Fear of Flying
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Fear of Flying
Feb 2008
I wrote the original post about being afraid to fly...Thanks
for all of the responses!
Many folks have gotten relief from taking anti-anxiety drugs to
help them during a flight. I have taken ativan during several
flights before and it was somewhat helpful. However, the issue
for me is that I also get terrible motion sickness (which I
have had my whole life and have in cars, boats and other non-
anxiety producing situations.) I definitely need to take
something for the motion sickness and have been told not to
take it with an anti-anxiety drug because they both make you
sleepy. Anyone else have a drug combo they like to address both
situations?
fearful and nauseated flyer
One word: GINGER! I get MISERABLY motion sick. Tried every Rx
and non Rx med around until I was in England and going over to
France via ferry and forgot my meds. The only thing they had in
the ferry gift shop was ginger tabs. I took them and fifteen
years later can't imagine ever living without. I buy the
capsules and take two an hour before flying and then every three
hours while flying. They are 99% effective. I've never vomited,
but once on a super turbulent flight I did feel a tiny bit
queasy. So, GINGER!!
Very Queasy Traveler
Okay so I know exactly what you are going through. I have really bad
motion sickness, I can't sit in an ocean side restaurant and look at
the sea without getting sick. I am also very anxious about flying. I
stopped flying at one point for about 7 years. The combination that I
have come up with, which I am not saying is safe but I have taken
dozens of times is 2 dramamine (normal dose) and 2 sudafed (normal
dose) every 6 hours and then about 8 zanx that are the lowest dose .25
mg and I might take that again for a long flight. This combo has
worked really well for me but now i am going to be trying my first
flight free of medications with my new baby because I am breast
feeding exclusively. Good luck feel free to email me if you would
like. I have also taken the fear of flying course at SFO
Laura
A healthy alternative to medication for fear of flying - I had
hypnotherapy sessions with Dr. Francis Dreher in Kensington for my
fear of flying. Prior to hypnotherapy I took anti-anxiety medication
when flying but now instead I listen to his hypnotherapy tapes every
night for about a week before trips. I still have to work at
releasing the anxiety caused by flying and can at times have some
tense moments when in flight but I am able to fly and I feel totally
fine when I get off of the plane. With medication I found that I was
calm during the flight but once the flight was over I felt very drowsy
and ended up losing at least the rest of the day when flying because I
was so tired from the meds. It might be worth a try.
Gretchen
Jan 2008
I hate to fly. I am totally afraid of it. I am looking for
recommendations of ''treatments'' that others have found helpful
(i.e. therapy, Fear of Flying Clinic, taking medication).
Thanks!
Fearful Flyer
On the last flight that I took before I decided to do something about my
fear of
flying, I spent the entire flight curled up in the fetal position
weeping -- so I really
do know what it means to be afraid of flying. I am so sorry that you
are suffering
from the same fear, because it makes life so difficult if you want to
travel. I tried
various kinds of drugs -- valium, zanex -- but none of them helped.
What helped
me was going to a therapist who specializes in phobias and panic and
really
confronting why I was afraid. I went to her for probably ten sessions.
Then, she
recommended that I buy a relaxation cd -- Flying Without Fear -- and
practice the
techniques on the cd. I still don't like flying, but I can do it -- and
even enjoy
myself a bit. You can do it, too. You just have to really make up your
mind to
change how you approach flying and how you think -- this is much more
difficult
than it might sound. But my life is so much better now that I've
overcome this. I
can fly to see friends and family -- I can fly to travel to wonderful
places -- and I
don't suffer from that panic and anxiety that were so unpleasant and
difficult. Good
luck to you!
Flying without fear
Hi. I want to let you know that I too have had anxiety while
flying in the last few years. Before that I was pretty cool
even with turbulence. But, on some recent flights with
turbulence I was a nervous wreck - sweating, gripping the arm
rests, etc. So, when I had to fly to Chicago in inclement
weather recently I called my GP to see what he would recommend
to ''take the edge off''. He prescribed the generic form of
Xanax and I took one pill before my east bound flight and one
pill before my return flight. Although there was turbulence, I
was a lot calmer. I don't have anxiety in other situations, I
was just wreck when flying. So, maybe Xanax would also work
for you. I had no side affects but I did sleep well on both
flights.
A
Hi,
I took a FEAR OF FLYING Class at SFO, it was Fantastic. We
talked to Pilots, Stewardess, Machinests, Baggage Handlers,went
into the Air Traffic Control tower and ended this class (lasted
4 weekends I think) with a flight to Seattle. We went there
and then flew right back. You did it with a ''graduate buddy''
who sat next to you for the whole flight. I loved the class
and still refer to the binder. It TEACHES you why you should
n't be afraid and if you are, how to cope. I highly recommend
you take it, well worth the money. Don't let your fear make
your miss important events because you don't want to get on the
plane.
