are you afraid to fly but still do it?

I used to be able to fly with no problems, but after I got married (2003) I slowly started having more anxiety with travel (flying and driving). In 2008, I had a particularly bumpy flight (including a big drop like a roller coaster) and I stopped flying completely.

I've been in therapy for a few months working on it and I'm supposed to take a flight at the end of this month as my graduation. Part of me just wants to run to the airport now and get on a plane (sort of ripping the bandaid off) instead of letting the anxiety built knowing it's coming up (tickets have been purchased for about 3 weeks).

If you're afraid to fly, but still do it, what helpful hints can you give? How do you push past your fears (other than alcohol or medication)?

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Yes.
Not to the point of your anxiety but I do stress about it.

I just remind myself anything can happen at anytime. And there is so much to see that I would be missing out on if I didn't get on a plane. Mainly my daughter and grandkids.

Can you take something to help calm your fears?

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

I hate flying but still do it. I "cope" by just thinking to myself that if I don't fly then I won't get to ever enjoy any vacations/see different places. I don't fly very often, but I felt like it was better when I had to do it more... when I was in my early to mid 20's I had a job that required me to travel a lot and so I was on a plane pretty often.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Me- kind of.

I don't like flying. I am never COMFORTABLE on a plane. I can't just pass out and go to sleep - I'm always on edge.

Especially with taking off. I have found myself in tears during take off a few times. It's very scary climbing like that.

Once we level out, I feel better, but still on edge.

I don't sleep well for a week leading up to having to fly.

I am not a fan of self medicating either- because i need to be in my right mind when travelling. Especially if I am alone - like for a work trip. I can't be all drugged out or tired from pills or booze or whatever.
Not being in control is another fear of mine! So that's out.

Basically I try to tell myself that there are 1000s of flights up in the air at any given moment and it's VERY VERY rare to hear of an issue. You are at more risk driving. My rational brain knows that.

Also, if you can find a book that you are very into, like a real page turner, that helps to distract you. Or a movie or something that you really love or that is really engaging. Or talking to the person you are with. Flipping through a light magazine.
All these things help me.


And yes, like a PP said, the more often you do it, the easier it gets. It's like you are like, "see that wasn't bad. I made it!"

Message edited 4/12/2016 11:17:26 AM.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Not going to lie. Im afraid to fly. Havent been on a plane in 10 years

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

I hate flying. HATE it. I'm also EXTREMELY claustrophobic so that makes it worse, I panic just knowing I'm trapped in the plane. It's hard.

I just force myself to do it and I tell myself that in all likelihood everything will be fine. I have no secret tips, I just grin and bear it.

Message edited 4/12/2016 11:29:26 AM.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Yes. I hate flying. HATE it. I haven't done it in 5 years or so but I plan on flying again in September and I am already getting nervous about it. I have tried drugging myself and all it did was make me physically ill on top of nervous so I won't do that again. This time around I will have my kids with me so while I am sure I will be worried, I will be so focused on taking care of them that I hope it won't be so bad.

are you afraid to fly but still do it?

I also have high anxiety when traveling by car, so we've been limited our travel to shorter distances (4 hours max). When we visited my mom in Florida 2 Christmas' ago, we took the train. I still had anxiety on the train, but the 21-23 hour trip plus all the logistics of having to rent a car to drive to my mom's makes it all seem worth it to get over the fear of flying.

