Extreme Claustrophobia while flying - help

[rockweasel]

Hoping someone out there can help. I have posted before about my extreme panic attacks while flying. Its like intense claustrophobia. I have always still flown but it has been so horrible. I have a 10 hour flight in December and am starting to loose sleep over it already. Just thinking about it causes me to panic.
I have tried EFT and hypnotherapy and valium but to no avail. Another reason I panic is lack of control so when I take valium or lots of alcohol I panic aswell becasue I know there is nothing I can do about it until the 'drug' has worn off.
I don't know what to do about it as I love travelling. Is there anything I can take to completely knock me out and just wake up when I arrive ?
Alos has anyone bought a fear of flying programme called ' SOAR' from pilot in the states ? I don't want to waste my money. All suggestions gratefully recieved ! Thanks.

[darkangel]

hi rock

I too have an intense fear of flying and being "out of control" due to meds, etc.

I am just back from Spain (only 3 hrs) but i did use EFT and positive thinking and kept telling myself to sit back and enjoy - rather than have fearful thoughts.

I found that when I controlled my thought pattern - it worked for me.

Hope this may hlep

Dark

........life is for living not just for surviving

[feege]

Well I'm not much help, I feel exactly the same!

I desperately want to be able to travel more - I have a friend in Spain I really want to visit and just haven't been able to because I am going through a bad patch... but i have found Darkangels trip a real inspiration and I have always done it anyway until recently when my life has just caused so much stress...

I fully intend to do it again and have found that sometimes it goes really well - but like you valium and alcohol are no help whatsoever.. the most important thing for me is to keep everything positive, keep reminding myself that I am excited and how important it is to me not to let the panic win and stop me from doing things....

You could try some cbt counselling specifically for the flying before december?

I reckon with the help of this site you will be flying high by then!!!

Good luck xxxxx

Fee xxxxxx
www.like2like.com

Why live life anticipating the bad things when you could be anticipating the good?
Good and bad things WILL happen!

[Keitharcher]

Hi Rockweasel

I suggest that you use the distration techinique, take an interesting book on board with you, watch the in flight movies, chat up the trolley dollies, sit in an aisle seat where you cannot see out the window, avoid sitting over a wing they are the most bumpy. Avoid alcahol, its a depressant and the canned air on board makes it worse. Let the trolly dollies know that you have a fear of flying. Hope thats of some help

Keith

[panicdiva]

Rockweasal you sound soooo like me it's scary. That's what I hate about flying; being enclosed & not able to get off - hate it when they close those doors! I also feel that meds won't help because I feel out of control once I have taken one because I have to wait until it has worn off - can't drink alcohol either for same reason.

I have a 9hr flight in 2 wks time!!!! When I booked this holiday last August - I was ill for about 3 days - I am not joking! I have been feeling some anxiety - but I have to say that the anxiety has not been as much as in previous years & not lasting as long (although if you read my post from last wk you will see that I did have a pretty bad day thinking about the flight). So I will tell you what I have been doing to help with this.

Since Feb I have been getting reiki healing & hypnotherapy. This has really helped quite abit. It is not an overnight cure - but I do feel a slight shift in my attitude & in my anxiety levels. Also, after reading some advice from someone else on this site I bought a CD called "Overcome The Fear of Flying". I have only listened to it 2x as I just received it on Friday. I am to listen to it everyday for 2 - 3 wks before I go - which is now. I don't know if this will help but I will let you know. Now I realise that it might be more for people who have a fear that they will crash - but some of the sbuliminals at the end of the CD are "I feel very confident whenever I travel by plane". "I love the feeling of freedom that flying fives me." "When I travel by plane I feel calm and composed". So I feel that this applies to people like us who feel trapped on a plane.

I also took Darkangle's advice about writing a list with 2 columns - 1 for reasons not to go on holiday & 2 for reasons to go. My list for the reasons to go is much bigger than the other list - so I keep reading that column to help me feel more positive.

