Fear of Flying

[welshwoofs]

I've been lurking unregistered for awhile and found all your postings very comforting. In short, I have a terrible fear of flying caused by a bad flight some years ago where the plane hit an air pocket and dropped a long way.

After that flight I got on a plane for a holiday again but spent the entire trip in the galley crying and screamed every time the plane dipped a little. The next 3 flights (2 holiday, 1 business) I made it on to the plane but then ran out before the doors closed and wouldn't get back on.

Now I have to fly again... tomorrow, for business. Needless to say, I'm terrified!

I've been on Aviatours BA fear of flying course in Manchester. The day was very instructive but come the flight (a 40 minute lap of the Isle of Mann), I totally freaked out and spent the flight curled in a ball on the toilet floor before they made me sit for landing. I then had 3 separate courses of hypnotherapy which all failed. On the final one the hypnotherapist stated that he thought I may be a 'high functioning autistic' because he believed that my thought processes were too clinical and I couldn't follow the imagery he was giving me. Personally I think it's a case that hypnotherapy is a pseudo-science; a placebo - if you think it'll work, it will work, but if you're sceptical it won't.

Anyway, after the various failed attempts at hynotherapy I went down the drugs route, taking 10mg of Diazepam before a flight....one of the flights I ran off in a panic. So that doesn't work either.

I now have 14, 5mg tablets of Diazepam and, to be blunt, I thinking of taking around 10mg *with* alcohol to see if that knocks me out sufficiently not to run away again (as it will look SERIOUSLY bad if I don't make this business trip).

Does anyone have experience of Diazepam + alcohol? Any serious effects?

[Cathy V]

Hi there, and i do sympathise totally. I just stick to the alcohol to be honest, and have a very large glass of wine in the airport, followed by another from the trolley onboard. You're obviously not claustrophobic then...no way could i sit inside those small toilets, that would really freak me out! You have to just say to yourself that, ok the plane hit an air pocket...it happens and i bet the aircrew were not at all bothered coz they know it for what it was, and they fly back and forth all day every day.

I dont like flying but have to come back to uk to visit family so i make myself do it, and the feeling of running off the plane is a familiar one for me too, but then i have to tell myself that i cant just wait for the next one to come along like with a train or bus, so i have to just stick with it, take deep breaths and wait for the trolley with the alcohol to come around

You will be ok, go for it...anxiety and panic are just a set of crappy feelings, and some people with these fears have even said "you know what? im so tired of this, of worrying about all of this, so if my time is up then so be it, so im just gonna sit and relax and get through this flight like everyone else on this plane, because im tired of bein afraid" ...xxxx

[welshwoofs]

Well I stuck with the Diazepam (10mg a few hours before, topped up with another 5mg half an hour before). I actually felt pretty calm and wasn't in a full scale panic. However as I was making my way towards the gate they called last boarding and the next thing I know I was looking up at a lady asking if I was ok. Passed out completely and unfortunately missed the plane.

So back to square one I guess! Luckily my employers were extremely understanding

[Gryphoenix]

Aw, sorry to hear that! Well it wasn't your fault and you're very lucky to have such understanding employers!

I just came from a vacation last month, in which several flights were used to get me where I wanted to go, and I didn't panic at all. I'm semi-claustrophobic in which I don't like situations where I get stuck but I can handle certain small places, and I do have a little bit of the turbulence fear. I've gone through a couple of those air pockets before and you're right--they are scary. To everyone! Me and my classmates on the plane all screamed wildly, it was hilarious looking back on it. We were actually coming in over Tokyo so it was probably the city that made the air all wonky. But in all the flying experience I've had (and I've had A LOT) I've only experienced the air pockets on one flight.

Anyway don't worry about the air pockets, if one happens then it happens and it won't hurt you at all. It'll scare pretty much everybody except the crew and the pilots on the plane, so you won't be alone! The best way I handled my anxiety was to not think about it and look forward to the trip as fun.

There's a really good fear of flying website here: http://www.anxieties.com/flying.php

[Faeth]

I too have a fear of flying, and was given Diazepam to take.

I was given 2mg tablets because I'm fairly slim, but I found that the only way I could get on a plane was to take 3 of those combine with 2 large glasses of alcohol, plus I would drink all the free alcohol going on the flight itself.

Bizaare thing was, I guess because I was so anxious, no matter how much I drank on the plane, I would walk off feeling stone cold sober. I figure my body must have worked it all through really quick because of the level of the anxiety.....

So, I guess in short - Diazepam and alcohol, although not recommended, certainly won't kill you if you're careful.

The only thing to watch is that if you appear to the boarding staff as incapable due to drugs or alcohol, they may not let you fly.

Also be careful on amounts - I nearly got it very wrong - I was in the US, about to take my flight home, and I had one very generous vodka and coke while waiting for boarding, and washed down my 6mg of Diazepam with another equally generous drink just before getting on the plane. I got on the plane, fastened my seatbelt - put a pillow behind my head, and the next thing I remember is waking up about 20 minutes before landing - sounds like heaven to someone who fears flying - and yes, was probably my best flight ever - but could have been disasterous had the effects taken hold a little bit earlier, or had they lasted longer.

So I would say, in short, its okay - but watch the amounts, and watch the timing!

[elanna]

to be honest i think you should ask your doctor about mixing the two. i certainly wouldn't take the advice of anyone not medically trained. mixing alcohol and pills is never a good idea!

are you afraid the plane is going to crash or the small space or that you can't get off if you want to?

[ksmith]

I totally sympathise. I feel quite sure that a flying phobia is different from a fear of flying. I'm married to an aeronautical engineer who explains the theory of flight and gives me stats on how safe flying is. It doesn't help. I've done diazipam, alcohol and nothing much helped. My last flight in Feb was successful (almost) by sort of self hypnosis - I just zombied out with just a 5mg diazipam. I put an IPOD on with loud rock music, told mates not to talk to me and just got thru it somehow. This was an achievement from someone who's almost been slapped by an air hostess!!

[Andel82]

Firstly DO NOT EVER EVER AMEN TAKE DIAZEPAM WITH BOOZE!!! While your liver eases the drug around your system the booze will halt it in its track. The mixture of ANY dose with booze can have SIGNIFICANT effects of your breathing and can cause DEATH.

Secondly, being an expert on Diazepam I can say that those of you who are taking a wollop of a dose on the day of the flight etc are totally misusing the drug. You ought to follow the rules of the drug as if it has been given to get you through a scray dental procedure.

The BNF states that it is as important to take build up doses for your wollop dose to even work.

I will be flying for first time ever and my system is well aware of diazepam. However, tonight I will take 5mg then in the morning I will take 2mg - Then on the flight (in afternoon) take 2mg. This can be increased - most GPS are happy to write out a plan for you!

Hope this helps!

PS: Oxycodone or other opiods' side effects can be better than diazepam and actual make you a lot more settled.