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

www.fearlessflyer.easyjet.com/

I did it not for a fear of flying per se, but for panic attacks as I have agoraphobia. So the whole holiday thing is a nightmare for me.

Anyway, when I got on the plane I felt nothing. Nothing!! I was actually annoyed because I'd spent so long practicing the techniques 😂.

I also really recommend the DARE approach (book from Amazon and free app). This is what really saved me to be honest. The experience flight was just a nice way of proving to myself I can do it.

Good luck everyone!

Yes, I said above my hypnotherapist settled on lack of control for me and addressed this.

She did give me an example of unpicking the fear for another client. It was traced back to feeling locked in, in the plane, no way of choosing to get out. That particular person had been locked in a cupboard as a punishment by her parents.

Not suggesting anything like that for you, but interesting in how wide the reasoning and prior experiences can be that impact.

Mine wasn’t as such a fear of flying, (I’ve happily been on helicopter and hot air balloon flights), but a fear of big planes, I just see them and they look wrong, I know the science behind how they get up and stay up there, but my mind just wouldn’t accept it as “normal”. I knew I had to get over it to be able to see the world. I did several drives out and parked up near our local airport, and sat watching planes taking off and landing, basically tried to desensitise myself, the more I saw them, the less anxious I got. I still don’t like them, and it still seems wrong, but the panicky feeling is way less and I do now fly.
I also got over my arachnophobia the same way. Just getting near spiders, sitting and watching them etc. I can now even pick them up, which if you would have seen me near one ten years ago you would think impossible.

@jumpintheline how many flights a week? Has he ever been scared?

Turbulence can seriously if rarely damage planes. If something goes badly wrong you’re stuffed & will likely know you’re going to die for a few minutes. You can’t stop like you can in a car.

I also fly for work. It's like I enjoy tormenting myself

@overthinkersanonnymus I just looked at the Dare app - looks great, is it worth paying for it do you think?

Some of the app is free so I just use those bits but the book is where the real help is. The app is a nice to have in emergencies

Thanks, have ordered the book :)

H does 4-5 trips a months.

no he’s never been scared - straight up. He’s had lots of bad turbulence and plenty of tech issues etc but that’s what they’re trained for. I don’t even think about it. He’s safer in the air than he is in his car.

I don't work for an airline but I could have written this. I have flown all over the world but always on A380's etc and been fine except for take off and landing but what I call small planes terrify me and hate them and would sit and almost cry all the way but my husband said if you want to go you will have to get on.
He recently passed away and now I have to go on my own and can't really think about it but know if I want to go to Spain etc to see friends who live there I have to do it. I have done a course but didn't help me, hypnotherapy didn't work, had drinks which made me worse so now will think about the Citalopram if the dr will give it to me if I can pluck up the courage to book something.
Will go back and read the thread with interest.

Thank you whoever recommended the book Fly Without Fear. Have downloaded to my Kindl and will be my bedtime reading. 😀

Update: Holiday to Spain booked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yay!!!!!!

Can't wait to hear how you get on! Well done OP!

It's odd because I was really nervous when booking ..but I am beginning to feel excited.

That is such brilliant news! Where in Spain? I am very excited (and quite envious also!)

@CamelsForChristmas Thanks for the link upthread.. I am going to get some!

Majorca actually!!!!!!!!

I am glad! I swear by earplanes. I honestly thought they were a bit of a placebo when I bought them for my DS. He has severe sensory issues and the ear pain on descent used to send him truly loopy. Earplanes really work in my experience. :) I also now use them. It;s best to put them in around 40 minutes from landing I believe and they certainly work.

I didn’t fly for 30 years, this year I’ve been on 6 planes. I’m so proud of myself.

my top tips are:
download films, ones you love, more than you need to keep you going.
Dont sit by the window. Sit in the middle.
take a bag Incase you feel sick.
take Vicks’s it’s helps me to focus and stop panicking.

and recognise that you won’t like it, you don’t have to like it, you just have to endure it, and that’s enough. It will be ok.

You're not "stuffed"- most (95%) people survive rather than die even if a plane experiences and emergency or crashes-
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-actual-survival-rate-of-plane-crashes-There-is-no-way-the-95-7-survivability-rate-is-accurate-I-don-t-mean-plane-accidents-like-emergency-landings-I-mean-like-an-actual-plane-crash-like-plane-slamming

What helps me is:

• re reading the stats on safety- over and over, force them in
• when turbulence hits- observe your body's fear response and counter it- play Tetris on screen to keep your body loose and mind occupied, observe other passengers and crew being calm and relaxed.
• know that turbulence most likely won't develop into severe turbulence- it will most likely just stay as is until it's over. I was always bracing for it to get worse and worse- but it rarely does.
• sit in the aisle so you're not trapped in, and sit near the wing as it's the least bouncy part.

Take Vicks - what/which is that ? I did try Rescue Remedy but wasn't impressed.

Vicks is a good shout....strong smells do help me!

No plane has been brought down by turbulence. I'm not a great flyer but I know the men/women at the front are highly trained, requalify twice a year and have a yearly medical. They have to fly a prescribed route and can't deviate from it or move up/down without permission. So far safer than cars and drivers.

@overthinkersanonnymus thanks for the tip. I got the book and read it and it made me feel a lot better when I did my last flight!

Good! It's really made a difference to my panic disorder, I can step outside the panic attacks now.

It's a game changer and I wish more people knew about it.

I can't thank you enough. When I got that sinking panic feeling when the terror was returning, I said do you worst! Come at me! And I didn't think it would work but it did.