The other thing to try is Bach Remedy which I have been using & it does help but I don't feel as scared of taking it as taking meds. However, in saying that, I did go to the Doc & asked for a low dosage of valium. He gave me 2mg tabs. He told me to take one before I go away to make sure I am ok with it. However, so far I have not as I have the fear that it might make me feel weird & thus panic. I am going to try it on a wk day so if I need help it will be easy to get it. My theory about getting the tabs is that by just having them with me "If things get really bad" will help. That's my theory anyway.

I don't know if any of this will help. However, I hope that just by knowing that you are not the only one who feels like this about flying might help. Also, as you can see there are many others who fear flying but who have come home with positive things to say about their experience. This too can bring some comfort.

When I come back I will let you know if these things helped me.

[Grad]

Hello,
I too hate flying and find distraction techniques (doing puzzles, chatting to the person next to you), positive thinking and controlled breathing helps me through it. Also theres an accupuncturist in my town that lists fear of flying as something they can help with. So may be worth a try, but I've never heard of anyone who's tried it, so not sure how effective or if anyone else here might know the answer to this?

[southernstar66]

Hi - I am exactly the same as you and its quite spooky reading your post as I could almost word my fear the same as yours! I was unable to fly at all until 2 years ago when I decided to go on a fear of flying course which I did through British Airways. They run them a couple of times a year at various airports around the country. I went to the one at Heathrow. I cannot recommend their course enough ...it was brilliant. It was a whole day with theory of flying in the morning and various fears people have and in the afternoon to actual fear that people have and how to over come it. The end of the day lead to an hour flight with all the people who had conducted the course - the pilot, psychologist and crew members. I thought when I went in the morning there might be 10 people there I was amazed to see over 150 when I arrived. They gave us a CD to listen to which is a relaxation CD but also one you use two weeks before you fly and which takes you on an imaginary flight and helps you prepare for a flight.

I also find that I have a set routine I follow now before every flight which I cant change! It is around checking in, getting to the departure lounge, and listening to my CD, only sitting at the back of the plane nowhere near the doors, always telling the crew members of my fear and I find that helps. I also dont like the fear of being out of control although I do take a 1mg tablet of Lorazepam before the flight about 20 minutes beforehand. It just takes the edge of the jittery feelings and gives me a sense of calm. I dont feel out of control just peaceful.

I hope this helps but if you get a chance I would recommend the course or just look at their website I think it is aviatours but you can probably find it by typing in fear of flying courses through google. Good luck you are so not alone x

[Paddington]

i just want to say, i think you are all so brave!You say you are scared but do it anyway,what an inspiration!I wont fly[never been on a plane]the thought of not being able to get off terrifies me!Andthe crowds at the airport!!How brilliant are all you folk who dont let their fear stop them?I am amazed by all of you!Hey maybe there is hope 4 me yet..one day i'll fly away!!!love mary-rose.xxxxxx

we are all in the same boat and can guide each other ashore

[petegms]

I am just like all of you, I have intense panick attacks when flying. Alot of you said meds dont help, but if i take a couple xanax or klonopins before i fly, i am pretty calm. I take 2 or 3 then put in a relaxing cd and just try and sit back and enjoy the ride. Ask your doctor if you can get some before the trip, they helped me!

[Tippytoes]

I can't believe that there are other people out there who feel the same way! I used to fly all the time, I actually used to enjoy it. A few years ago I started suffering with extreme claustrophobia. I am better than I was, but I still wont go on a train or bus. This doesn't cause too much of a problem, but flying is the big one. I haven't been on a plane for two years because of finances, but I have been pleased that I could use it as an excuse. The last time I got on a plane it was touch and go if I could get on, and even then I had to drug myself up, which also makes me freak out. It's the fear that I can't get out. I wish there was something I could do to get over it. At the moment I am not sure that I will ever be able to get on a plane again. It upsets me as I love travelling and I dont want my family to miss out because of me.