View Full Version : Fear of Flying
Please help me. I know it's stupid. I know it's irrational. I understand the basics of how a plane stays up in the air. I know the statistics. I even did a parachute jump once (scary) and have flown gliders (OK), albeit a million years ago. Tiny planes don't seem so bad at all though I couldn't do it now.
I'm simply getting worse and worse. Oh - I'm all big and bad about booking a holiday on-line. Then about a week before that the panic starts, culminating in terror as I sit in the departure lounge and ending only when the wheels come back down on the tarmac. Then you have the flight home hanging over you the whole time you're on your hols. Actually, I really don't mind the landing as I know I'll be back on the ground in a few minutes. It's all the hours in the air.
I think it's the claustrophobia/lack of control thing with me. You simply can't get off the damn plane for 8 or 10 hours.
Anybody else out there with this misery? (You guessed it - I've got a trip coming up.) How do you manage? And there's so much of the world to see, I don't want to be like this.
well i cant help...lol..you wont get me on a plane ...on a boat...i dont drive!!! i always see the worst in things i cant control . will stick to my 2 feet ... and caithness:lol:
i always see the worst in things i cant control
You don't drive because you think you're not in control? You are always in control unless you decide otherwise.
A vehicle only does what you tell it to.
yeh i see where your coming from but i cannot control other idiotic drivers!!!!!! i would be like driving miss daisy..lol
.....i always see the worst in things i cant control.....
at'l be how yer so sweet on yer OH then.......:Razz[lol]
Whitewater
12-Feb-08, 22:50
A vehicle only does what you tell it to.
Yes but unfortunately you can't tell the other vehicles what to do so therefore you are not in control of the situation. You just have to be lucky and hope that no drunken irresponsible idiot runs into you.
You don't drive because you think you're not in control? You are always in control unless you decide otherwise.
A vehicle only does what you tell it to.
but what if ye get intil a bit o' a ravel an get a bity mixed up aboot what ye are supposed til be doin? :eek:
am learnin til drive ifanow an get a bit nervous when on 'e rod....
Come to my phobia workshop, and we will get it resolved.
Ill post a date and ill teach for free techniques used in hypnosis, clinical psychology and more.
Andrew
Partner
Dunbeath Medical Surgery.
i dont know about getting anything resolved .. i just ..have this thing that if i go on a plane it will crash..a boat..it will sink.. drive..someone will smash into me... going over a bridge..it could fall ..lots of stupid things... lol i am a case i know :lol:
but what if ye get intil a bit o' a ravel an get a bity mixed up aboot what ye are supposed til be doin? :eek:
am learnin til drive ifanow an get a bit nervous when on 'e rod....
trix dont give up... i need a lift to work..:lol:
i done my lessons 16yrs ago but cancelled my test 3 times through nerves/lack of confidence...something i do regret!!!!
i dont know about getting anything resolved .. i just ..have this thing that if i go on a plane it will crash..a boat..it will sink.. drive..someone will smash into me... going over a bridge..it could fall ..lots of stupid things... lol i am a case i know :lol:
What's that hovering above your house Miranda?:eek: (hovering, not hoovering and certainly not ironing')
Seriously, do any of the above impact on how you undertake your daily life?
Avoiding bridges..not getting on planes or boats..not driving? Do you seriously curtail your families activities because of these things because of a real sense or dread and terror ( a phobia) or simply not like doing them?
Phobias are an irrational assault on ones Psyche that triggers real terror, hyperventilation, and in some cases loss of conciousness and a catatonic state.
What you describe is more a sense of pessimism...which can be easily overcome with help.
Kxx
Tilter,
I am exactly the same as you, I am now unable to get on a plane due to the fear of becoming claustrophobic (and making a total prat of myself) and because I feel I can not infuence any control over events while I am in the plane.
