Fear of flying

[Heavingonajetplane]

I have a fear of flying..but this year I am determined to fly!

If you had a fear of flying how did you over it?

Thanks

Sitting in the cockpit on a flight to New York (in 2000), a few short haul trips and a couple of glasses of Jack Daniels & Coke. The last flight I took was to Finland (a few years ago now) but I finally felt relaxed on landing and knew I’d overcome it. Also, ask for an aisle seat over the wing.

It was a phase, I used to find air travel so exciting when I was was young, It was as a particular flight that started it, nothing unusual happened but I felt very claustrophobic on that flight and was very nervous for years afterwards but never allowed it to stop me flying as I so wanted those adventures.

Billy Connolly used to say he wasn’t afraid of flying… it was going into the ground like a dart that worried him! Good on ya for seeking to conquer your fear OP. For me I used to think 🤔 f worst did happen at least it be quick. Seize the day and mind comparatively flying still one of the safest ways to travel. Just hope you are off somewhere nice.

Also, understanding what all the different noises are helped me.

This worked for me too.

Seeing all those planes in the air at one time and knowing that they all got to their destination safely.

I used to be terrified of flying. I'm not great now but I can do it, 2 glasses of wine settles my nerves. It's going to sound weird but what helped me is watching bad turbulence videos, watching how awful it looks yet the plane and everyone on it was perfectly fine.

Also I follow quite a few pilot & cabin crew Instagram / blogs and just seeing how they go about their day to day without a care.

And lastly now travelling with a small child who thinks flying is the best thing ever and LOVES a bit of turbulence "it's like a rollercoaster mummy"

These are the ones that are just over London right now! Crazy.

Buy a set of wooden ones and small nail clippers for cutting. Make some Izzy Dolls (google Izzy Doll pattern BBC if you haven't discovered that one yet!).

My DH is a long haul pilot with a well known airline - he’s in the air right now in fact. It’s very safe. What are you scared of specifically?

EasyJet online course plus take a kwells kid tablet as have realised I also get a bit motion sick
now almost enjoy flying

I was a super nervous flyer (would shake, sweat etc), but was in a long distance relationship.

Exposure therapy worked!

It also helps to think of how many thousands of flights there are a day and how many planes in the sky the same time as you.

Yes- DS and I watched BigJet tv during one of the storms. Seeing all those pilots landing their planes in really awful winds actually comforted him- seeing their skill for himself really.

I don't love flying but it's more the thought of it. When I'm going through the process it's fine. I just think how many millions fly everyday & it's perfectly fine. I also think I don't fly that often so my chances of being on that plane that does have an issue are hopefully low.
Some countries use planes like we use buses (USA). I think if you fly less regularly it feels like more of a big deal.
Whenever my friends or family get on a plane I don't worry for them so I shouldn't worry for myself.
Random thought process I know. I am always relieved when we get to our destination & I can get off though!

I did the easy jet fearless flyer course in November.

You have an online course and then go on a 45 minute flight. It was brilliant!

Done it twice! didn't work for me but the other airlines do them..

Claustrophobia..here

Me too. If you flew from Gatwick you might have seen me run off the plane in tears. I realised after that it's not the fear of flying that's the issue - it's the fear of being trapped in an enclosed space, hence me legging it as soon as they said the doors were about to close. OP, you need to figure out what the issue is. If it's just flying then a Fear of Flying course is excellent. It really breaks down what flying is about. But it didn't help me and I'm off for CBT now to try and break the panic of feeling trapped. Good luck to both of us!

So my fear is twofold think. I also don't like being trapped...I can also have panic attacks in cars and trains and situations like dentists and hairdressers.

But I also am scared of flying....maybe its loss of control?

I'd never flown until I was around 30 and a new job required me to be in Poland in a week's time. I already had a passport as I've used ferries previously to travel to France. Anyway, I got a neighbour to come with me and we flew from East Midlands airport to Edinburgh. What helped me was having someone with me who knew their way around an airport and was able to explain going through security etc. They also talked me through the take off and had lots of tips like sitting right back in the seat and to take a breath as it took off. My nerves vanished quickly and before long I was tucking into breakfast and wondering what the fuss was all about. Intellectually I "knew" it wouldn't be hard but fear isn't always intelligent. If you have a friend to go with you on a short trip, I think it will help dispel some of your worries.

I did a fear of flying course and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. I was petrified before & now I look forward to flying

a pilot took us through everything including all the mechanics of how the plane gets up & stays up there, cabin crew went through their roles, they had a psychologist do a session on fear. It ended with a short flight & they take you through the airport and go through everything there and why it’s done

on the flight they talk you through everything as it happens, every noise, every ‘bing’, every light and what it means. It was brilliant

thoroughly recommend it

Does anyone have anymore details about the EasyJet online course?

Yes the flight radar thing helped me too.
I still don’t like turbulence and what I hate is there is no escape from it.
Plenty of distraction helps-watching a film, doing puzzles etc
Plus wine!

I was terrified for years and missed so many holidays. Thing that helped was listening to the Louise Hay overcoming fear meditations on YouTube every day for 2 weeks pre flight, then on the way to airport, while waiting and boarding, during takeoff. After doing this a few flights I'm now totally fine, only a bit jittery with turbulence!

I think the other thing to do is actually break down what you are scared about. My dad lives a 12 hour flight away and I hate that!

I went to see a therapist about it and he managed to work out with me that what terrified me was that I couldn't get off if I wanted to. So if things started going wrong or if I felt unwell, there was no escape. And breaking that down more, I was worried about totally losing it on a plane full of people and having to potentially sit there for hours like that. Which turned out to be social anxiety rather than fear of flying.

Once I knew that, I could address it differently if that makes sense. So I think it's worth thinking about what exactly makes you fearful.

I have always been scared of flying, but I do fly up to 10 times a year for work and holidays ( don’t do long haul as I can only fly a few hours).For me it’s claustrophobia, lack of control and of something going wrong/ crashing.

I also have this irrational thing that I look at other passengers and think that person doesn’t look like someone who will die in a plane crash or worse they DO look like victims of an air crash. I know this is extremely mad and when I am not on a plane I am a perfectly normal human being and not particularly anxious either. Something happens when I board a plane.