Good Luck,
Sue
I too had a huge fear of flying. I wouldn't go on any trips
unless I absolutely had to and then I would dread it for weeks
until I had to get on the plane. Once I was on the plane I was a
wreck. Crying, sweating, just a complete mess. My doctor
prescribed Lorazepam (also know by the brand name Atavan) and it
was the best thing I could have hoped for. It is an anti-anxiety
medicine and I have the best, most relaxing flights ever now. I
even try to see if I can get myself all worked up while on the
flight by imagining the plane crashing, and I just don't react.
My brain is able to rationalize that the probability of that
happening is very slim and I will be fine. Before the Lorazepam
I would have been in a complete panic. I do not usually like to
take medicine so I tried just a half a pill and it still worked
for me. I would usually take it about a half hour before my
flight, to make sure it was working before we took off, and a
half a pill lasted me about 5 hours.
relaxed traveller
After a traumatic flight several years ago, I don't like flying
either. I did an hour therapy session with the former pilot
turned therapist at fearofflying.com -- which was helpful. He
has a ton of tricks to calm your mind and keep your head in the
right place (and he sells a set of CDs). My doctor also
prescribed meds to take before flying, which work OK, but not
great. My husband, who is usually my flying companion, is good
at talking me down, and I like to watch the flight attendants,
who look nonchalant during the worst turbulance. I've also found
that the MORE I fly, the better it is. And I make it through 3-4
trips per year -- including cross-country and international
flights.
Working on it
I have the same fear, but I have managed some progress with it this way.
First of all,
if you are like me, stop feeling bad about being afraid of flying.
Everybody has fears
and being afraid of flying isn't so irrational. It is unnatural for
humans to fly.
Anyone who blows you off or makes light of your fear or teases you can
go to ****.
For me, it was about control. I'm not afraid to drive myself places,
because I am
controlling the car. But I have to trust perfect strangers to fly my
plane. I learned to
give up my need to control things I couldn't control by controlling the
things I could.
I stopped being so ''nice'', I got more sleep. I took showers when I
wanted to (even if
it was during the dang NFL pregame show). I cooked what I wanted to eat
for dinner
and everyone just had to live with it or go make themselves PB&J. Get
the picture?
I stopped naively trusting, too. This may sound harsh, but instead of
counting on
DH to remember little things, I just stopped asking. Stop counting on
things that are
unreliable and put your trust in things that are. Like the piolet. You
can safely
assume he has never crashed a plane. Turbulence is scary. I read up on
it on the
internet. Most of the bumpy stuff we feel is teeny tiny turbulence. The
plane is
designed to basically survive a hurricane. Sit in the backseat of a car
with your eyes
closed and realize how much bumpier the ride is than most turbulence. So
if the
little bumps on the road make your car ride so turbulent, just realize
how small the
bumps of air current are during plane turbulence. Arm yourself with
facts. Also, an
iPod with your favorite music that you can completely concentrate on
really helps.
Close your eyes and sing along in your head. Do yoga breathing. I also
learned the
air in the cabin doesn't have as much oxygen in it as on land, and you
can definitely
experience altitude issues,that's why you feel anxious because your
brain is reacting
correctly to less oxygen. It's a physical reality, you are not imagining
something
silly. Take care of yourself. You are not alone and you don't have
anything to
apologize for.
fellow reluctant flyer
My nurse practitioner prescribed an anti-anxiety medication
called Alprazolam (.25mg) which is a generic for Xanax because
I also felt I needed something before I got on a plane last
summer. Just to let you know, I hadn't been on one since the
summer of 2000 at that point. I never took any of it, but just
having it somehow allowed me to feel okay about flying from CA
to two different cities in central Mexico and back with a total
of 5 take-offs and 5 landings! It was very reassuring to know
I had something I could take if I felt uneasy.
Elaine
There is a class at Vallejo Kaiser (not restricted to kaiser
members) called Phobease.It's a 6 week (I think) class for
people with all kinds of Phobias. There is one for adults, and
one for kids. I don't have the number anymore. We took my son to
it years ago. Great class.
