Fear of flying

[scottie120778]

I used to love flying up until 2 years ago i had a huge panic attack, on a flight from edinburgh to heathrow. It was a bumpy flight and felt so embarrased when i had to be comforted by the aircrew! ive seen a phycologist and feel im ready to fly again as ive not had a panic attack for over a year now. ive booked a holiday to spain in may, but in the back of my mind i always wonder....will i really beable to do this and will i beable to NOT have a panic attack....has anyone else been in this situation and how did you cope? is there anything meds i can take before hand just to make sure?

scott

[groovygranny]

Hello scottie,

I haven't been flying for very long, maybe about 6 yrs and never felt any fear of flying after the first time.

However, when I became ill all I could think about was the next time I'd get on a plane and it used to induce a pa just with the thought of it!

But, i had great support from the people here and on the next flight I took I managed quite well considering.

I swear by Rescue Remedy - I used the spray version under the tongue. But, make sure you direct it accurately - miy first attempt ended everywhere but there upon take off lol!:wacko: :blush:

Reading a good book and listening to your favourite relaxing music on an mp3 player is very helpful too, as is concentrating on breathing deeply and steadily.

Above all, just go with how you feel, let any sign of panic just wash over you , 'ride the wave' and think ahead to what a great time you'll have on your holiday.

Each time I fly now I know I'm going to experience some form of anxiety - but now I'm prepared and in control of it, not it in control of me.

Hope this helps a little bit :)


:hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

[jill]

Hi there,

WOW, hun, you have not had a pa, in a long time, thats great news, YOU SHOULD be sooo pround of yourself, WELL DONE.

I had my first pa in an aiport, not sure why, well I do now, but I still got on the plane and mmmm, will not go into detail of what happen, you know how panic, high anxiety goes.

I did however at that time, not fly for 2 years, like you, I feared flying, but, HAY, I HAVE ALWAYS loved flying, before this first panic, I aways had a great flight. But when I was acute, I put flying on hold, just for now, just untill I could get my head around on what was going on in my body and mind and like you, after 2 years was ready for my first flight.

I am lucky to have an airport near by, so for a long time, I would go there and look at the planes taking off, ohhh boy, they sent a rush through my body, hehe, a rush of excitment, which at first hightend my anxiety levels, I came to understand, that the feelings of excitment felt a little like higher levels of anxiety and that even before my panic, these feeling of flying have always been there, I have always gotton excited when flying.

Why I did this was because, I know that panic is trumour, your mind can remember trumour. I new I had to re programme my mind, that it is WAS NOT the plane that caused my first pa, NOT the plane at all, I AM NOT scared of flying, I LOVE IT and any stymptoms I feel when flying, are not anxiety, its ME being over excited.

I did go the see the planes alot, ohh still do, they still give me that same rush.

My first flight, got lots of info of this great site, things to distract me, books portable cd playing, card games, mags, but the most important thing in my anxiety tool box was my thoughts, the thoughts running up to my first holiday, I tried dame hard to keep them positive, looking more on the good things, planning my holiday, what we would be doing when we got there, remembering my flying times, BEFORE, the panic and how I loved to fly. My thoughts even drifted to when I got back (not even gone yet LOL) and I would think how would feel when I had came back and had noooo panic, how pround I would be of myself.

From what I think myself, its only natral for you to be a little concerned, PLEASE don't be to hard on youself and allow a little concern, BUT, BUT, BUT, DON'T, let your thoughts of what MAY HAPPEN, try dame hard to focus MORE on the positive things, re live in your mind the good flights you had before panic. I know full well that this can be dame hard, but you must look at the evidance, YOU HAVE NO, evidance AT ALL, that you will panic,YOUR DOING GREAT HUN, PLEASE see this and focus more on how well you have done.

So, what did I take in my panic took box, mmm I know I said, don't expect to panic, but I found it helped lots to just to take something, BUT I NEVER needed it or used it.

I was like you, thinking the what if's, so I thought I would make myself a panic tool box,

I did take Kalms for the first week before the flight,
im my panic tool box was

Rescue remady,
the tabs the doc had given me, allthough I had not taken these in a long time. I popped them into my panic tool box.
a brown paper bag,
print offs from this site
and I know this may sound silly, but a positive letter to myself.
and lots of things to dirstraced myself, ce's, portable dvd playing with funny films, portable games, mags, books, cards,

My first flight, I NEVER used antying , yeeee you go girl LOL
The thing is, my first flight was when you were not allowed to take anything on the plane, I had to put it all in my case, even when I found this out, I thought, ohh I don't need it anyway.

Hun, even now, in the back of my mind, I still wonder, mmm what if, but, my way of thinking is, if it happens it happens, I WILL deal with it, but I have been panic free now for along time, Its not going to happen, just remeber, allow yourself to feel something, expecting to feel nothing, its like saying your not axcited about your holiday, ohh boy, who's not excited about a holiday, I awlays am and I do feel that for me, these excitable feeling can be missunderstood as anxiety symptoms, but I let it ride, let these feelings be there and look more on the good things that is going on around me.

I have flew out a few times now and on different times I have felt different things, BUT not panic, will not go into that at this time.

You are going to have a great flight and a great holiday, YOU CAN DO THIS, you know you can.

Where are you going in spain and when, please, please keep your mind focust on the good things and when negativaty jumps in, replace these thoughts with more positive reasuring ones, but most of all, be kind to yourself

HVE A GREAT TIME

Please let us know what a great holiday you had.

TAKE CARE

LOVE JILLXX

[scottie120778]

Thank you sooo much to both of you for such great advise, maybe its anxiety maybe it is me getting excited, but i will keep you posed on how i get on

love scott xxx

[gatoulina]

Dear Scott,

I understand your fears because I suffer from the same ones. I found a book that was recommended to me very helpful 'The easy way to enjoy flying' by Allen Carr. It really calmed me down particuarly in the days leading to a flight.