I have flown for the greater part of my working life and have experienced extreme weather conditions (plane hit by ball lightening, wind shear etc.) and some dubious take offs and landings (Kai Tak in Hong Kong, San Diego). I have flown in large jets, turboprops and small prop. driven aircraft as well as helicopters from Bell 212s to Boeing Vertol Chinooks and for a long time it was a great adventure.
On my way home from a trip offshore, I decided that I was finished with flying when we landed at Sumburgh Airport and I came home via the Ferry to Aberdeen. I haven't flown since, nor can I convince myself despite knowing the reasons flying works that I could use an aeroplane again.
I now also experience an irrational fear when I think my retreat path has been compromised. the latest example of this was in September last year at St Paul's Cathedral in London as I was climbing to the Whispering Gallery. I was OK as long as I was the last in the line, but when I heard a crowd of people on the narrow stair behind me, I felt the panic starting to rise and I only managed to control it with difficulty. The Gondola at Aonach More was another example, when the door closed I was up and trying to open it. However, when we got outside the building, I was OK. Again, during my working life, I have worked in confined and extremely restricted spaces often without any problem.
I can't understand what the trigger for this phobia was but it is really annoying, plus it is doing my macho man image no end of harm [lol]. It has been suggested that because I now experience breathing difficulties due to having been a heavy smoker in the past that that is what is subconsciously bothering me i.e.the fact that I might not be able to breathe properly if I am hemmed in, but I don't know.
Like yourself, I would love to be able to fly worry free but so far I can't.
I can't offer you any possible solutions either other than see if your GP could maybe prescribe something to make you oblivious for the duration.
Just wanted to let you know you are not alone. Good luck, I hope that you prevail and start enjoying your flights again.
Whitewater
12-Feb-08, 23:58
My mother in law had a great fear of flying, about an hour before take-off she took a sleeping pill. Worked wonders for her. Me? I just took a couple of large whiskies and that put me to sleep.
George Brims
13-Feb-08, 01:12
You are always in control unless you decide otherwise.
A vehicle only does what you tell it to.
Driven in the frost lately?
I have flown many times, even the 12 hours to Singapore on several times, then 9 years ago I developed a fear of flying for unknown reason. My mother and I took the plane from aberdeen to Gatwick and I felt panicky seeing all the people coming on the plane that I wanted to get off and go by train but my mother wouldnt allow it!!! Then we were going to spain and I was terrified but determined to go. I then had councelling and this seemed to help and I was calmer but still frightened of going up and especially coming down. i think I panic as I am frightened I will have a heart attack and Im too far from a hospital!!! silly but I try to relax and think of other things and that seems to help. Also wear ear plugs. Havent flown since but would like to, so much easier to fly to Aberdeen than get trains and buses etc when I visit my mother. I travel for 8 hours yet if i flew it would only be one hour. I drive all over the place everyday and know this is more dangerous than flying!!
Phobias and Fear, and you need to distinguish between the both as they are very different can be treated with a variety of techniques,
We have treated people with all sorts of phobias, fear of flying, driving, needles, colours, food etc.
You CAN overcome your problems.
What you have to remember is that the language of others and yourself has an impact on you, it causes you to referentially refer back to experiences of learned behaviour or an interpretation of what you think your behaviour would be.
As individuals we have a huge capacity to change.
At the medical surgery we provide Neurofeedback, which is when we attach a couple of sensors on you and let YOU see your brainwave activity, which shows how your brain reacts to anxiety, etc. We can then utilise neurofeedback to train your brain lower these levels.
When you experience negative situations, your brain waves, skin temperature, ECG, heart rate variability, breaths per minute and more change, and CAN be shown using clinical equipment, which then can allow clinicians to create programs to allow you to change how your brain reacts to them, hence alleviating situations.
At Dunbeath Surgery we pride ourselves in being very cutting edge, and very up to date with developments in psychology and medicine, and as far as I am aware we are the only surgery that provided clinical Hypnosis, Stress Management and Neurofeedback and more. We offer this as we have seen the benefits and have studied clinical data as to its success in practice. We really want to offer this and other non invasive methods for those suffering, as you DON’T have to.
