I am absolutely terrified of flying...help...?

Question

I need advice on how I can get through 3 hour flight to Spain this summer without freaking out.

My fear comes from exactly that - I hate being scared. It is really difficult to explain but I'm not afraid of dying...if the plane crashed that would be fine as if its my time its my time...its the fear I'd experience should anything happen that I am scared of...does that make sense?

I get sweaty, I cry, I shake, I can't even go to the bathroom when I'm on a plane.

I've tried being tipsy - but this gets me even more emotional so a no go!

I've tried Dr. Bach rescue remedy - drank the whole bottle and nothing!

Last flight...I literally stopped breathing and couldn't get my breath back - like I was winded. I am so so afraid and just need some GOOD, TRUSTY and HONEST advice on how to get over it and just get the flight done and dusted. I fly in 3 weeks and am already having sleepless nights thinking about it...HLEP!!??

Answer 1

First of all you are not going to die and don't think otherwise. You have to deal with your own fears as you perceive them. Drink and medication do not address the causes, just mask them. The cure is within your own mind because that is the cause.

It's the same old story, per number of passengers travelling flying is still the safest form of mass transport. You're hugely more likely to be involved in a crash on the drive to the airport than while in the aeroplane itself.

You've flown before and your fears were proven unfounded, nothing untoward happened at all, just as will be the case with your upcoming flight.

Answer 2

ahahaha!!!! i thought it was only me, believe me, I'm worst than u!!! your flight is in 3 weeks, mine in 3 1/2 month and I'm sleepless already, OK, but i have to stay for 13 ours on the plane non stop!!!! i don't want to think about it!! anyway, read this, very helpfully at least to understand something about your feelings while flying, it's in Italian, just translate it.

http://www.tuttomaldive.it/paura_di_vola...

Answer 3

get calming tablets of the doctor it will help greatly and you will be all relaxed a friend of mine got them of the doc for same thing going on the aeroplane for the 1st time

Answer 4

I too aint much good in the air ...the only thing that really works for me is i have found is a loud i pod with some good music ....as I have found that its the noises more than anything else ..try it and good luck

Answer 5

Go to your physician and explain you fear. He will probably give you a script for Xanax and Inderal. The Xanax will calm you down and the Inderal will regulate your heartbeat.

If you problem is that you really "hate" being scared and not so much flying, you may have a General Anxiety Disorder and you may want to speak to a Psychiatrist. GAD can be controlled with either Behavioral Modification or SSRI's or both. Don't live in fear.

Answer 6

take lots and lots of sleeping pills

but im sorry i dont no what else to say apart from dont fly

:)

Answer 7

You can get Valium off your doctor for that you know?

Because it's not a regular thing u can have it.

I get it prescribed when i need a blood test because I freak!!

See what he/she says.

I do sympathise...I'm the same lol

Answer 8

there has been so many flights and more than half have survived and yo could just be another one and whiles your on the plane think of how exciting it will be and you will get side tracked and will be there before you know it.

Answer 9

It's that old adage that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. I almost drowned as a kid, and for years & years I couldn't go in the water unless I could touch the bottom. I missed out on an awful lot of cool stuff, and like you I got mad panic attacks if I got out of my depth. Now, I'm not a scaredy cat, I'm a licensed skydiver, and I've done a few bungy jumps. And I knew that the only thing I had left to conquer was my fear of drowning, and that I had to do it because it was limiting my life. Eventually, about 30 years after I almost drowned, I plucked up the courage to do a scuba fun dive on the Great Barrier Reef, as I was so desperate not to miss the opportunity to see what it was like. I can tell you that jumping 5ft off the boat into the water was a thousand times harder than jumping out of a plane from 15000ft. And because of that one leap of faith I am now an experienced diver and am completely calm and relaxed in the water. It's a horrible feeling to be a prisoner of your own fears, and I know EXACTLY how you feel...but only you can make that leap of faith to banish your fears, and only you can be strong enough to conquer them. Dosing yourself up with meds as others have suggested here is not going to solve your problem. God is not going to help, drink is not going to help, and the tooth fairy isn't either. This is something you have to do by yourself, and you have to be mentally tough and reclaim your life from your fear.

You can do anything, you just have to want to do it badly enough.