Planes and anxiety

[TomsThoughts]

Does anybody have problems with tight spaces? for me they are a massive no go and for the past week or so my girlfriend has been asking me to go holiday with her on a plane and my anxiety is all over the place.

Does anyone have any advice to try and overcome this fear? Claustrophobia is a big deal for me as that is the sole reason I have GAD.

Thanks

[Oosh]

Do you know if you're sitting in a plane seat with your eyes closed, you could be anywhere. You could be at home lying in bed with headphones on listening to your favourite things.

I've had the same thoughts. It's really easy for me to picture all these things and get freaked out and I've done the freek out thing thinking about plane spaces.

I sat in my seat and had no choice but to think of something else. Listen to a podcast. What about those plans for later in the year ? What are you going to do when you get there ? Maybe gf wants a game of connect 4, can I think of any strategies to beat her ? I'm going to put some music on close my eyes and picture me being at home in my favourite chair with the tv remote next to me "
Etc etc

If you can think of "stuff" you can NOT think about flying. You're already doing it now. You could be hit by lightning but you're not bothered because you haven't been thinking about it. You haven't been thinking about a lot of stuff that's unnerving. You could, but you haven't been. Proof you can think of other stuff and forget about what scares you.

My flight went fine. It's still a tricky idea, if you think about it but I don't. Once I'm sat in that chair with my head tucked down I could be sat in a cinema seat.
Control what you think about and how you see it.

Flying is fantastic ! Think about why it could be fantastic. What are the enjoyable, reassuring things about going on holiday and flying ?