Fear of flying

[kasia]

Hi everyone,

I imagine some of you might share this fear of mine! I've never really enjoyed flying, but recently it has become worse. Because of emetophobia, naturally. I usually tell people I'm simply afraid of flying - have a bit of claustrophobia etc. However, most people fear flying because they are afraid of the plane crashing. Of course, that's not what I'm frightened But they wouldn't understand.

Can you recommend any ways of overcoming this fear - and any drugs you find to be good at helping calm you when flying? I normally take something like diphenhydramine (Nytol in the UK, Benadryl in the USA) and or Diazepam. It helps, but I never feel 100% happy about it - plus I can never eat whilst flying. Anyone else have this problem? If so, have you any ideas for how to overcome it?

Thanks in advance!!!


Kasia

[suze]

I don't like flying either, but I do it because my kids love to visit different countries (and if youwant nice weather, in the UK you usually need to fly somewhere!). Planes are so stable these days that very few people ever get ill on them, from what I've read. I think the key to coping is to sit where you're most comfortable, e.g. the window if you want to hide, or the aisle if you want to be near the loos.


Ask your doctor for something else that might help you cope...I was once prescribed propanalol - it's a beta blocker which stops the production of adrenaline (i think!). It's the adrenaline that gives you the sensation of "fight or flight" (in my case, when I panic I want to run). If you don't produce much adrenaline then your body doesn't go into panic mode.


There's no easy answer but just do everything you can to make yourself feel comfortable. If you take an anti-emetic then you'll know that you're unlikely to v* which I guess is your fear. Actually, when I fly, Idrink! Not excessively otherwise they wouldn't let me on the plane, but a glass of wine in the airport bar just before I get on usually relaxes me. The another with the inflight meal.....usually does the trick, though I only ever pick at the food, if I eat at all.


Or finally, do what I did on the way back from Geneva...throw a really big panic, shake like crazy and get taken to sit with the cabin crew!Edited by: suze

[tcsarah]

I totally understand where you are coming from. My fiance's young daughter emigrated to Canada with her mum and step family last year, so we are definitely going to have a plane journey to Canada in the not-too-distance future to visit her. I'd love to visit Canada, but this damned phobia has me worrying my pants off about the journey there and back - what if I get air sick, what if somebody near me starts v*ing and then I worry about picking a virus up on the plane! Of course, normal flying phobia worries of the plane crashing doesn't get me anxious at all, lol. So I will be very interested in any tips that people can offer too.


Suze, I used to take propranolol, but I can no longer be prescribed them as I have suffered from asthma attacks in the past when my allergies have been bad. Apparently if you suffer or have ever suffered from asthma it can be dangerous to take them. Just thought I'd mention it, as there seems to be so many people suffer from asthma these days.

[marby]

Kasia


I share your fear of flying (and only realized recently it was connected to the emet). I usually take a Dramamine (sp?). For whatever reason, it calms me down, but it does make me pretty drowsy so watch out for that. You may feel sort of hung over for awhile as it's wearing off. If you have a regular doctor, he may be willing to give you a Valium.I don't ever eat on a plane either, so I can't helpwith that one!


Good luck!


Marby

[kylie_0607]

hi i feel exactly the same. although i have never v*ed whilst flying and i have flown every year since I was young everyone tells me well if you havent now you never will. but im not so sure! i flew on my own for the first time this year and i thought i would be more nervous but i wasn't i felt much better on my own dont know why! i always eat on the plane esp if it is a long journey as not eating makes me feel n*. try eating little bits and things easy on your stomach. im always wary of eating things like chocolate mousse which they often serve! i still get nervous flying i only take rescue remedie to calm my nerves althou i dont know whether it does a lot. i love going away and the reward of seeing a new country and having time to relax and enjoy myself outweighs all my fears.

[2jo2]

I'm afraid to fly for both reasons! Mechanical failure freaks me out, and then being cooped up in there with no escape freaks me out too. I just take an Ativan and all is fine. It's the best way to cope.

[samara's on tv]

I HATE flying. The last time I was on a plane was Feburary 2002 when me and my dad went down to Florida for a few days. Luckily I had a lap top with me and could watch a DVD. I've flown HUNDREDS of times in my life and I've always hated it...I mean I always thought what if I get sick? What if my sister gets sick? (She gets sick at the drop of a hat too) I remember one time we were flying just like a DAY after my sister had been V*ing (If it was virus or not I don't know) and I had to sit next to her on the plane and I was like FREAKING OUT.


The only time I know of where someone got sick on the plane was when we were flying to Hawaii. I didn't actually see or hear it but I do know that the flight attendants were coming to our seats to see if they could have our air sickness bags or not.


I don't think I'll ever get on a plane again. The only way I could get on a plane now is if I was going to either Hawaii or Japan and since I know that neither of those are going to happen anytime soon I don't worry about it. But the best advice I can give you is bring something to keep yourself distracted. Like a portable CD player, a book, or a portable DVD player. Preferably something with head phones just incase someone near by is sick.


I've never asked my doctor for anything to help me when I'm flying but from the other posts I see that you probably can do it, and it's probably more common then you think for people to ask for that stuff.


~Monica

[1987porsche944]

I haven't taken anything for flying either, but I have been on job interviews to be a flight attendant and also taken private pilot lessons. I love flying, but I loathe flying on commercial planes. A couple of years ago, I was flying to see my family and my small plane (airliner, it was commercial, but only a commuter flight on a little puddle jumper) had wicked, wicked turbulence. I was shaking and freaked out, not from the turbulence, but because I knew someone was going to be sick. (In actuality, I was so busy trying to keep my coffee from capsizing, that I have no idea if anyone really did get sick). When I got off the plane, my father was making fun of me "oh, you want to be a pilot, and you can't handle a little turbulence?" Little did he know it had nothing to do with the tubulence. I fear being trapped in there as well.


I cope by sitting in an aisle seat so I don't feel "trapped" - I bring hand sanitizer and try not to drink much because I don't want to have to use the in flight restroom if I can avoid it, ha ha. I usually read the whole time, some trashy novel [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]And to snack, I usually have pretzels and crackers, those are good for the stomach, as well as trail mix, good for energy. A friend who was a flight attendant told me that they rarely get sick from sick passengers, and the most widespread illness on flights are colds.


By the way, it was in the news about a month ago that some airliner landed a plane because someone was sick with a sv, and since I never hear of this in the news, it probably really not that common.


Hope this helps a little!