Fear of Flying
 

I have recently developed a fear of flying. As long as the flight is smooth, I'm fine, but if it gets a bit bumpy, I get scared and sweaty and lose my appetite. It is odd since I have flown so many times and it never bothered me until recently. And there was no particular incident that started it.

Any advice? (I have tried the alcohol option, but it doesn't work).

Thanks

do you remember the flight you took when you first became fearful? Where and Why were you flying? Try to think about it and remember if there were any stressful events surrounding the time of the flight, anything that might have been on your mind.

Tough situation, good luck, youre in my prayers

try zanax.

Does it seem to matter where in the plane you sit? I personally like sitting by the window; I feel a little more balanced and I like being able to see "where I am". I know that some would like the exact opposite though (aisle).

It might be worthwhile checking with the airlines forum. Those folks might have some tips too.

Been there. Taken trains instead of planes.

I found fear of flying classes on the internet, printed out maybe 50 pages, and read them as bedtime stories. This helped A LOT!

I am still a bit apprehensive on take-offs and landings, but flights are no longer a problem.

I still do the breathing exercise: deep inhale, slowly exhale saying "reelaaaaxxxx"

Also taking the isle seat and watching the calm flight attendants helps.

Don't wear any tight clothes, this helps you relax too.

Ear plugs will drown out 80% of the noise.

A really good novel will distract you.

When it's bumpy, breathe slowly and tell yourself it's only air turbulence.

Not to push the alcohol thing, but if one glass of wine didn't calm your nerves, maybe two would.

Ear plugs are a good recommendation--- maybe splurging on noise-reducing headphones would be something to consider too.

I have been there (fear of flying) almost all my life. In the "old days" I got to the airport two hours early in order to drink several martinis before getting on the plane. And now: 1) Xanax taken one hour before and just before the flight takes off: 2) an easy reading book saved especially; 3) no alcohol but drink lots of water; 4) ipod with Boise earphones; 5) aisle seat 6) the Origins product something about "calm" that you rub on wrists and is pleasantly distracting. And amazingly enough, the flight is very enjoyable.

Back when I as afraid to fly I used the noise reduction ear plugs and dozed off, then I woke up panicked because I couldn't hear the engines running.

Then I got the idea of sitting on the aisle and telling myself it was a fake flight on a studio set with the fake bumps, etc. That sort of worked.

Then one day on a flight I just wasn't afraid any more. Very odd, now I am not nervous at all. The fear left as fast as it started.

It started for no apparent reason but I think it was pressure and stress from the rest of my life at that point that I projected into fear of flight. On that fearsome flight I got out of the plane at a short stop, left the luggage on the plane, didn't tell anyone and just rented a car and drove across the country home. Can't do that now days with all the rules.

I, too, hate flying!!! not really scared, but feel clastropobic; airless, bored with the scene, the food., rude, sweaty and huge seat mates, etc. But it gets you there....what can you do. And you truly are safe....for me, I get in the seat, order a dring, (a double), and quietly recite to myself the Lord's Prayer.....something about "A monk swimming."

Sounds like an anxity attack? Talk to your doctor. Perhaps a prescription for valium or zanax would help if that's what it is.

I'm with you on this. Bumps and turbulence do me in if it's for more than a little here and there.
If you go the valium, xanax, ativan route try it at home to know how the prescribed dose makes you feel - ie too strong, not enough, zonks you out, etc. You don't want to be totally out of it while travelling. It's ok if you can doze off, but you don't want to be "comatose".
The right med and dose will let you stay awake, but you will be pleasantly unbothered by turbulance.
It takes about an hour for the effect to kick in, so you should take it upon boarding.
Goes without saying if you take the med, no alcohol.
Good luck to you.

I am a firm believer in drug avoidance, and having a natural "high".

But having had the same fear that struck me all of a sudden (and it was, for me an anxiety or panic attack) about 15 years ago and never left (for me, I'd start to panic about a week before a trip), I faced up to the fact that no amount of meditation or self-hypnosis was going to do the trick.

The ativan prescribed by my doctor has been my saving grace, because I LOVE to travel.

I dont know what your personal feelings are about medication. But if you're ok with it you can get your GP to write you a script for Xanax or Valium. It doesn't raise a red flag with insurance if the doctor prescribes a "travel quantity" like 1-4 pills. I always pick mine up with a prescription barf patch (Transderm Scop), so it's very, very clear as far as insurance is concerned that these scripts were "travel related". You don't want to get flagged as having "anxiety" which can happen if you get quantity 30 or more.

I second xanax, I couldn't get my sister on the plane until she took xanax at the behest of her doctor and myself. Worked like a charm.

Just don't have the Xanax with a cocktail or wine or you will feel very yucky when you get to your destination!

That is not universally true. Each person reacts differently to drugs and alcohol, combined or separate.

The bottle of Xanax says do not mix alchohol with the drug. That's all I'm saying. If you feel fine mixing, knock yourself out, no pun intended.

