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Hello friends I have had a fear of flying for about the past eight years. Over time I have made quite a few improvements, but wanted to make this thread to both talk about what is helped for me (in case it helps others), and to hear about your experiences with flying. Also I'm not a medical professional of any sort, so please contact such a person if you want to pursue any sort of therapy or medication.  My story  I've always had issue with motion sickness. While flying didn't bother me initially, as time went out I developed issues with turbulence, and felt incredibly panicky and scared. I was also convinced I was going to die in the plane. I felt some level of anxiety every day from my ticket purchase to the day of the flight. I had talked with my therapist about this, and at some point he suggested:  I started on 2 MG of alprazolam (Xanax) which is a LOT (again see disclaimer - everyone reacts differently to different doses!!). I take it about an hour before I get on board, and my pharmacist suggested not eating a couple hours beforehand so it gets into my system the quickest. Personally, I feel it in about 15 minutes, and I get very tired after about an hour. My impression is that it's a pretty common benzo for flying. I also make sure not to have other stimulants before hand (i.e. caffeine). Personally, this puts me to sleep for several hours at least, and when I wake up I'm still kind of "out of it" which keeps my mind off the flying. Oh and no alcohol (commonly used for fear of flying) because you will die. So don't do that. I also take Dramamine, specifically the drowsy formula, which makes me even more tired and helps with my nausea during turbulence. I think my main triggers are turbulence while cruising, since I feel trapped with this unpleasant feeling. On the other hand, if we are about to land, it doesn't bother me as much. I'm happy to say that I've made several international trips to Europe, which I never though could do. At some point I'd like to be able to fly REALLY far (like to NZ) but I'm not there yet. Helpful Apps Some (Android, but most are for iPhone as well) apps I am using on my upcoming European trip (number six!) Fear of Flying - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.westworld.vliegangst - Text and audio exercises and helpful info Calm - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.calm.android - General anxiety app. A lot of paid stuff, but I highly recommend the breathe bubble, which is free and can be used on the plane as it's downloaded onto the phone. Skyguru - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.taktiklabs.skyguru.lite - Very excited to try this one. You pay a fee and you can download all the flight info, turbulence forecasts, etc. for your flight (it's pretty cheap - like $22 for ten flights). Then while on the plane, it tells you everything that is going on with the plane (especially helpful if you worry about different noises that occur during takeoff and landing). For data-driven people like myself, I think it will be very helpful. Other suggestions (that have worked for me) Try to focus more on your destination than the flight. Make sure you get to the airport early, and stay well hydrated. And again, avoid stimulants. You may find it helpful to avoid looking out the window, especially during takeoff and landing. For me personally, I make sure to do this when going through clouds, as those give you an indication of your speed (which can cause motion sickness, since you feel like you are barely moving). During takeoff, I close my eyes and listen to relaxing music of some sort. I don't open them until the plane has leveled off. Alcohol works for a lot of people. As I said above, I can't comment on this since you can't use alcohol with benzos. The more exposure you get to flying, the easier it will become. If you have a fear of flying, I understand that getting to that endpoint is tough. I'm still working on it myself. Final thoughts I'm hoping this will be a thread where others can share experiences and suggestions. What do you think are the main issues that cause your fear of flying? What has worked for you? What hasn't? actionjackson fucked around with this message at 18:32 on Apr 8, 2018 |
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Apr 8, 2018 18:29
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 18:10 |
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The fear of flying goes away for a lot of people when you sit in the front seat of an airplane and look out the front. Seems like it’s a control or fear of the unknown. For those who think this might help, do a 1 hour discovery flight at your local airport. Come check us out in the Ask/Tell thread if you want advice. Also, most pilots are afraid of heights. Good luck!
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Apr 9, 2018 01:32
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That's definitely an issue for me as well. Do commercial airlines do those? I've heard of those kind of flights, but nothing about being allowed in the cockpit (I would imagine that's a security violation).
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Apr 9, 2018 01:55
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Captain Apollo posted:The fear of flying goes away for a lot of people when you sit in the front seat of an airplane and look out the front. Seems like it’s a control or fear of the unknown. I took a buddy of mine who has a moderate fear of flying up for a quick flight in a 172, and although it didn't cure him as such, I was able to figure out what his problem was: he's absurdly sensitive to changes in pitch attitude. He still doesn't like flying, but having figured out what the main problem is, he's that much more able to handle it. I also told him there's possibly a physiological reason for that, and he should go to a doctor and ask about it, but he's not done that yet.
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Apr 9, 2018 01:56
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actionjackson posted:That's definitely an issue for me as well. Do commercial airlines do those? I've heard of those kind of flights, but nothing about being allowed in the cockpit (I would imagine that's a security violation). No, it's flight schools that do that, and you'll be in a small plane. You go up with an instructor and you'll actually get to take the controls for part of the flight. Those sorts of flights only go up in good weather and won't go through clouds, so that's one less thing for you to worry about.
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Apr 9, 2018 01:58
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I, also, am afraid of flying OP. I'm 31 and have never flown before. Going to soon though! My fiance and I get married in June, and our honeymoon is going to be Japan. Thanks for the info on the apps! I'll definitely try some.
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Apr 9, 2018 15:03
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What is it you feel you are most afraid of?
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Apr 9, 2018 19:48
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actionjackson posted:You may find it helpful to avoid looking out the window, especially during takeoff and landing. I have a friend who is a frequent traveller and also has a fear of flying, and he makes sure to always book himself a window seat. I think for him being able to see what's going on during takeoff and landing is something that reassures him a bit. so it really varies a lot by individual
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Apr 11, 2018 17:26
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When I was doing some aerobatic training, my instructor mentioned that some psychologists prescribe an aerobatic flight to get patients over their fears. I could see it working, but I really wouldn't want to be that flight instructor.
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Apr 11, 2018 18:48
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I am in Europe, first flight to Amsterdam went fine, second was bumpy (to Madrid), but I thought the SkyGuru app was pretty informative and helpful. For example it said the turbulence should range from X to Y and intensity and I should feel turbulence about 43% of the time. It even knew when various things would happen, like the plane making a big turn, starting descent, etc.
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Apr 12, 2018 17:24
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 18:10 |
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Captain Apollo posted:Also, most pilots are afraid of heights. I am a private pilot. I love to fly. I am terrified of going up on the roof of my house with a ladder. It's different somehow.
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Apr 12, 2018 17:32
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