Panic attacks on take off and landing?

Question

I've flown just about ok for the last ten years, then had a huge pannic attack on my last flight. What are the chances of it happening again?

Answer 1

That happened to me once a few months after i was on a flight that had very bad turbulence. I have been flying all my life but suddenly on one trip I had a panic attack after a bad landing and then got more and more worried about flying.

Good news I am fine now and flying does not bother me. I would recommend going to your local bookstore. They have books on fear of flying (if you don't want to buy just have a flip through read a bit of what it is saying). They will explain what usually causes the fear and reassure you. When you are taking off and landing try to relax your self, i know easier said than done. Try getting in to a really comfortable position in your chair, like you are about to fall asleep, in such a relax position your body finds it hard to start to panic.

Don't drink before a flight, only make you feel worse and some people recommend not eating sugary foods

Answer 2

Nobody has answered the question so far, so here goes.

The chances of it happening again very much depend upon yourself. Try this little experiment, sit in a quiet room with somebody else present. Get them to watch you and remain silent throughout, whilst they watch you go backwards in your mind and remember yourself boarding the plane, feel as though you are there see the scenes as from your own eyes at the time. Make sure you start well before the panic set in, then once you are in the scene advance it onwards to the moments just before the attack and relive the experience. Notice how it feels, do you get all the panic back, or is there part of you that feels the panic for what it is i.e an uncontrolled response. If going back through the experience causes you any difficulty then I would be cautious about flying again. If not then it would seems the panic is not something that bothers you now and was an anomaly.

The person with you through this is to watch for signs of panic and break your thought train if you seem in distress. If you feel after this that you may have problems in the future and wish to do something about it, I would check out NLP and find yourself an NLP practitioner. NLP sounds too good to be true but it is true none-the-less, an NLP practitioner will fix the problem in minutes where a psychologist could spend years and never achieve this.

Answer 3

You need to practice deep breathing and if possible either take a sleeping tablet or perhaps a weak dose of valium to help you control the panic attacks.
You should also warn the stewardesses before take off so they can keep checking you are ok and answer any fears you may have. They will not mind they would much rather try to help you to stay calm & relaxed than have a passenger obviously upset & agitated upsetting the other passengers.

Answer 4

Good I think. The next time you fly you'll probably be so occupied with not trying to have a panic attack that you'll give your self one.
It come down to what you think you feel, Definition=Reaction, I think Milton Erikson called it. Like when you hear a sad song, you get sad. It works with a lot of things.
Try researching anchors(NLP), install a few positive ones and fire them off at take off. they work, I use them for every thing from talking in groups to self motivation and memory.
The best thing is though you can actually install them in other people unawares. Si

Answer 5

I would say have a few pints at the airport, but i think resaerch shows that alcohol can induce such attacks. Not sure on this one, i recommmed you research the area before flying again.

Answer 6

Stop by the airport bar and have 3 shots of Cuervo. You'll be ready to fly the plane yourself, or you'll pass out before they can make the safety announcements.

Answer 7

Ask your Dr. for a tranquilizer the next time you travel. Even if you don't have to take it, you will feel better knowing you have it just in case.

Answer 8

Maybe if you tried a small dose of Zanax or some other tranquilizer? Speak with your Dr. and ask?.....