To ask desperately what really worked for you with fear of flying?

[hippowithsuncreen]

I have flown several times. It terrifies me. I need to know what really worked for you.

Only going to the Channel Islands but had a panic attack last time

What works for me now is

1. Regularly looking at flight radar and knowing that there are around 100,000 flights a day in the world puts it in perspective a little.
2. headphones and good music to drown out the noise - I panic at every little noise change
3. Doing something that requires alot of concentration eg. a fast game on an electronic device - it helped me get through some turbulence recently, obviously unsustainable on a long flight!
4. A little bit of alcohol does settle my nerves but only slightly.

No amount of anyone telling me that turbulence is not dangerous or that it's more dangerous on the drive to the airport helps me as I know this logically but my fear is irrational and does not listen to logic.

It's turbulence that scares me too, which started with a panic attack during a hungover bumpy flight in Australia years ago. I always check turbulenceforecast.com before flying and find it helps if I know to expect it. I also make sure to book seats over the wings as that is supposed to be the most stable part of a plane.

Then on the plane I take a Xanax and have 2 wines and I'm fine. I normally fly long haul and can never concentrate on watching a film so I listen to the relaxation music or meditations that most airlines have on the entertainment system.

Just doing it. Sober. No drugs.

You teach your brain that there's actually nothing to be afraid of.
If you rely on anything like the above to fly, you're simply reinforcing the thought that there is something to fear and you can't do it without booze/Valium.
Exposure therapy. It works.

I hate flying. I'm not scared of being in the sky or worried about crashing. Being in a plane makes me feel overwhelming claustrophobic. I feel horrendously crowded by all the other people/seats etc. I've done long ish haul (12 hours) and it was just awful. Not much can be done as I can't afford the more spacious first class I'm flying this summer for the first time in 6 years...... Not sure how it will go!

I did Virgin's Fear of Flying course and also a hypnotherapy course. Both worked in the short term, but not permanently.

The only constant in helping me deal with it is alcohol

My advice is unhelpful. Two of those mini baileys before I got on the plane.

I flew with my entire family in 2005. When I flew with them all again in 2012 my dad was shocked about how bad it had got.

Take off is the worst for me. I feel panicked for most of the flight but manage to push it away. It's there in the pit of my stomach, but I manage to ignore it. Mainly for the kids.

But during take off I feel like I am having a panic attack. I once nearly shouted 'stop the plane'. But managed to muffle myself in my hoodie .

The last time I flew I had two baileys and was fine. Even when there was a problem with the plane. Then panic didn't grip me like it used to.

I am flying in May. Planning on the baileys again.

I can tell you what didn't help. The nosey woman across the aisle from me in 2013 who decided to point me out to her husband. Quite loudly. So people started looking.

Thankfully my polite but firm dh pointed out that she wasn't helping

Clonazepam