scared of flying - please help?

Question

im flying tomorrow and im freaking out. its actually two flights, which is worse! what can i do? plz help

i cant drink, coz im underage and xanax is not an option

i do have some calming pills...

weirdly, i would feel safer in the pilot's cabin - i dunno why

flying with Lufthansa

i even bought one of those guardian angel figurines on saturday

Answer 1

so am i

Answer 2

Look at it from a different point of view:

If anything was likely to happen 1: would the pilot get on 2: would the co-pilot get on 3: would the cabin crew get on 4: would they let it take off

Statistically, it is still the safest form of transport and you are having a hissy fit for no reason.

Trust me...I used to feel the same about flying...so much so that I had to go to a doctor and be prescribed with medication!

Last year faced a nine hour flight to Florida and was lucky enough to be able to speak to a pilot before boarding...1 to 4 above is what he told me.......never needed a tablet again!

Answer 3

No one will ever be as scared of flying as i was. Believe me. I plucked up the courage because i wanted somewhere special to go with my hubby for our 25th wedding anniversary. I knew that if i didn't brave it out for my anniversary, then i never would. So we went on a 'test run' to spain to check how i acted. I hated every minute of my 1st 2 hour flight. I jumped at every slight bump or movement, i felt as if i was going to be sick all the time, it felt claustophibic too. I clung on to my hubby for grim death. I had the same thoughts, about crashing etc. We eventually landed and i could hardly walk. We arrived at our hotel and i had a quick nap and then woke up all refreshed and didn't feel ill anymore. We talked about the flight through our 'test run' holiday, and i actually found that i was looking forward to the return flight. Don't ask me how or why, maybe its the thought of the world being my oyster for travel now? who knows, because i don't know how i managed it. The flight back was completely different as i knew what to expect. I felt a little sick, but i've overcome the travel sickness now by taking 2 travel sick pills 3 hours before we fly. We went to Gran Canaria for our 25th anniversary. We also now go on 4 foreign holidays per year, my husband cannot believe how i have changed my mind about flying, when i was so adamant that i would never do it. We have just come back from Majorca and in March we're off to Torremolinos in Costa del Sol. Please please don't worry. Yes, you'll probably HATE the 1st flight, but believe me, once you see the beautiful countries you can visit, the flying process gets better. Have a good Holiday.

Answer 4

Unless you're flying a really small airplane the odds of a crash are so tiny that you really shouldn't worry, it's almost idiotic to think about it.

Do you worry about crashing the car each time you drive? Of course not, you have established trust in yourself and your driving skills.

Do you know the effort and time it takes to become a pilot? Are you telling me that you have more comfort in your safety driving with an amatur than flying with a professional? Make that a staff of professionals that are trained for all situations that may arise.

Not so deep inside you know that you will not crash, try to find anyone that stupid to actually take that bet. I guarantee that you won't, and you will be safe and smiling when you arrive at your destination.

Have a good trip, think positive and keep yourself occupied on the plane.... perhaps with a portable dvd player? :)

Something I found about turbulance:

Turbulence terror

I'm OK about take-off and landing but turbulence terrifies me. Help!!

Captain Tom's reply:

First you need to know that turbulence is a problem for people only because people think turbulence is a problem for the airplane. Actually the airplane couldn't be happier than when in turbulence. It just doesn't bother airplanes, only us who think it bothers airplanes. Second, it can help to understand that turbulence is natural. The jet stream is caused by earth rotation, and zips across the U.S. up at 30,000 to 40,000 feet. If you fly in it, it is smooth. Also, if you are some distance horizontally or vertically from it, it is smooth. But when its vicinity, friction between fast-moving jet stream sort of makes the nearby slow-moving air into ball bearings to roll across the sky on. Then, when you are flying in those rolling ball bearings of air, you get turbulence. When you go into one rolling up, the airplane goes up; then you come out the back side which is rolling down, and the plane goes down. Try this: practice matching every down with an up. It is easy to not notice the "ups" because most of our childhood fears are about downward motion (falling) not upward motion.

Answer 5

At this late date, Xanax. If you can't do that , use your IPOD, .load it with your fave music, and sleep as much as possible on the plane. The IPOD helps you shut everything else out and you just close your eyes and pretend you are somewhere else. It also helps shut out the sounds of the plane which can be unsettling if you are not used to them. Good Luck!

Answer 6

Please relax. Air travel is extremely safe. The larger the aircraft you fly on the more it is like travelling on a train or bus. I recently flew on an 8 seater - was very nervous as had previous bad experiences. But survived !! You will wonder afterwards what the phobia was about. All the best.

Answer 7

First, keep reminding yourself that it's statistically true that flying is safer than driving. That always helps me. Once you're buckled into your seat, concentrate on breathing -- deep regular breaths, eyes closed an visualizing someplace calm and safe. Avoid caffeine because it might make you more tense. Good luck to you!

Answer 8

You have nothing to worry about,
this time of year you are far safer traveling above the nations highways then on them

Answer 9

O.K first calm down It ain't that bad just take deep breaths.
my advice is take a Walkman to listen to and just close you eyes and just imagine that you are in you living room siting in you arm chair listening to the stereo.
Something else to consider it is the safest form of transport!.
You'll be O.K. I Know It!.

Gilly.

Answer 10

I used to be afraid as well. Try staying up the whole night before your flight. By the time you get on the plane, you will be too sleepy to be scared & would just sleep through the whole flight.

Answer 11

Bear in mind that statistically, it's FAR more probable to be killed in a car crash....planes have a great record compared to that of incidents in cars.