Fear of flying...

[Violet_Crumble]

Does anyone suffer from it so badly that they avoid travelling overseas? My fear's not at that level, but I'm terrified during the entire flight when I do the short 35 minute flight to and from Sydney, and I'm not sure how I'll handle being terrified for the entire 20 something hours of flying to Europe. It's annoying coz I'd love to enjoy the flight. My fear hit me gradually and I still remember flying to NZ when I was younger and really loving being in the air. I'd like to get back to that feeling again but I don't know how to do it...

Violet...

[elehhhhna]

1. Ask you doc for a low-dose tranqulilizer.

Seriously.

Also WATCH the flight attendents. If they aren't nervous, there's no problem.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Also watch the experienced travelers

And be aware that most crashes happen around the time of either take-off or landing. Once you're at cruising speed, your chances of crashing are extremely low.

Be sure to get up and walk around during that 20 hour flight and drink plenty of water.

[Justitia]

3. Anti-anxiety drugs work wonders! Xanax will keep you sane.

They are wonder drugs for fearful flying. You don't feel "drugged" or medicated at all, you just aren't gripping the seat handles with white knuckles, feeling short of breath & panicky. You will be able to be relaxed to enough to enjoy a good book.

The previous poster was right - ask your doc for the meds to get you thru the flights, so worth it.

[mike_c]

4. another vote for xanax....

Seriously. On a low dose-- 5-10 mg every 4 hrs or so-- you won't be druggy or anything. It will just help you not be anxious.

[FM Arouet666]

5. I was the same way about ten years ago.

I hated to fly, avoided it completely. I drove all over the U.S., sometimes many days of travel, avoiding planes. I wasn't afraid of flying, I was afraid of crashing. I was forced to fly when I interviewed for medical school. My dad used to travel a lot, flying all over the U.S. for IBM. Prior to a winter trip to Washington D.C. he told me; "Don't worry about flying son, a pilot once told me that as long as you can see the wing tips, landing and take off will be ok."

Well, my flight was approaching National Airport in D.C., lots of turbulence, the seat belt light constantly flashing. The pilot informed us that we must stay seated, 'this was going to be a bumpy ride.' Great!, I dug my finger nails into the arm rests, my heart beating audibly. I looked outside, a sea of dark grey clouds and clinging rain drops on my window.

And no wing tips! That's it, I thought, I am finished.

I landed just fine, a bit bumpy. Since then I have become more relaxed. I typically sleep at take off, and barely acknowledge landing. My wife said her good byes when we flew over a typhoon on a trip back from China, but again, we muddled through.

Like you, I liked flying as a kid, but become fearful later in life. The more you fly the more you will become used to the experience. Others have suggested Xanax, I can't fault the advice, Cabernet worked for me when I started to fly again. But don't over do it, getting off a flight to Chicago I splattered a sparkling white floor with a bit of air sickness, looked like someone slaughtered a goat.

Enjoy, and relax.

[Violet_Crumble]

6. I think I'll take some Valium before the flight...

The thought of being in a state of near-panic for over twenty hours is too much to bear, so I'll visit my doc a few days before we leave and check out taking something to relax myself...

I find my fear utterly irrational. I got a book from Qantas for people scared of flying and reading what pilots and engineers and others had to say about safety has helped me a bit. But then again, I'm reading it with my feet firmly planted on the ground and it might be a different matter once I'm in the air. Strange thing is the bigger the plane the more scared I get. I've been in helicopters and light aircraft since my fear started and I don't get worried at all...

Thanks to everyone who offered some advice in this thread :)

Violet...

[LuckyLib]

7. My hubby is a commercial airline pilot, has often answered

questions posed by folks who are afraid to fly. He says, "If you want to really worry about what might happen to you, you'd be nervous every single time you are out on an interstate highway, or coming home on a two-lane highway late at night. There is the real danger, at 70 mph." Then he also says, with a smile, "Flying is all smoke and mirrors." Given his training, his fitness, and the diligence with which the community of commercial pilots do their work, you're in good hands.

[Violet_Crumble]

10. That's the stupid thing...

When I'm being rational (which is any time I'm not sitting on a plane) I know that the pilots are incredibly well trained and have a very vested interest in getting their planes from point A to point B in one piece. And what yr husband says about the dangers of driving compared to flying is something I always remind myself of when I find out I have to travel for work. It's just the moment the plane taxies onto the runway, I turn into a totally irrational person who's convinced something terrible's going to happen and I'll never get to my destination :)

Violet...

[Maraya1969]

8. I got a book out of the library to help people with fear of flying

I can't remember the name but I am sure there are plenty good ones.
That being said I still take a huge dose of klonopin, (similar to Xanax) before flying from FL. to NJ!

The last time we had a layover in Atlanta and I was so doped up I tripped on something and fell face down in the airport. :rofl:

When I got back on the plane I told the attendant that I was sedated and she said: "Honey you are stoned"

Maybe I should check out the Xanex though. I still have fear with all that Klonopin in me. I hate it.

[Violet_Crumble]

9. I'm going to have to dope myself up...

I had to go to Adelaide a week ago for work and even though I read through the book I've got again before I left, I was scared shitless the entire flight. It didn't help that the guy sitting next to me was a nervous flyer as well. That was a 90 minute flight, so for the big one later this year I am going to have to basically knock myself out, but I'm a bit worried coz my kidlet is travelling with me, and I don't want to be so out of it that she has to look after me...

I don't know if how I've planned it is smart, but I've broken up the 22 or so hour flight by booking a 24hr stopover in Bangkok on the way over and in Hong Kong on the way home. But now I'm not sure whether breaking the marathon flight up into two long flights each way was the wisest thing to do and maybe I should get it over with in one hit...

Violet...