I tried finding the shortest flight possible out of Islip, so it looks like I'll be spending the night in Baltimore. :) There was no way I could fly and then turn around and get on another flight, so we're spending the night. We're leaving DS with a babysitter b/c I don't want him seeing me if I have a panic attack (I had my one and only panic attack on my last flight). He's not afraid to fly and I don't want him thinking he should be afraid if he sees me afraid.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

I have a fear of flying. My family always traveled to Portugal so the flight completely over water was always so scary to me as a child.. as I got older it got worse. It's not like I won't fly, but I'm on edge the whole entire time. Like even when the Captain comes over the PA system to tell us to take off our seatbelts, I'm always panicking it's about to be a "we're going down" message. Ugh. Last year I went to London/Paris/Portugal and finally just got a xanax prescription. I refuse to fly without it now. I literally woke up in the middle of the flight to a whole bunch of turbulence and just fell back asleep. I hate to depend on medicine but it makes it so much easier for me.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

im a very anxious person in general. do i like to fly? no. just drink some nyquill when you get to your seat.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Yes. I am nervous for the entire flight. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that I never flew as a kid and my dad is TERRIFIED of flying.

are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Try relaxation techniques. Create a calming atmosphere. Bring music and headphones and listen to your favorite songs during takeoff. Concentrate on that. Bring snacks. A little lavender essential oil to help calm yourself down. Rhythmic breathing could help to (5 second breath in 5 seconds out and gradually increase 6 in, 6out, 7 in etc).

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

I didn't take my first flight until I was 30, and then even after that I waited a couple more years to fly with my DH for the first time.

Now we fly every month, or multiple times a month, short flights though. Just took my longest to Vegas last week.

My DH was never afraid to fly until I put the fear in him. He ended up taking this online course called fear of flying, and it was pretty cool cause after you have a phone call with the instructor who is also a pilot.

He still gets nervous with bad turbulence. I don't think I feel it as much as he does. A lot of times if I want to sleep I do take pills so I can rest.

Look into the course he said it was really good.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Yes, afraid of flying but it wouldn't stop me from getting on a plane. I used to travel a good deal for work and would down that champagne you get when you board in business class. To take the edge off. A drink totally works.

Otherwise, I just have a mantra I say to myself if there's turbulence, which is usually something like "If God wanted us to stay in one place, He would have given us roots" and that actually calms me. I often feel guilt about traveling for work, but this helps me to realize we aren't supposed to stay in one place!

Good luck!

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Very much. I used to drink lots of alcohol but now that i have kids i feel i need to be sober enough to save myself and them if something were to happen.

i try to be logical. Risk vs benefit. The risk of death(small) vs the benefit of life experiences(huge). If I am meant to lose my life via aircraft then so be it. i dont want to prevent my kids from air travel or have them develop a phobia either.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Message edited 4/12/2016 1:49:02 PM.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

are you afraid to fly but still do it?

I am not afraid to fly - I actually don't mind it at all.

My husband is afraid to fly though and he usually has a couple of cocktails to take the edge off. He travels a lot for work, and sometimes needs to be on planes, so he really has no choice. He takes the train when he can, and drives when he can, but he can't drive everywhere. A 23 hour train ride to FL one year cured him of never flying again and booked a flight home instead of the train. LOL

This past November we took our son with us to FL for Disney and a convention and we flew. Our son was absolutely fine on the plane and my DH, well, I just try to leave him alone when we fly together bc I know me trying to distract him does nothing. I think having our son with us helped him a bit bc he was focused some on him and how he was enjoying the flight and all that.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

I don't like flying. But I will do it.

I hate turbulence. I hate taking off.

But then I think I am going to some where else.

Thank God for DH.... He keeps me calm.

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

Xanax
Essential Oils
A Calming Mantra
Deep Breathing
Look at the Flight attendants
Talk to your neighbor

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

I have been in therapy for a year for my fear of flying (we now talk about some of my other fears). I too just want to drive to the airport and get on a plane to rip the bandaid off.
Good luck!

Re: are you afraid to fly but still do it?

I'm not a huge fan of flying, but totally used to it since I travel so much for work...been on 11 flights so far this year. For me, the worst part is taking off...so what I do now is listen to music as we're taking off. It distracts me from the noise (I feel like every take off sounds different and I question each sound lol). I continue to listen for the first 15 to 20 minutes of the flight and then after that I'm totally fine. I actually enjoy landing.