arekathevampyre Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Hey all . As I am planning my trip , I realised that I really needed to address my fear of flying . I have been to a number of countries and been on flights many times , but I have a bad case of fear of flying and wonder if I can get any advice here . Especially during take off , I will panic internally and feel nauseous and dizzy . I will usually clutch on tightly to the handle of the seat and take deep breaths . On my previous trip , I played music on the entertainment device before the flight and it did help a little , but I am still very , very afraid . What should I do ? Link to post Share on other sites
RoseGoesToYale Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I've been flying since I was four, so for the most part it was always normal, but two scary incidents involving bad turbulence caused me to be afraid of flying for a while. During takeoff, I'd grip the seat and stare straight ahead and try to breathe. Then my dad sent me the story of the Gimli Glider (you can look it up, if you think you're up to it). It reminded me that flying is safe, for two big reasons: 1) it's not at all easy to knock a plane out of the sky, because air and physics work in the plane's favor, and 2) those pilots have years and years of experience, they know every possible situation and are trained for it. First step would be to ask yourself what about flying is scary. For some it might be turbulence or fear of falling, but others it might be being in a small space with a lot of people. At least once you have the root of the fear identified, you can face that head on. Link to post Share on other sites
Scott1989 Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Never had a fear of flying si take this with a pinch of salt... Go the Die Hard route and when you get to your destination, make fists with your feet. More seriously, if you have a middle or window seat, once the stewards do their final checks and are seated why not sneak your music on for take off. Think sucking on a glacier mint (or any hard candy) is suppose to help with take off issues. Finally remember, statistically, flying is the safest method of travelling, due to all the safeguards that gets put in place to mitagate it's dangers. Link to post Share on other sites
Lichley Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 As someone with over 100,000 flight miles and travel anxiety that causes severe sickness I think I can recommend a few things. For take off I recommend a gummy sweet, it's something to chew to get your mind off it, and helps depressurise the ears. Try to watch a show to get your mind off things. If your traveling with someone you can hold their hand during take off, otherwise playing music seems to help you, so why not find the most loud yet relaxing song you can to help drown it out? If you're feeling nauseous try eating ginger biscuits to help stop you from throwing up. For dizziness Inrwcpmmend a fizzy drink, especially Sprite, as the lemon flavour isn't too strong so it's easier to drink. The bubbles fizz in your mouth and nose, causing you to focus more. You can also try some of the mindfulness techniques for dealing with fear and phobias to help you address the fear itself. The BEST and most foolproof way to make it through a flight is to fall asleep before the flight starts, I recommend drugs (although some can leave you woozy afterwards). You sleep through the whole endeavour and wake up in a fun and exciting new place with no memory of the flight whatsoever. Link to post Share on other sites
StormySky Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Umm... Eat some candy, chew some gum, watch a movie to distract yourself from nausea I like flying and have a high dizzy tolerance so I'm not sure if this is helpful. Best of luck! Link to post Share on other sites
arekathevampyre Posted October 18, 2017 Author Share Posted October 18, 2017 49 minutes ago, RoseGoesToYale said: what about flying is scary the feeling of zero gravity Link to post Share on other sites
arekathevampyre Posted October 18, 2017 Author Share Posted October 18, 2017 Everyone , thanks for the good advice !! Link to post Share on other sites
Lichley Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 1 minute ago, arekathevampyre said: the feeling of zero gravity It's not zero gravity though. Gravity is still there, it's just that you are slightly higher up. Think of it like a rollercoaster, with the wind currents as the tracks. It may be high up, but it's still grounded and maintaining a preconsidered path. Link to post Share on other sites
arekathevampyre Posted October 18, 2017 Author Share Posted October 18, 2017 6 minutes ago, Lichley said: It's not zero gravity though. Gravity is still there, it's just that you are slightly higher up. Think of it like a rollercoaster, with the wind currents as the tracks. It may be high up, but it's still grounded and maintaining a preconsidered path. good point . Thanks for telling me . I panic and that is driving me crazy . I will try the tips given though . I think sipping on drinks/eating candy helps me Link to post Share on other sites
Ortac Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I have heard about some airports or airlines which offer special courses to people to enable them to overcome a fear of flying. It involves some classroom or lecture time before taking an actual flight. I don't know if such a thing exists where you live but it could be worth looking into. I think that you are fortunate in a way that you are at least able to get on a plane and take a flight, even if you feel very scared doing it. Many people who have the most extreme cases of fear of flying are so terrified that they can't even go near the airport. Link to post Share on other sites
NerotheReaper Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Can you get an anxiety toy to play with, see if you can get an aisle seat so you can get up if you need to this can help a lot. Having music or watching an in-flight movie to distract you. Having some breathing exercises is good for any situation you can apply this to any situation that may make you nervous or anxious. Link to post Share on other sites
Hazell Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 12 hours ago, arekathevampyre said: Hey all . As I am planning my trip , I realised that I really needed to address my fear of flying . I have been to a number of countries and been on flights many times , but I have a bad case of fear of flying and wonder if I can get any advice here . Especially during take off , I will panic internally and feel nauseous and dizzy . I will usually clutch on tightly to the handle of the seat and take deep breaths . On my previous trip , I played music on the entertainment device before the flight and it did help a little , but I am still very , very afraid . What should I do ? I can't help you so much because I hate airplanes too I know some people read or listen to music when they're on a plane to avoid thinking about flying on a plane Link to post Share on other sites
