I'm afraid to fly..?

Question

...and I'm flying to mexico next month. i know there are therapies etc, but does anyone have any good tips for me? How can I fight this fear? Anyone else have the same problem?

Answer 1

The airlines do really good courses for people who are afraid of flying, I would recommend one of those.

If you want to try alternative therapies - Homeopathy is great - there are 4 remedies that are possible for fear of flying: Aconite, Arg-nit, Gelsemium and Arsenicum Alb - but you need to know how you feel about it.

Aconite is really good for fear if you're Terror stricken, frightened of dying. Restless. You would have some heart involvement - palpitations or pounding heart. Your palms would be hot.

Arg Nit - you would need this one if it is more the fact that you are not in control and 'trapped in' that bothers you. You would tremble more than Aconite. Physically you would also be more likely to have diarrhoea or a need to go to the loo a lot or burp.

Gelsemium (also good for fear of the dentist!) - Fear, but you'd want to be quiet or left alone. Shaking like in Arg Nit, but more likely to get a headache (band like type) than digestive upset. Try this one if you don't like going to the dentist either it will help both.

Arsenicum alb - similar to aconite but anxiety, with restlessness, weak and weary. The difference between the two is that this one you feel much weaker & being warm would make you feel more comfortable than Aconite.

Which ever you decide on you need a 30c potency and you would need to start taking it about 30 mins before you're likely to feel fearful, whether thats the night before or just after you've checked in. Take as needed - if it gets very severe you can take every 5 mins for a few doses then spread out as you get better or put a few pillules in a bottle of still mineral water and sip as needed. You can shake it in between sips to raise the strength slightly and dilute it a bit more once you've room in the bottle.

If you can't decide go and see a homeopath and get a professional prescription. You can find a register of good homeopaths online at www.homeopathy-soh.org.

The other therapy I would recommend is Hypnotherapy. You could even do both!

Good luck,

Answer 2

I did have this problem until I flew. Then I was not scared anymore because it's not at all scary. It's actually pretty cool looking out the window and seeing the world below you. But I do recommend dramamine or any other kind of motion sickness medication because I was so nauseous I thought I would barffff! I made sure to get some for the flight back home. One last thing is You may have a pain in your ears. I felt like my ears were going to explode. I could have sworn they were bleeding but they weren't. It's only at take off and landing though that it happened to me. It may not happen to you. My mom was with me and she said it didn't hurt her ears. She's been on planes a milloin times and never has any problems.
Hope I didn't scare you any more, just want you to be prepared.

Answer 3

Get an aisle seat if you are worried about crashing.Row32 is statistically safest (I think!) Avoid caffeine beer on long flights.Remember if a newspaper printed all the car accidents in a week in Britain it would be full with no rooms for any other news.
Try to get sleep but also remember quite a lot of people on planes feel like you and are afaid.I was! Actually according to a TV program inn Britain 70% of people survive air crashes. It is just the fatal ones that grab the headlines.

Answer 4

The only thing that helped me was actually getting on a plane and flying. I know it's hard but try not to think about it. Think about the number of flights undertaken each day and that every second thousands of planes are taking off and landing safely. A book that did help was 'Feel the fear and do it anyway'.Good luck.

Answer 5

I'm actually prescribed a low dosage of Diazipam for flying which works well for me but isn't suitable for everybody, best check with your GP if you're unsure.
Another remedy I was recently recommended by a friend is Bachs Rescue Remedy Spray which you can get in Boots and it's not very expensive. It contains flower extracts so is a good alternative to prescription drugs.
Hope this helps, happy holidays!

Answer 6

Sure. Make sure that you talk to the other passengers on the plane and the flight attent(s). Don't panic, there is nothing to worry about. All you have to do is a little trick called square breathing. This is a deep breath in hold to the count of ten and relax. Don't worry , think about the fun you will have in Mexico.

Answer 7

What you have is a panic disorder... Sometimes, when you have problems to face stress, this kind of disorders show up.

Seek the advice of a professional. A good psychologist will help you to overcome your fear, meanwhile, a doctor can help you with the right medication so you do not get an attack while flying

Answer 8

I have the same problem. Make sure you are sitting next to someone you know. Grab a pillow on the plane that you can squeeze if you get nervous. Take a natural relaxant like Melatonin. Bring an I-pod or other music listening device and put your favorite tunes on it.

Answer 9

Try Rescue Remedy (Bach Flower Remedies). It can be found in most health food stores. It is not harmful, you cannot take too much and it relieves panic and anxiety in most people. Getting the proper counseling is required too, but it is not a quick fix and may take some time. The flower remedies are really remarkable. Holistic yes, but keep an open mind and you will be amazed.

Answer 10

I went to a hypnotherapist - and was able to stroll on a flight to New Zealand!! High Recommend it! My friends couldn't believe the change in me, from gibbering wreck to seasoned flier!!

Before that, I got some tablets from the GP which kept me a bit calmer.

Also when you are calm, you realise how nervous everyone else is around you. Look at how everyone is sitting there fidgeting, biting their nails etc. Its not just you. Imagine you are sitting next to a little kid who is excited about flying, and you don't want to pass your phobia on to her. Picture yourself sitting there calmly, and enjoying the flight!!