Flight on Friday - panicking already

[Barcelona]

Hi all,

First time poster, long time lurker.

I have been suffering from panic attacks over the past 5 years. Im due to fly back home to the UK for Xmas on Friday after plucking up courage to take a flight (I was seriously thinking about taking the coach from Barcelona to Birmingham).

My panic attacks on the street/at home (or usually in the supermarket) I can usually cope with - not very nice at all, but I can bear with it.

What im worried about is having one on the aeroplane, and making a fool out of myself. Im also worried (and this sounds stupid, that im going to be that stressed out and my heart will be beating so fast, that I will give myself a heart attack).

My wife's mother has sent some Valium in the post which I hope will arrive here tomorrow - I don't know how i'll be able to get on that plane on Friday if they don't arrive.

If anyone has any tips or advice id love to hear from you.

Thanks

[Allye]

Good Evening

I have suffered panic attacks and anxiety (work and supermarkets are the usual places). My biggest fear is fainting in public or otherwise making a big fool of myself.

I have just been away on business which involved flying both ways (this is the first flight I have taken on my own since developing PAs).

I found the worrying about going was much worse than the actual flying. To cope I left myself just enough time to check in without sitting round for hours worrying, took a really good book and sat near to the loos whilst on the plane.

It worked I felt slightly anxious but did not have a PA.

Good luck and have a good Xmas

[sweet_petite]

hi barcelona,

just posted a thread about something similar. like you i am getting all worked up about going on a plane this weekend.

last time I was on a plane I took valium, it made me feel really out of it and i guess it did help (it made the 4 hours seem a lot quicker!)

some tips that have helped me without taking valium are

distraction - i usually chat to someone I'm with (I don't know if you're going with anyone?) if not just talk to whoever you're sat next to. on my last plane journey I was so lucky to be sat next to some lovely ladies who understood what I was going through and actually helped me through it, people are more understanding than we give them credit for sometimes! other than that, the tv/radio on the plane, reading can all help

breathing - i was always quite sceptical about the whole controlled breathing thing, but if you try breathing in using your diaphragm, i thinks it's a count of 4 in and 6 out it really does help, I usually start doing it as soon as I can feel the anxiety coming on and it does work

I hope some of these things work for you!, but just to let you know that you're not alone in having these feelings :)

takecare x

[dawny]

hi ya mate,

remember barcelona firstly you are coming home to loved ones so try and focus on that.

secondly the airline staff are trained to help you if you are a nervous passinger.

and thirdly when we have a panic attack, nobody notices around you, every thing carries on as usual.

i flew to new york this year and was scared i gotta say, but i also thought to myself that before pa/anx i loved flying and travelling, so i hung on to that thought and really did enjoy the flight, use the on board enterainment and really distract yourself and remember mate p/a are horrible but really cant harm you,

enjoy your time at home and have a good christmas mate

my thoughts are with you

dawny