Good luck.
anon
I'm also terrified of flying. I started taking lorazepam to fly
several years ago - it doesn't help with the days leading up to
the flight when I begin the nervous cycle, but it does help me
actually get on the airplane, and frequently helps me sleep
through the flight. I'm curious to hear if others have managed to
actually get over their fear of flying...
anon
When my husband and I met, he had not flown for many years due to
fear of flying. Within a year, he was back on a plane after
trying the 3 things that you mentioned: seeing a hypnotherapist
(Andrew Condey in Berkeley), using a prescription for Ativan, and
going through the Fear of Flying Clinic at Oakland Airport
(www.fofc.com). At this point, he's now a volunteer at the clinic
to support other fearful flyers. Within a couple of years, we
traveled to Europe twice, to South America once, and have taken
many shorter flights in the U.S. If you want me to put you in
contact with him, feel free to write to me directly. I wish you
the best of luck. You really can do it!!
Elisabeth
One word: Valium
But I'm sure any anti-anxiety medication would work. I know people
who've gotten
prescriptions solely for the purpose of flying and they have had
success. Not sure
which drugs though, but my point is that you could certainly discuss
with your doctor
and explain that you would only use it when flying.
anon
Oh I can relate. I have a horrible fear of flying. About 6
years ago I did a Fear of Flying class, based at SF Airport that
was actually pretty helpful. It was expensive and facilitated by
a ''therapist'' (IE someone who called herself a therapist who
wasn't licensed). BUT it was very helpful to be around all of
those other folks who were also TERRIFIED of flying, and
realizing that others have similar thoughts and fears (maybe even
worse fears than I do!). We were given a lot of practical
information (a pilot, mechanic, flight attendant, others met with
us and answered all and every question thrown at them) as well as
behavioral techniques to help us deal with our fears. We then
flew together (had to pay extra for that) round trip to Portland.
I DO think it was helpful, I DON'T think it cured me. I still
avoid flying pretty much, which is a drag.
I''ll be curious to hear what others post.
fearful flyer too
I had this problem--I used valium for a while (one 10 minutes
before take-off did the trick), then got over it. Dunno whether
the relaxed flights de-sensitized me, or if something else
helped, but it's not a problem anymore.
Laura
I was deathly afraid of flying from the age of 20 on. Just took
one slightly negative experience and I was done. I was landlocked
for about seven years before I started trying to get back to
life. Flying really is part of living. I signed on with an
amazing cognative therapist who worked with me on my fear of
flying (and other fears that developed through that). With a
combination of therapy and some medication, I now fly almost once
a month. I'll be the first to admit, I'd rather not. I'll never
be totally comfortable with it, but exposure is the best way to
get over it. I would suggest you contact the San Francisco
Center for Cognative Therapy (they have an office in Rockridge)
and see if there are any openings. I have definitely been there
and the best way to get over it is to... fly. Good luck.
Nov 2006
My 5 year old son has a tendency towards anxiety, especially under times of
transition or stress, and about a year ago when we were travelling he kind of
freaked out on the airplane, saying ''We're going to fall down! Stop the plane! We
have to get off!! We made it through that trip but needless to say it was a pretty
stressful experience.
Now it has been over a year since we last flew, and we are going to the East Coast
for the Holidays, and he is adamant that he doesn't want to go and is afraid of
flying.
I have consulted with our health plan's mental health division but they may not even
be able to see him before we leave, and I am not convinced that would help.
I am worried that he will panic again and refuse to get on the plane.
We have offered all sorts of incentives, and are planning to have a portable DVD
player for the flight, since individual video screens seemed to help last year, but I
am interested in any other suggestions this group might have.
Thank You!
Worried mama of worrier
This may not work with a 5 year old, but thought I'd tell you my
experience in case it helps later. I also was afraid of flying as a
child and when I was probably in my early teens my parents drew a
diagram and explained the basic principles behind WHY a plane stays
aloft. That made a huge difference for me, knowing why we weren't going
to fall out of the sky.
Hope that's helpful at some point
Now a happy and frequent flier
We recently took a plane trip with our 5-year-old, who has flown many
times before, without event, but suddenly on this trip was extremely
worried and anxious. He told us he was very afraid to get on the plane.
Finally he told us the thing he was worried about was his ears popping,
which he had heard was a problem for children on planes. It turned out
that he thought that his ears would literally pop, like a balloon. I
tried to explain about altitude and pressure but he wasn't buying it.
Finally I told him that chewing gum keeps your ears from popping, and he
cheered up immediately. He is never allowed gum, so it was a huge
treat. I told him he should start chewing when the plane started moving,
and that would keep his ears from popping. Everything went great.
