been on an airplane. Now that I have a grandchild, my son and daughter-in-law want me to go to Disney World with them. I do not want to take the train or drive.
I'm claustraphobic and have anxiety. I'm not afraid of dying so that isn't the issue.
2007-10-28 04:45:37 · 6 answers · asked by vtt7 1 in Health ➔ Mental Health
hey.. that sucks. I guess that I would just remember the basis. Look how many planes fly a day. All over the country. You have a better shot of getting into a car accident, even struck by lightening then you have crashing in a plane. It will be all right. It is a great exposure. Nobody really loves flying now with 9.11.01. but nothing major like that has happened. All airports have, and have to have strict security. YOU WILL be OK. I know you will. :) You should also check out this website...http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21493594/wid/11915773?GT1=10514 it is a good article about anxiety.
2007-10-28 04:50:37 · answer #1 · answered by 777 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have horrible anxiety and am claustrophobic also...oh and afraid of heights too! i am going on a plane in february finally after my friends threatened to plan this awesome trip to miami and go without me-(that's their way of getting me to fly i guess!) i find that even just going to the airport and walking around helps me get more comfortable with the idea. my friend is going to go with me a few times before then so i can get used to the idea. it also helps my anxiety to read about it. i bought this online book called panicaway by joe barry-you can google it. it's helped me a lot in my day to day when i couldn't even get out of bed sometimes, let alone drive anywhere. there is a whole section on flying which was pretty interesting.
other than that you can always try medicine which i'm not usually for, but if it's just for a little while i guess it couldn't be too bad. although many of the drugs they prescribe need to be taken for a few weeks consistently before they begin to affect your anxiety.
the method that is most effective for me is to get mad. you have to train yourself to NOT react to the feelings your mind is tricking you into feeling (ie choking, dying) NO matter WHAT!! because if you do, that's where the panic comes in. instead i start thinking, ok, go ahead bring it on! and basically lose all fear, which is the energy source of the panic, and a lot of times it just goes away.
good luck on the plane, i can try and email you that book if you want so you don't have to buy it, let me know!
2007-10-28 12:09:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I also have had fears. I look around at the other people on the plane and notice that they are doing fine so that helps me to calm down. I also feel it is incredibly crowded on the plane and get that sense of anxiety. How I deal with it is to imagine there is a cacoon around me (even if it is very close) as a barrier between me and everyone else. I have something to read and if I can fall asleep (which isn't very often), that helps me.
2007-10-28 12:41:50 · answer #3 · answered by Simmi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Phobias are about fear of letting go and allowing your environment to control you. You are probably claustrophobic and afraid to fly because you don't like the feeling of being stuck into a narrow fiberglass tube shooting through the sky at 600 mph. You're not being illogical! But if you choose to let go of control, and trust the pilot, and trust the mechanics, and allow them to take charge over your body, you will feel relieved, because you won't have to be in control anymore. You don't need drugs and you don't need to delude yourself. Of course a plane could crash.... unlikely, of course, but you know that anything is possible. The trick is to accept that things are going to happen in the world while you let go of your desire to control them and sit back and watch as events develop. You might even find it exhilarating to feel the plane take off, and look outside and watch the ground seemingly fall away! Imagine the engineers of yesterday who told people they wanted to invent a flying machine - most people thought they were crazy. Thanks to ingenuity and the human spirit, this engineering feat is a now a reality, and you can experience it! I believe that sometimes we need to step back from our mundane lives to appreciate the accomplishments of our fellow human beings. Riding on a plane is one way to do it!
2007-10-28 11:59:54 · answer #4 · answered by Laeticia 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
See your doctor for an anti anxiety prescription before you go on the trip. They can be prescribed on an 'as needed' basis. Ativan is one I've used in the past and works well in calming one's anxiety.
2007-10-28 11:52:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Talk to your doc, valium or xanex = good to go.
2007-10-28 11:54:11 · answer #6 · answered by wes_tara 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