flying
Question:
I have terrible anxiety about flying in an airplane and I am supposed to travel this week if I do not get cold feet. Can you provide any help? It would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
I’m not going to bother telling you all the reasons why flying is a breeze, you’ve probably heard it all before, aren’t convinced and you’re not going to take my word for it, right. So, given its in less than a week the only the only thing I can suggest is that you take one of the benzodiazepines. Probably Xanax or Klonopin being the best. Xanax begins working in about 15 minutes and remains active for 3-4 hours at least. Klonopin takes a few hours to fully ‘kick-in’ but remains active for 24-48 hours. If your flight is longer than an hour or two, probably klonopin taken 3 hours before take-off, plus the security of having fast acting Xanax to provide additional control if needed. Note: some people need to take benzos a few times before they get the full effect, so have a trial dose a day or two before is possible. IME most people relax within a few minutes after take-off and cope quite well with the flight, or at least until just before landing. So the critical anxiety period is the anticipatory time before take-off and a few minutes thereafter and the last few minutes of the flight. Having something to divert your attention during these times will help. Putting pressure on the little neck hollow behind the your ear lobe often helps. For some reason one side works better than the other so you may need to experiment. Most people recommend that nervous flyers sit in aisle rather than window seats on the theory that not seeing the ground will take your mind off whats happening. However, IME those in window seats rarely throw up, so I assume that window seats are actually an advantage. Once at altitude most people loose their fear of heights and the diversionary aspects of the view seems to help. (BTW-IME most that throw up do so well before take-off) The air at altitude is very dry and the air intake mechanisms of jets dries it even further. So unless the flight is very short, its important to maintain fluid levels. Dehydration can induce anxiety. Avoid alcohol and drinks with artificial sweeteners. Club soda is a good choice or tonic if the stomach is a little queezy. Also, some airlines keep the air intakes set at very low levels (it consumes power and therefore costs money). Low oxygen levels may also cause your anxiety level to increase. Yawning is often the first sign, so if you begin to experience this start taking deep, slow breathes for a minute at a time. Don’t overdo this or you might begin hyperventilating which is counter- productive. And most important of all, relax and enjoy the flight. :-) Good luck Ian
Response:
Just remember this – flying is 100000 times safer than driving and you haven’t died yet in a car crash! If you experience turbulence on the flight, know that you are just experiencing bumps in the road (or air), the plane isn’t going to crack up. If your worried about having a panic attack in the air, tell me this? What would you do if a panic attack hit you on the ground. Try to visualize yourself doing that same thing as your sitting in your seat. Lastly, know this. If you are worrying when you fly, your just wasting time that could be spent reading a good book or listening to your favorite music. The reason is because you have a better chance of winning the lotto twice in the same week or getting hit by lightning twice in the same day than dying in an air disaster. Those stats hold true for heart attacks and strokes in the air because all air fatalities count as a disaster. Your going to make it my friend!