Our workshops are provided FREE so we can pass on skills known to work so other can use them on themselves to have desired outcomes. However if people don’t attend they DO miss out on an opportunity to learn, discuss in a very open way all matter of conditions and treatment.
We are a very open surgery and love nothing better than sharing, so if you want to learn how to change your brain, come on down to one of our workshops or email us.
Andrew.
What's that hovering above your house Miranda?:eek: (hovering, not hoovering and certainly not ironing')
Seriously, do any of the above impact on how you undertake your daily life?
Avoiding bridges..not getting on planes or boats..not driving? Do you seriously curtail your families activities because of these things because of a real sense or dread and terror ( a phobia) or simply not like doing them?
Phobias are an irrational assault on ones Psyche that triggers real terror, hyperventilation, and in some cases loss of conciousness and a catatonic state.
What you describe is more a sense of pessimism...which can be easily overcome with help.
Kxx
i would say the driving,boats are just silly fears and i just need a kick up the backside.
the flying .. yup the idea of going on a plane def makes me feel sick ,heart race ,sweaty palms etc so a phobia.
not doing any of the above does not curtail my daily life but by being able to do them would bring a lot more pleasure to my family ..they are desperate to go abroad on holiday but wont go with out thier "mam"
i do hope to overcome this as yes i would love to se more of the world than Scotland ,but ..no even sitting here imagining being on a plane makes me shake..brrrrrrrr
Driven in the frost lately?
I am aware of this. I was just speaking theoretically, without taking any other factors into account.
Tilter, I am exactly the same as you, I am now unable to get on a plane due to the fear of becoming claustrophobic (and making a total prat of myself) and because I feel I can not infuence any control over events while I am in the plane.
I don't really like flying either but it's nothing to do with claustrophobia. It's that there is no where on Earth that I want to go to so badly that I'm willing to be blasted there at 700mph in the remains of a aerodynamic tin can after somebody with a large backpack has blown it up.
If something goes wrong with the plane whilst you're on it and it ends up plumeting to the ground, you're wasting your time worrying about it. Chances are: you are dead and you won't feel a thing.
My thoughts in such a situtation would be at least I'm not dying on my bed, I'm taking 300 other people with me.:lol:
I am so scared of flying. I mark my fear a 9 out of 10 because I can get myself on the plane. Over the years I've been to the USA a few times, the longest flight was from Dublin to LA, which was a 12 hour flight. I bought a book, Allan Carr's Fear of Flying. This book is great. It didn't cure me by any manner of means, but it certainly helped. I read it every time before I fly. It weird, but the book just makes sense!!!! Definitely worth a buy!!!!
I'd go for the hypnosis A Usher is offering, I did the Wick-Aberdeen-Heathrow run a couple of weeks ago, on the way there the Wick flight was fine but we sat on the Aberdeen plane for nearly an hour whilst they fixed the engine, same on way back from London, every time they reversed out to get going onto the runway the engine cut out and lights went off, the waiting was nerve wracking. Worse still on way back to Wick, it was snowing and really windy and plane was like a paper bag in the wind, two young lads behind me were nearly in tears, made me laugh though. I prefer big planes to little ones. Must admit I get strapped in and don't talk, eat, look out the window or read, just sit there in a trance.
Alice in Blunderland
13-Feb-08, 20:40
I would agree with the hypnosis as I had it for labour with one of my children and found it sooooo helped me to relax .The pain was still there but I coped much better with it. :D
With that in mind I think I need to go to these classes for my fear of flying my theory is,
I will go by car as if it breaks down I can walk.
I will go by boat as if it sinks I can swim.
However if Im in the plane and it goes down I sure cant fly...... stupid I know but thats my thought process. :lol:
I do have diazepam on hand which I have found takes the edge of my fear.
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