really got under my skin. So you're not alone. 

[Just A Person 2]

I do not have a fear of flying per se but I have many times had my anxiety cause me to fear taking a particular flight. Does that make any sense?

As a matter of fact, I had an episode (completely unrelated to flying) that kept me on the ground for a couple of years. Last summer I had had enough and took a trip to Mexico. I flew again this January to Peru. So, flying for me is not the issue. Some strange OCD/magical thinking stuff usually makes me think something bad will happen. It's ridiculous but that's what I face.

[looking_for_the_purpose 6]

ok, definitively the looming threat is approaching - most likely on 04th April i will have to travel by plane....and during the day i am more-less fine, but during the night....that thought kept hunting me like a beast. i am turning around in the bed, trying to fall asleep.

so i have two options - either to travel by plane (the flight would last cca 1 hour) or to travel by car (cca 9 hours, very bad traffic infrastructure). Maybe i would not be so much precaurious, but i am in Eastern Europe, so i dont have firm confidence in their airliners....what whould you do?

have you tried something called "switch technique"? any suggestions? 

[MariaHilliard 1]

I also fear from flying.

[Ninja Kitty 15]

I realy really hate flying last time i was on a plane I was flying from UK to back home in the USA Long long long flight, My Dr prescribed me higher doses of valium and told me also to take half a 10mg tablet of temazepam while on flight for sleep........It actually worked i slept for about 4 hours but after that i was awake but not scared and was calm, everyone has a different way of coping with it.......... as they say in Die Hard the Movie MAke fists with ya toes..... It actually works compression points are top notch, basically talk to whoever you can about ways of controlling the flight fear there are lots of ways to deal with it other than just meds..... for example breathing exercises + meds might help

 

Positive mental Attitude ....good luck and if you need any more ideas on flight meds prescribed or available give me a shout i have a lits as long as my arm

 

Kitty x

[MARC 429]

I take a small dose of Diazepam and it takes the edge off of flying for me. I typcially fly twice a year and my longest flight was from Dulles to Madrid-Barajas airport, which was 9 or so hours and it was a toughy for me. 

[looking_for_the_purpose 6]

guys, frankly, you have much more balls than me....you are able to cope with 6,7,8,9 hours of flight...which is amazing...i have problem with everything there, buzzing of the engines, take off, highs, turbulences...

[dreamingpisces27 8]

I'm flying tomorrow.... I am so scared!! I got this "rescue remedy" stuff and hopefully it helps me....

[Holls 1505]

54 minutes ago, dreamingpisces27 said:

I'm flying tomorrow.... I am so scared!! I got this "rescue remedy" stuff and hopefully it helps me....

You are going to do great!! I've flown twice just 3hr flights both. The flight there seems so fast it's coming back that drags on. I hope you are going somewhere pretty and fun. Relax and enjoy your time on the plane.. read, watch a movie or just sleep.