How to Stop a Panic Attack when it is happening?

[rockweasel]

I about to take a 12 hour flight. I am terrified I will have a 12 hour panic attack on the plane ! Any tips on stopping a panic attack in full flow. Will the flight attendants know what to do ? Any advice greatly recieved.:D

[taffysteve]

Hiya,

I'm a former flight attendant myself (loved every minute!) and I can assure you that the crew will have dealt with many, many people in your situation. It's an almost daily occurence due to people with fear of flying. I would recommend speaking to one of the crew on boarding and telling them of your situation. They will then know that they will need to keep a caring eye on you and any reactions you get won't come as a surprise to anyone.

As for your other question about stopping a panic attack? The best advice I can give would be to not try...that sounds mad I know, but the more you fight it, the greater the hold it will have over you. Just prepare yourself by admitting to yourself "I will probably be anxious as I board this aircraft, but I know that my anxiety cannot cause me any harm." Then, once in your seat, allow it to do its worst - all it can do is make you feel uncomfortable and whilst that is not nice, it will not kill you. Maybe you could even try to make it worse? Ask it to give you its best shot - you will almost certainly find that the more you ask of it, the less it is able to deliver.

Fact is: You control this beast so be the boss!

Hope it goes well - make sure you let us know!

Steve

***And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance... I hope you dance***

[rockweasel]

Thanks for your reply Steve, I feel a bit better about it just knowing that the flight crew will be there to help if need be. :D

[vernon]

Good luck on your flight Rock, I am sure once you settle on the plane it will be fine. Its always the thinking and waiting that makes us ill, I had the same when I had to have surgery, It wasnt half as bad once there, It was the weeks and months before that realy made me ill. All the best. Vernon

[rockweasel]

Thanks for your reply Vernon. I am going to print out these replies and take them with me.

[honeybee3939]

Hi,

Good luck on the flight Rock, im sure you will be fine, try not to worry.

Heres some posts that may help:

Flying
Flying (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3092)
flying (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1440)
anxious need some reasurance from my friends here (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3918)
plane tommorrow (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7374)

Love

Andrea
xxx

[jill]

Hi :D

I have not had a pa in a long time, all becuase of this great site, the inforomation and all the speceal people who post and replie to threads.

I had not been on a plane for a long time, at an airport was my first pa, so I put going abroad off, just untill I could get my head around, learning how to deal with panic, high anxiety. I am not scared of flying, never have been.

This year at easter, I flew out for the first time [8D] I found what helped me was not thinking about the flight, you know Mrs anxiety, she is always telling you the what if's. I never even gave the holiday a thought, just kept on thinking of how I would feel when I came back and how happy that I JFDI. I took my first aid kit, which had in it.

Rescue remady,
Tabs from the doc's, which I had taken myself of them many monthes ago, but took them in my bag anyway.
Brown paper bag.
wet wips and a little fan, so if I felt hot I could wipe my face and the fan cooled me down.
I did, put myself on calms and took them with me too.
Puzzle books.
Mags
Bottle of water
portable DVD player, with funny films, carry on films mainly LOL.[:P]

I had all this but never needed any of them, went on to have a great hol :D[8D]

I flew out again later on this year, same things came with me, but never needed any of it.

I did fly out again this year, ohh lucky me LOL , had a little hiccup, it was the time you could not take anything on the plane, BUT and its a big BUT. the only thing I had to distract myself while boarding the plane was myself, and me singing in my head, 99 bottle of bear on the wall LOL I did not try and stop the panic, just made it less important, just called it anxiety and told myself it would pass, not easy I know, but again I went on to have a great hol [8D]

I was like a child who had fallen off a bike, you know when your kids are scared because they have fell off there bike, they are scared to get back on. Well, when I came back off hols, I just wanted to jump back on a plane again, to show myself I could do it. That feeling was sooo overwhelming, my funds would not let me go away again, but hay, I WILL be going next year.

You WILL be fine on the flight, you WILL NOT have a 12 hour panic attack. I know its dame hard but try not to think all the what if's. The only what if's you need to think about are...

What if the flight goes well
what if I have a great hol
what if all goes well and I come home, ohhh I went and I did it (JFDI)

The flight crew are great,[^]:D[8D] they will help you anyway they can.

This link may help

What to do if having a Panic Attack (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/NMPcms.php?nmppage=whattodo)

You go and have a really great time.:D[8D][8D]

TAKE CARE

LOVE JILLXX

[rockweasel]

Jill and Andrea,

Thanks so much for all your help. I already have a kit for the plane ! I think I have spent a small fortune on herbal remedies and hypnotherapy !!! Your advice is great and I will read the other threads on this site.

Thansk all for your comments. I fly on December the 18th and will let you know how it goes. x