Fear OF Roller Coaster!! How To Get Over It???

Question

my friend has a fear of going on roller coaster and were suppose to go on our end of the year trip soon...and were going to a park with a bunch of HUGE ones how can she get over this!! i tell her just to do it and don't hesitae b/c she will be even more scared!!! WHAT DO U THINK ?IF U HAVE TIPS/PERONAL EXPERINCES PLZZ HELP!!! NO NEGAVTIVE THOUGHTS PLZZ SHE IS TRYING TO GET OVA THE FEAR

Answer 1

Why does she have to get over her fear of roller coaster. Let her go on the other rides but please please don't try to make her go on the roller coasters.

Answer 2

Maybe you should try having her go on a virtual roller coaster. This is actually a machine which yoiu enter and sit like a roller coaster and there is a big screen which shows a view as if you are in a real roller coaster. (actually it is the scenery shot from a real R.C) The program causes the machine to rock up and down as the screen pictures move along giving the feel of a roller coaster only thing you can always remember and console yourself that you are just in a machine sitting on the ground. Maybe after this ur friend will get over the fear. Failing that justr stay away from them,.

Answer 3

I thought I saw this exact question earlier in the day...

Anyway...

Consider the fear. Is it a fear of being hurt/killed? A fear of having a bad experience (e.g., that flying stomach feeling)?

Overcoming the first one requires you to appreciate that relatively few people are killed on roller coasters. Pick a specific coaster and (assuming it's NOT a death trap) chances are that there was never a death on it. Ditto for seriously hurt.

OK, but it's not easy to get over the fear, even if you know the facts. But reminding yourself that it's safe can help.

If the fear is of having a bad time, there is little that can be done because the fear may be warranted. I feel "fear" when I go on certain rides because I'm nervous about the part where my stomach flies. But I don't fear that I'll die or be hurt.

However, part of overcoming this is to feel like, maybe, you will have a good time.

Answer 4

When I was in the 5th grade, we went to a theme park for a field trip and saw a roller coaster that went upside for the first time. I didnt go on it, I thought it looked so scary. The next year, I sucked it up and went on it. If she's afraid of going upside down, tell her its so fast she wont even realize it. If its heights well, that may take time. Ive been on the 90ft Superman coaster at Six Flags NE and its pretty high but fear is part of the thrill. I still close my eyes when I'm up there but I dont tell anyone! Just let her know everyone is a little scared, some moreso than others, but thats part of it. Heck, if she screams, she just joined the club because if she hasnt noticed, most people are screaming! There's a reason they are screaming. ;-)

Answer 5

The fear of roller coasters is not as irrational as it sounds to some of us. It's not fear of roller coasters initially, she has a fear of putting her life in jeopardy, or danger. If we didn't have that sense, we would all be dead.

Before she will get over anything, she has to want to. When she wants to, she needs to understand that the roller coaster is safe - that she won't be hurt. Desensitization is the therapy for overcoming some phobias.

When we are children, we have many fears, but we get over these as we become more aware of them, talk about them, and learn exactly what the root of the fear is. With your friend, see if she can talk about it, explore openly her fears, and discover for herself what exactly she fears that is irrational. She can approach the fear, reminding herself that it is irrational (not real), and stay comfortably safe from her fear.

She'll have a safety belt, and she can try relaxation exercises in uncomfortable situations. She can learn to breathe and control her thoughts to avoid panic, and maybe watch a video of roller coasters (Don't know where you can find one - but I'm sure there is one somewhere) and practice breathing and controlling the panicky feelings.

If her will to go on the roller coaster and enjoy it becomes stronger than her fear, she'll learn to enjoy the coaster. If not, there are worse things than a fear of roller coasters.

Answer 6

Many people have fears of roller coasters, and of certain other rides. You should not try to force your friend to ride the roller coasters--there are so many other rides that she can enjoy.

I loved the coasters as a child, but fear them as an adult. One of my children has never liked them (but the rest do). We all enjoy bumper cars, and all but one of us enjoys ferris wheels. You're probably going to find out that most people don't like at least one type of ride. Your friend can have a good time on various rides that don't include the coasters.

Answer 7

You just have to do it. Start with a small one that has a short line, so she doesn't get even more anxious when waiting. And a little fear and anticipation add to the "buzz" you get after you get off the ride. I wouldn't push her though, if she really doesn't want to go then there really isn't any way to force her, but she'll be missing out. Hope she can get over the fear!

Answer 8

You can't get over it. I loathe roller coasters and cannot do somersaults or even stand on my head - it makes me feel like my spirit is going out of my body and hence I will die soon. Don't push your friend too hard - they may go crazy on you.

Answer 9

.. Well you can't really force her to. I hate roller coasters too, and if one of my friends made me go on one and I started to feel nauseated, I think I know who I'd end up getting sick on, haha. I guess that makes me a bad friend, but whatever. :]

Answer 10

I just force myself to close my eyes and scream all the way through it. I went to Six Flags, and at first, I was terrified of them. Finally, towards the end of the day, I started liking them. I just had to get used to them. And people say that closing your eyes makes it worse, but I found that when I opened my eyes it was worse. Just scream all the way through it.