any advice on beginning to get over a phobia?

[kathy.x]

for some reason i have developed a very, very sincere phobia of flying. i used to love it as a child - then went through an air pocket (where the plain falls a few hundred feet but it is actually normal and routine) and then i started to dislike flying, but i could handle it. i just wouldn't enjoy take off or turbulence (even though i never liked turbulence). However, since I started suffering from anxiety and symptoms (especially health anxiety) my fear of flying has got the stage that i feel that i would break down if i had to even sit on a plane that was moving on the runway. i've worked out if i was to fly it, it wouldn't upset me much. i think it's gotten worse because of the air france event and since i often go to rio with air france i think that could have been me - and it also my worst nightmare.
i was just wondering if there's any advice out there atall? since i've never had a phobia before that has been this limiting, also i know you have to want to get better, but at the moment i just can't seem to persuade myself that the fear is not completely out of proportion to the risk!
any advice on how to cope / start to deal with it / where to or how to seek help would be greatly appreciated!

p.s forgot to mention i am meant to be going on a plane early next year so have time but am already worried for it!

[kazzie]

Hi Kathy

I too had a nasty flight years ago and now wont fly

I think there are courses you can go on to help with the fear

Try contacting your local airport or have a hunt on line

Best of luck

Kaz x

[kathy.x]

http://www.flyingwithoutfear.com/ i found this a while back, but i have browsed it and it seems to be more useful for people with more minor anxieties about flying.

i would love to not be afraid - i'd quite like to go on holiday! :P

[kath135]

I havent flown for four years, like you after a bad flight. At first everyone told me to get straight back on and face the fear but that caused more problems for my anxiety, I felt totaly pressured into it by family and freinds who just didnt understand at all, eventually I did get back on but it was a mistake for me. Luckily for us we had travelled alot before I had anxiety so I dont feel like I'm missing out. My family and friends do understand now, so I feel less stressed by it all and i do think that one day I will get back on a plane. We have been on a couple of cruises and to be honest my husband has enjoyed doing something different. The best question I was asked was '' Who are you pleasing by flying, yourself or other people'' and for me it was other people. I'm sure when the time is right you will fly again.

[kathy.x]

thank you! i'm looking into therapy and hypnosis. was thinking since i'm already meant to be getting CBT for anxiety in general may ask to address fear of flying also.

[Angelai]

Hi Kathy

I don't know how you feel about medication, but I take Diazepam (Valium) when I fly - I can't stress enough how effective it is for me!

x

[sandradee]

Hi Kathy.X,

Firstly Air France has a very good safety record, but I think the recent tragedy has made us all think a bit more about this.

I fly, but would not do a long haul easily. It's the feeling of not being in control I think which accentuates that 'trapped' feeling.....you're at 'their mercy' and of course when they do the preflight checks and start talking about oxygen masks and the like, well it's enough to panic anybody.

I'd do as the previous poster suggested and pop a valium. Last time I flew a few weeks ago, I saw two people dosing up with Rescue Remedy on take off!

People like my daughter fly so frequently, she doesn't even think about it, but in other ways she is a nervous person. If it's for a once/twice a year holiday I'd take a pill.

Good luck.

[KR]

Hi Kathy,

A friend of mine tried something called Tapping - sounds a bit loopy - but it has actually worked very well for her. She now goes on long-haul flights quite happily.

I went on Virgin's Flying without Fear 1 - day course where you go on a short flight in the afternoon, and I was absolutely fine (I admit I haven't followed that up with a longer flight just yet).

If it takes you a while to get back into flying, don't worry there's always Eurostar, or like one of the other replies said, you could go on a cruise.

Good luck!

[kathy.x]

thanks for all the answers! i'm looking into all of them to see if i can get the courage and maybe go on a short flight to france or scotland at the end of the year or next year to get back into it!
thanks again!