I think the benzodiazapines (xanex, ativan etc.) are great if you know when to take them. You need to take one an hour before takeoff, and another half midway (xanex has a half life of 4 hours, ativan a half life of 6 hours, so that is when you take another small dose). They are not opiates nor triplicate meds, so will not cause a problem with your insurance. Besides, they are one of the best remedies for restless leg syndrome, along with upping your vitamin B-12. Many people (me included) feel they will burst if they don't move around on a plane; my legs scream at me and I have to sit on my haunches or in yogi position or do multiple stretches. Don't let anyone scare you about addiction; if you use these meds only once in awhile and aren't an alcololic, there is no withdrawal and no dependency.
Other medications to consider are the beta-blockers, such as propranolol or atenolol, blood pressure medications which also treat anxiety. My friend, when she acted/danced on Broadway, always took one for stage fright.
Do NOT use halcion or other sleeping pill though.
All of these need to be prescribed by your physician, and yes, you shouldn't drink to block anxiety anyway because there is a rebound effect.
I'll sign this: Dr. C.(I am)

If it makes you feel any better, it's very rare that bumpy rides affect the plane in any bad way. The biggest danger is someone out of their seatbelt hitting their head.

One of the nice things is passenger jets have the ability to hear about turbulence ahead of time and can change altitudes to get to the smoothest ride. In the military we just had to ride it out.

To digress, the sweaty part is a forerunner of airsickness (another symptom is yawning). The sickness is usually brought on by a drop in bloodsugar which results when fighting the motion of the plane/boat/rollercoaster. Being tense makes your muscles tighten up and burns blood sugar.

The best cure for motion sickness is to sit relaxed with your feet flat on the floor, your arms on the armrests and your back against the seat. Eat or drink something to help your body maintain bloodsugar.

Distraction, distraction, distraction.

Keep yourself busy with books, an IPod, Crossword puzzles, word searches and LOTS of snacks. Part of the reason they (used to) feed passengers is to keep them calm and busy.

The same thing happened to me. I flew for years without any problem and then suddenly I needed Xanax to combat the stomach turning fear. I mentioned this to other people and the women said the same thing happened to them when they had kids. I guess some women develop an unconscious fear of leaving their children orphans. I thought this was silly until my daughters turned 18 and I no longer was experiencing the white-knuckle, heart pounding that I endured for years. I'd be interested in finding out if anyone else had the same experience.

Judy I was just speaking with a colleague about fear of flying today and he told me after his last child got married, the fear suddenly went away.

Surfergirl,

Of course the fear of flying was replaced with clinical depression when he got the bill for the wedding. :)

Surfegirl, for me it was the opposite - the fear started with the empty nest.

Well, mine has nothing to do with kids one way or the other, since I don't have any. My flying anxiety (coupled with a bit of claustrophobia) seemed to develop with age.

Look into the course called:

White Knockles To Cockpit Cool.

By Dave & Eve Carmichael

People who fly infrequently can certainly take advantage of the pharmacological cure.

Others may want to have a more long term fix, which for many people talk therapy could help accomplish.

For what it's worth, I've suffered with flying phobia and I'm also a clinical psychologist who has treated panic disorder and anxiety and such phobias.

Telling me that the drive to the airport was more dangerous than the flight cut no ice with me. I felt more in control in the car, so wasn't anxious. I didn't particularly like driving over bridges either, but it wasn't as bad as flying.

Distraction, focus, and certainly diaphragmatic breathing and relaxation can help, but ultimately one needs to tolerate feelings of anxiety and accept not being in total control in order to get over them.

Exposure with response prevention is the research-supported treatment for many anxiety conditions. It's worth researching if you are interested and don't want to take meds. Also there are some good virtual reality labs to help people--several in my area at least.

I tested the hypothesis myself. Though we used to live in Hawaii (and are now back home on the California coast) I was particularly afraid to fly over water.

So two years ago I accepted an opportunity to present a paper in New Zealand. Twelve hours over water in a nonstop flight, and back.

Within NZ, I had to take a number of flights on what appeared to be tiny planes held together with rubber bands and flown by blond twelve-year-olds with braces and pony tails.

Having survived, and disconfirmed my irrational fears, I am now able to fly to Hawaii (which I must do several times a year) without distress, though I will never really like it and declined to fly in an inter-island plane after they took a test take-off on the runway to make sure it could!

Consider the talking cure if you 1. don't want meds or 2. fly frequently.

I am wondering about the fact that this fear developed after you have flown many times previous.

You might want to look back and see if anything has changed.... medication you take...work or home related stress...something that might not be obvious until you look at it from this fear of flying perspective.

I also would be one to avoid medication if at all possible. But for you, it may be just what the doctor ordered. (pun intended).

Of course, don't rely on the doctors on this board, go see your own professional for advice in this area.

Good luck in finding your soulution.