arekathevampyre Posted October 19, 2017 Author Share Posted October 19, 2017 thank you everyone !! Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Is it motion sickness? I'd take nausea medication prior to take off, to take away that uneasiness. Is it watching the aircraft distance itself from the ground, and having little control over it all? I'd close the blinds. Is it the sound? Invest in noise canceling headphones. They're a god send, for flying. Breathing exercises really do help. However, I'd focus in keeping your mind thinking of anything BUT what is currently happening around you. I.E Crosswords, or any brain teasers, or thing that forces you to concentrate on any given task. It could be as silly as counting backwards from 200 (but something you can fully commit your mind to). Once you get to a sense of routine over it all, controlling the little things that make you comfortable, you'll hopefully start to develop a sense of comfort from it all. I used to be uncomfortable during the landings. I didn't understand some of the sounds I was hearing, so they made me uneasy. I looked it all up, and realized it was just the reverse engines (necessary, to slow the aircraft rapidly, and safely). The vibrations, and noises were perfectly normal. I was fine, after giving myself back some control over the situation, feeling so helpless about it, initially. Knowing what to expect, gave me full control over the situation. Also, turbulence. Another popular one. I was also afraid of this. Understanding why it occurred, helped me immensely. Also seeing first thing, how absurdly strong plane wings were, understanding how the flex I was seeing was perfectly normal, eventually put me at ease. Aluminum is insanely flexible, and understanding to what degree, made me feel silly from having this fear, when I'd see the wings flex during heavy turbulence. However, as a veteran flyer, I to this day *still* hate flying in small propeller jets. They still make me uneasy. How the slightest gust of wind is felt, and just is too organic for me. I'm experienced enough to where it won't bother me enough to affect me in the course of a flight. I just don't like it. So even after all these flights, there are some things I'll never like. However, you want to take back the control the fear removed from you, by eliminating the fear. Propeller flights aren't scary to me, anymore. They just suck, haha. I prefer jumbo jets, which absorb movement way better, keeping the aircraft far more stable. I guess its the equivalent of being in a large vehicle with a more commanding view of the road. Link to post Share on other sites
coyote55 Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I've fought a fear of flying for decades, although mine mostly stems from the claustrophobia of being shut up in a tube, way too close to other people. Turbulence seems to make it far worse. It's no fun to be fighting off panic attacks for hours on end. I avoid flying as much as I can, but inevitably, something comes up every 2 years or so and I have to face it again. Oddly enough, I love airplanes... my body just can't stand flying. I've had partial success with wearing noise-cancelling headphones, as the noisy cabin environment is a factor. Prolonged deep breathing helps, and having someone to talk to helps ease the panic. Nothing works as well, though, as nuking myself with Lorazepam, a common anti-anxiety med. I got a prescription from my physician a couple of years ago specifically for this. One to two 1-mg tablets, depending on the anticipated difficulty and length of the flight, work really well. I've been so mellowed out I've fallen asleep, yet somehow have gotten through complex layovers and gate changes just fine. Bonus: I remember almost nothing about the flight afterward, which is fine by me. The effects last a long time, though, so I usually plan on spending 2-3 hours at the destination airport - or more! before attempting to drive. My next flight will require a different tack, though - I'll be joining friends on a trip to Hawaii next month, and part of my "job" will be entertaining their 2 year old son on the flights. So I'll have to be entirely alert and functional, while somehow killing off the panic tendencies. I'm experimenting with some CBD-rich edibles this week to see if they might do the trick. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Deus Ex Infinity Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I'm afrad of planes too :/ Might never get to my favourite destination without havinf someone by my side to hold my hand ... *sighs in deep frustration* Forever stuck at this shabby place here. Link to post Share on other sites
arekathevampyre Posted October 20, 2017 Author Share Posted October 20, 2017 @Deus Ex Infinity I hope someday you do go places . And yeah I tend to grab on to things when I panic . *cries* Link to post Share on other sites
Peachyy Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 Tbh you probably should be afraid. Airplanes are fucking terrifying. Almost all of the airplanes I've been on have needed "maintenance" before lifting off and I can't help but be like "lol so humans are stupid" and I prepare myself for a wing to fucking rip off because its fucking happened before and were so fucking over worked that there has to be at least one employee that accidently doesn't screw something on right. Like airplanes are dangerous and stupid. have you not seen Lost. Like we fucking know its dangerous. But they don't break that often. I think. you have equal chance of dying here on the ground so if its death you fear then you don't have much reason not to get on the plane and risk dying in the open ocean, eaten by passer-by sharks or another survivor if you make it to an island. Link to post Share on other sites
Piotrek Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 I've never travelled by plane so I have no idea whether I'd be scared or not. It doesn't seem scary to me, but I may change my opinion when I encounter my first turbulence. Link to post Share on other sites
Yatogami Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 Airplanes are safer than any other mode of transportation actually. Link to post Share on other sites
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