Fear of flying

19 years ago

I haven't been on a plane for quite a few years, and in that time I seem to have developed a fear of flying. I am faced with an overseas trip in December, with my children.

I clearly do not want to be anxious in front of my children as I think they will "learn" to be like that. So I MUST face up to my fears before the trip.

I have googled and there are lots of ways in dealing with this situation, from books to courses with a pyschologist etc.

My question is, how have others coped with this situation ?

My issue is feelings of claustrophobia.

Thanks for your help, my palms are sweaty just thinking about going !!

Popi

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

christy2828
19 years ago
I discussed this with my doctor, and she prescribed me a few valium. She recommended that I do a 'trial run' before I go, to see how it works out. I haven't done the 'trial run' yet, or the flight (it's in August). Just an option :) Good luck! Christy
nancylouise5me
19 years ago
I also had a fear of flying. Mine was a control issue, as in not having control of the plane (thought I could do a better job of flying the plane then the pilot if anything ever happened). I also didn't want to visit my fear on my children. We travel frequently every year. I went to a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist who is also an RN and a massage therapist. Through visualization, relaxation techniques, and a tape of the sessions she gave me to listen to on the plane that helped out greatly. If I need them my doctor also gave me a prescription for Alprazolam.
Last year our family went on a trip to England and Scotland. We were a few short feet from landing at Hethro, when the pilot powered up again and took off. Seems there was another plane on the runway that was just tooooo close for comfort for our pilot. Didn't bother me in the least. We just flew around again and came in for the landing a 2nd time. So if I can over come my fear, I think you'll do just fine. NancyLouise
Related Discussions
Need advice: Overcoming a fear/phobia
Q
Comments (23)
I don't have any advice about overcoming your phobia that hasn't already been given here, but I wanted to chime in that there is no rhyme or reason to phobias, so it's not helpful for others to say "that phobia makes no sense". I have always had pet fish and I adore them. I have no trouble letting them nibble on my hand as I clean their tank, etc. I can swim in ponds with little fish darting around, and I have swum in the Gulf of Mexico with harmless sand sharks bumping around in clear view. But I am very unhappy about visiting aquariums where there is just a wall of glass between me and big fish. And (thank you, Diana Gabaldon) I am freaked out swimming in lakes because I am afraid of . . . the Loch Ness monster! Yes, I know it is ridiculous to be afraid that the Loch Ness monster is in a lake in the US. And even if the Loch Ness monster WAS in the lake, it's probably a harmless vegetarian and wouldn't bother me anyway. After all, I would PAY to swim with manatees, so why be leery of Nessy?Because knowing it is ridiculous intellectually isn't the same thing as not being filled with heart-pounding dread when you're at the lake!
...See More
About flying on those airplanes...
Q
Comments (43)
I did see the movie "We Are Marshall" and loved it. Powerful story and well done, but also very sad to think about such a horrific loss of life. On a slightly different note, from 2003 to 2005, I flew almost once a month and I came to loathe it for all the reasons I mentioned in the opening paragraph. It is partly fear, but you'd think after all those flights I'd get used to it, but I haven't. I tolerate flying and that's it. In 1996, I was on a Southwestern flight from Norfolk to Denver and we were preparing to land in Denver in the middle of severe thunderstorms. As we were landing (and not far from the tarmac) a tremendous burst of wind shoved the plane down toward the ground and gave us all a good jolt. The pilot goosed the two engines on that 737 and we went up at a very sharp angle, back into the skies. He flew over the airport and then tried to land again from the other side of the airport (and was successful). It really was a terrifying experience and after that flight, it took me years to get over the feeling of terror and dread when I stepped on an airplane. Thanks for the posts. I don't feel so alone. :) Rose
...See More
Settle this pot filler debate...
Q
Comments (5)
Seems to me that a decent ball valve out of sight would be useful, if the plumbing is at all accessible. It would take two steps to use the pot filler - or maybe one just closes the ball valve when leaving the house empty for a few days. My cabinet maker told me about a situation for one of his customers. A pot filler was installed before the range hood - and the guys that were installing the range hood dropped it, snapping off the pot filler. Water everywhere, of course, until the main water could be shut off. My low risk tolerance wouldn't stand for a pot filler. I won't even connect an ice maker to my fridge, after seeing the neighbor's house flooded when the water line to the fridge somehow popped off (or broke, but somehow ran at city water pressure for 2 days).
...See More
Problem: 400 lbs. meat, 90 degr heat, power outage 6 hour, ongoin
Q
Comments (7)
While a power interruption of a few hours isn't of great consequence to people with a freezer ... longer periods can be rather hair-rising. I've thought that it might be good idea for people where they have power interruptions from time to time to gather a group of, say, four to six or so, to share in buying a generator, possibly of somewhat better quality and capacity than one person would wish to, alone, to move from house to house when the power is out, to keep the food in the freezers intact. Some people where I visited with a generator wanted me to fire up their furnace, but most have an unbreakable connection to the power box and I was unwilling to risk the possibility of the main switch getting reconnected inadvertently, thus pushing power back out on to a line that the linemen understood to be dead, possibly with drastic consequences. Where codes allow, I think that it would be advisable for people to have a push-and-twist connection between the power box and the furnace. When the power is down for an extended period, most people are not going to their place of employment, so would be free to move the generator from member's house to member's house during the day and night ... or even to help an outsider, should they so choose. It would be necessary to have at least one member who had an establishment large enough to store the generator without its being a nuisance. Such a plan would provide cheap insurance for people with a substantial amount of expensive food in their freezers ... and have you noticed how the price of that food has escalated in recent times ... while the wage increases earned by most ordinary workers have been much more ... meagre? Does anyone foresee a substantial change in that scenario, any time soon? ole joyful
...See More
Linda
19 years ago
Popi if 1st class isnt an option, maybe you could request an exit row seat. it gives you a little more room and maybe you wouldnt feel like you were quite so claustrophobic. Did you check the seating arrangement of the plane? This also might help to allieviate your fears, of being too cramped. i know I feel better when I fly on the bigger planes that have rows of 2 5 2 across. It just feels alot more spacious.
popi_gw
Original Author
19 years ago
Many thanks for your comments, it is nice to hear from others.

I was planning on doing a "test run", short flight with DH, and two children, but the cost is rediculous. So, my new plan is to buy a book on the subject, and start getting serious with meditation, then in a few months, just get on a short flight with a trusted person and see how I get on.

I can do a course with an airline, which sounded wonderful, including a pychologist, and tour of the plane, and test flights, but that was $2600 !

Popi

Fear of flying

Comments (4)

christy2828

nancylouise5me

Related Discussions

Linda

popi_gw
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Fear of flying

Comments (4)

christy2828

nancylouise5me

Related Discussions

Linda

popi_gwOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

popi_gw
Original Author