Airport anxiety when arriving earlier?
 

I have severe airport anxiety. I'm not fond of planes and being on them but not as much as I dread airports and the seemingly endless waiting.
All advice online, however, says to arrive much earlier to calm down. :unsure:
But to me that has the opposite effect. The longer I am at the airport, the more stressed I am!
The sooner I get to the plane from the time I arrived at the airport, the less stressed. Anyone else similar?
I found Athens underwhelming so I went 7 hours earlier on the airport and despite it being quite a big and crowded one that was way way too soon. I hated this trip and vouched to avoid planes as much as I can. I could've been on my way if I took a bus to my home base in Sofia, Bulgaria.

BTW, my best flight out the Sofia Airport was when I arrived just 45 minutes before my flight. I know that's a huge no no for most airports anywhere, unfortunately. Even better for me was flying from Bratislava Airport. It's small and not crowded, it felt like a casual stroll, so having just 40-50 min from the time of entering the airport to boarding there is possible as they have fewer queues.
Due to my airport anxiety I avoid flying in general so I plan trips to Italy, Austria and Hungary from Bulgaria by buses and to Romania by train.

What can I do about this airport anxiety? Maybe it's just waiting anxiety. Shall I look for less crowded, small airports where you can show up literally 45-50 minutes before the flight and make it? I feel anxious on any busy airport and that includes some small but packed ones like the one at Memmingen, Germany.

Take trains. I mean it. Better in so many ways.

Tanek I feel for you.

I get such anxiety anymore and it doesn’t matter how I am traveling. The fear of missing my plane, train, bus you name it does it. I have always been a worrier and I think it’s getting worse not better as I age. It could be the fear of the unexpected not so much the mass of people around me. That could be the reason for the advice you’ve been given. That doesn’t help very much in your situation as it sounds different. I go early and still get anxious as I can’t cut it close you’ve done before.

Have you ever thought to focus on why this bugs you so much?

Perhaps speaking to a therapist or counselor to try to come to grips with your fears might help.

Good luck!

To make hanging around an airport more enjoyable/less stressful consider buying a day pass to one of the lounges. (Unless of course you already qualify for the lounges through one of the airline frequent flyer programs or credit card benefits). Most airports do have for-pay lounges and they are much more comfortable than sitting in the public departure / gate areas. There is food and drinks (often free/included in the cost of the dat pass), TVs, quiet areas, electronic boards with flight departures/gates/boarding status so you can keep track of any changes to your flight. Some even have showers and spas. Lounges are

We pay to get in a lounge. It makes such a difference.