So about 5 years ago I was all set to fly back from home from CA to VA. That nite in my hotel I woke around 1:30am in what (I later found out) was an intense panic attack! I had no idea what caused it or why it happend after I feel asleep, all I knew was that i was sure my plane was going down and I was dead, my heart was pounding, I was sweating, the whole nine yards. I think maybe I slept all of 5mins more that nite!!
Obviously my plane did not go down, but since that time I have not been able to book a flight or even plan a trip that includes flying without a panic attack. I have been able to fly thanks to the help of my friends (re: drugs) but it is not something I enjoy doing (the drugs part) and would love very much to fly without them, but the idea of doing so is just to much!
I was wondering if anyone here has had the same problem and was able to overcome it, and how they did it. Any ideas would be welcome! btw…if your only comment is ‘be a man and get over it’ spare me. If you have ever had panic attacks you would know how stupid that is.
I’ve never quite had a panic attack, but I knew going in that I was afraid of flying, and worked on the problem with self-hypnosis. I wouldn’t say I’ve overcome it, since it still scares me, but I can retreat into a little cocoon of numbness until the flight is over. At least it keeps me from clawing holes in the seat. I mostly concentrate on sitting very still and controlling my breathing.
Would it help to remind you how safe flying is compared to tons of things you do daily? Driving, for instance? Getting out of bed? Plane crashes make the news because they happen rarely. You’re much more likely to die from eating those burgers and fries than from a plane crash.
It must be tough, but considering you’re a Doper, I assume you’re logical minded. Can you logic yourself out of it?
Worry about your luggage instead of your life–it’s more practical!
I have tried logic, belive me I have tried. I have checked and re-checked stats until I saw them in my sleep!! I KNOW it is safer to fly then than driving, hell, you are more likely to be killed on your way TO the airport, then flying!
Logic? That’s the last thing you need! Well, maybe 2nd-to-last, with “a proper sense of perspective” being the absolute last thing you need …
Denial works for me. Don’t think about it; find anything–everything–else to think about. Get wrapped up in the mundane tasks leading up to the actual flight: Packing, driving, parking, going through security, passing time at the airport bar … don’t let yourself start thinking about it at all …
I have the same problem, although I usually have my attacks ON the plane. The last one was to London, about halfway through the flight. I almost passed out. I did spend 30 minutes in the bathroom trying to get myself calmed down, using a lot of cold water and some (hopefully unheard) relatively quiet screaming.
Unfortunately, drugs ARE the only things that work for me. A couple of things that help stave it off are drinking a lot of water to keep dehydration at bay, and making sure that the fresh air nozzle is aimed & on high. Perhaps also a sugar momma who could get me a seat in first class would do the trick, but the aforementioned tricks are a bit easier to procure.
I’ve heard good things about meditation and biofeedback helping control panic attacks, but to master those you’ll need to spend a lot of time practicing. Maybe those flying lessons would help, too.
You know oddly enough I had thought about that. My thinking is that my fear is from lack of control and maybe if I knew more it would help. Appreciate the feedback!
I hate flying. When I was a kid I used to love it but in recent years, I developed a fear of it. In recent years I’ve also had to fly more than I used to, which increases my fear.
Usually on shorter flights, I try to sleep through it. This is much easier said than done, as I am usually too nervous to sleep. So I usually tru and distance myself if I can from my actual situation, for instance “forget” that I am in a plane and try and pretend that I am in an office, on a bus, or something like that.
Last year I had to fly 3 times in 3 weeks, and each flight was 14 hours long. It’s a bit harder to forget that you’re on a plane, or sleep the entire time, when you’re flying that long, so I was pretty scared. I always feel like I’m going to puke from fear when my plane takes off. One of my long flights was spent with a pair of screaming toddlers to feed, change, and care for, so I didnt have as much of a chance to be scared. However one can’t always fly with kids, or with anyone, for that matter (flying alone scares me more than when I have friends or family to talk to).
So I’d say try and sleep if you can on the shorter flights, and if you have to fly anywhere for more than 5 hours, bring alone many books, cds, work, anything you can imagine to occupy your mind with. Good luck!
Logic has nothing to do with it. I actually think I’d be more comfortable all the way up in orbit than I am at 30,000 feet in a plane. I used to be much more scared, thanks to a really bad flight when I was twelve, though now I only get that scared if I’m on a plane that hits turbulence or something. Dramamine puts me to sleep and keeps me from feeling like I want to hurl.
I prefer flying alone, actually, so that I can just bury my head in a book or go to sleep or whatever and not have to talk to anybody.
I’m getting on a plane in a couple of weeks and am NOT looking forward to it. sigh Statistics be damned, there’s a part of my brain that says humans just do NOT belong that high in the air, especially in a metal object!