Response:
I have terrible anxiety about flying in an airplane and I am supposed to travel this week if I do not get cold feet. Can you provide any help? It would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Find yourself some Xanax and take 1 mg about an hour before take-off. If necessary you can take some more during the flight (but I would do that in doses of .5 mgs) Philip
Response:
I know the feeling. I was a nervous flier before the panic attacks took hold. may i tell you my story: Last year i took my first flight since i started having major panic/anxiety. I was travelling with my boyfriend and several members of his family, which only added to my general anxiety. I was handling the anxiety until i was seated away from my partner, and was to scared to make a scene about this. 10 mins into the flight and i was ready to tell the flight attendent to get me off the plane at any cost!!. My partner (on the quite) had already informed the cabin crew of my condition, and on noticing my anxious expression a flight attendent came over and engaged me in conversation. Well she was brilliant, helped me to cope with the rest of the flight. On the return flight i was fine. I made sure i had a seat booked next to my partner, and again i knew the flight attendents would be on hand to help if needed. So please do go and enjoy your trip, the worst that can happen is anxiety and you have been dealing with that in your everyday life. Inform the airline of your condition, book your seats in advance and enjoy your trip. best wishes to you Rony. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have terrible anxiety about flying in an airplane and I am supposed to travel this week if I do not get cold feet. Can you provide any help? It would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Response:
*I have terrible anxiety about flying in an airplane and I am supposed to travel this week if I do not get cold feet. Can you provide any help?* ******* I personally have no problem with flying, but for some reason – just to be on the safe side – and I do this on boats too – I always take a Dramamine before I fly. I backpacked across Western Europe in 1989 with a friend of mine – and hehehe – I took 2 Dramamine before leaving the ground. I got on the plane, they served us lunch. I fell asleep for a bit and then my friend nudged me awake – they were serving another meal! I was like *Good God! They’re really pushing the food on us on this flight!* Actually, I was wrong. It was breakfast time the next day, and we were about to land in an hour. hehehehehehe. My friend was NOT happy with me, as she had to while away the many hours talking to a Rod Stewart look-alike sitting across from us. hehehe (Point: Don’t take 2 – unless this is the desired effect you want to achieve…) LOL Love, Parker —-<3—–<3—–<3 Happy, Sincere, and SAFE Holiday Wishes to all!! : ) *I used to be disgusted/Now I try to be amused* – Elvis Costello *I am a beautiful work of art in progr * – Me *What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?*-Nick Lowe *What fresh hell is this?*-Dorothy Parker *The recognition of The Possible illuminates souls*-KSParker
Response:
I’m a nervous flier, too, and IME all of the "rational" statements in the world didn’t make any difference (e.g. you have a better chance of being hit by lightning, etc.) I was still a nervous wreck. It’s the same as someone at work saying to me "why are you having a panic attack? There’s nothing to fear here!" You have the panic just because you have the panic. I’ve gotten better over time but there are still a few precautions I take before getting on a flight. First of all, the bigger the plane the better. I know you don’t have any control over the size of the plane, but for me going overseas in a 747 on an 8 hour flight is better than a 2 hour flight in a 727. The engine noise is less and the ride tends to be smoother. If I have to make a short jaunt to Chicago in a little plane, I’m usually pretty much a wreck. Also, I do my best to get seated as far forward in the plane as possible. People sometimes say that you have a better chance of surviving a crash if you’re in the back of the plane, but I figure if I’m going down I don’t WANT to survive! Heck, with my anxiety, just let me die! There’s less engine noise to listen to in the front of the plane. I have my trusty xanax with me on flights now. Takes the edge off. I’m never able to read on flights. If it’s a long flight I try to get lost in the movie. Otherwise I do my best to try and sleep. Hope this helps, Sharon
Response:
I have terrible anxiety about flying in an airplane and I am supposed to travel this week if I do not get cold feet. Can you provide any help? It would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Response:
Hello, Join the crowd! I know a lot of people like you. I’m not one of them.. personally, I love to fly. I’ve done it *many* times. My therapist and her husband are anxious flyers too, and they take a xanax before getting on the plane. They do not take xanax normally, they just ask their reg. Dr. to prescribe some for their trip. It shouldn’t be a problem, as a lot of people have a fear of flying. One thing to remember… when the pilot gets in that seat, he’s not planning on crashing that day. All commercial pilots have something like 35,000 hours of flight experience before they get to work for an airline. That’s a lot of experience under his belt. Hope this helps Peace -G. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have terrible anxiety about flying in an airplane and I am supposed to travel this week if I do not get cold feet. Can you provide any help? It would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Response:
Related Posts
- Long Term Azmacort Usage
- Xanax Withdrawal - Ugh
- Panic attack last night -- horror story
- Off xanax, what next?
- SERZONE USERS---URGENT-PLEASE READ
- GAD List, Etc.?
- paxil & xanax: a winning combo
- Does anyone know anything about this drug?
- what's all the bickering about?
- " A serious ?" from the not serious me??!!