He told us after the flight, Hey! It really worked! The moral of the
story is that when they say they are afraid, they may be afraid of
something that never occurred to you. Also, it is worth it to forbid
certain things like gum so you can use it later for this type of
situation. GO
Feb 2004
Hi,
We are beginning to make our plans for a european vacation and
everytime I think of the flight or the days leading up to it I
get a pit in my stomach. I was always a bit nervous flying,
and now after 911 and all of these flights that keep getting
cancelled because of threats , it just all seems so frightening
and overwhelming. Has anyone tried taking a seditive just for
the flight? Any other suggestions? I can't just take sleeping
pills as I have kids I will need to look after on the flight.
help!
anon please
I have been afraid of flying for years. A few years ago I
started to take clonipin just before getting on the plane, and
it's worked wonders. It makes me sleepy, but I can still attend
to the kids. It's made it so I can fly without my heart jumping
into my throat when there is a little turbulence. So I
definitely recommend medication!
jennifer
I would strongly recommend the Fear of Flying Clinic...
you can
see their website at www.fofc.com
I loved flying until I was in my late 20's and then suddenly
became afraid and started avoiding flying and was very anxious
when I did fly. I attended one the Fear of Flying classes and it
was great. They have wonderful speakers including a pilot,
flight attendent, former fearful flyer and mechanic. The class
is co-facilitated by a psychologist who specializes in this area.
You get to visit the air traffic control tower at SFO which was
really cool! Anyways it helped tremendously. Also the people in
the class were great and showed a lot of humor about their fear.
The class included people who hadn't flown in years because of
extreme fear to people who fly regularly but feel a little
anxious. I took a flight a week after the class and I actually
enjoyed it.
roxanne
Xanax, baby, xanax. I've always been a nervous flyer but 911 put
me over the edge. I jump at any sound, suspect that every other
person is a potential shoe-bomber, I start to panic when anyone
heads to the bathroom at the front of the plane... I asked my
Dr. for a little something to take the edge off and she
recommended Xanax because it wears off within six hours (of
course, you can pop another one at that time) and it doesn't put
you to sleep. I found that this was a very good solution to my
troubles. I'm still not 100% comfortable on planes but Xanax has
helped me get through both short and long flights.
Happily Popping Xanax 20 Minutes Before Take-off
There is a wonderful 6 week class through Vallejo Kaiser called
Phobease. One class is for kids with phobias and one is for
adults. My son took the kids class and it was really great. They
deal with ALL kinds of phobias. You don't have! to be a Kaiser
member. The leader of the class, Dr. Liebgold and his 2 helpers
were both cured of a variety of phobias.
I don't have the number but it's through Vallejo Kaiser Health
Ed. dept.
I used to be very anxious about flying and would almost get
panic stricken when there was any turbulance. A few years ago I
told a flight attendant about those feelings adn she told me
that a plane has NEVER been struck out of the air due to
turbulance.The most dangerous thing about turbulance is if it's
bad, the overhead compartments can open and things fall out.
Although that doesn't seem to be your issue, that TOTALLY put my
mind at ease and although I don't love flying, I'm not as
anxious about it as I used to be.
Good luck.
anon
My boyfriend has a paralyzing fear of flying. I recently asked
my doctor what we can do about this, since I'm getting worn out
from doing all the flying (he lives on the E.Coast presently, my
kids and I fly to see him, but never the reverse because of his
fear). The doctor suggested Xanax,(sp?) which would have to be
prescribed by his doctor. I've since talked to several people
with anxiety about various things, each of them has used Xanax
for single-use and multiple-use anxiety and found that it worked
very well. Good luck!
Karin
There are drugs that you can take that will relax you and take
the edge off the fear and still allow you to be awake and deal
with your kids. Talk to your doctor. I've done that a couple of
times and it makes a huge difference -- I began to realize I was
as afraid of the feelings of fear and panic ! as I was of actually
flying, and by taking a mild sedative I was able to enjoy my
vacations from the very start to the very end. I would suggest
taking a test run with anything prescribed just in case you have
a paradoxical reaction or an unpleasant side effect.
still afraid but calmer
Hi - I suffered through a panic disorder/depression about 12
years ago and never spoke with a doctor. I felt panic at the
thought of being stuck in traffic on a bridge or in a tunnel,
or being on a plane for long periods of time. Luckily, time,
exercise and self-esteem building activities have helped me.
My personal take on the matter, is it all comes from my
perceived lack of control (especially after the birth of my
daughter, who is now five). Although I don't really have a
problem with panic anymore, I still have occasional discomfort
in crowds, and specifically within cr! oweded, enclosed spaces
(Disneyland!) and long air flights. Two years ago, prior to a
long flight, my physician prescribed a mild dose of Xanax to
combat this problem and it worked very well. I have taken it a
few times for long flights with my children, and do not feel
impaired at all. If you feel your issue is bigger than
occasional (and logical, given the times) fear of flying, You
may want to check with your doctor about therapy. I wish I
had.
anonymous
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