Flying next week but don't think I can do it :(

[atomsatdawn]

Flown before, panic attacks each time. I have terrible caustraphobia and I think it is also the loss of control of being on a metal flying thing in the sky and not being able to get off. Not helped by the current amount of terror attacks.

This time I feel much worse, I have been anxious for weeks in the build up and not sure I can even get on the plane this time. Please help.

This book really helped. I downloaded it and re-read it on the plane if I start feeling really nervous. The book is massively reassuring. I also sometimes tell the air steward if I feel really worried. They will then come and tell me if turbulence is expected.

Honestly, the book helped me so much. X

Temazepam. I need quite a big dose, 30mg.

Then I go all loose and smiley.

It's great.

I completely sympathise OP! In fact I posted a similar thread back in May for a trip to UK from Australia and got really helpful responses - maybe you can search my username if you're interested? I actually found that the anticipation of flying was much worse than when I was up in the air. I was terrified walking onto the plane but once travelling it was fine and it soon became normal and routine. The fourth flight (second leg on way back) we encountered turbulence and I did get very upset about it but my husband prompted me to look around the plane and I realised that not one single other person looked bothered, including all the crew. He is an engineer and could confidently explain why the turbulence could not cause an accident.

One thing that helped was watching this awesome video

It is a visualisation / time-lapse of all the planes travelling across the world in a 24 hour period. This happens every 24 hours! Yes, rare tragedies happen.... but look how many people travel take off and safely land each day!

Wishing you the very best with your journey x

I'm just like you. But I flew recently and coped.

Have a look at flightradar24.com I honestly couldn't believe how many planes there are in the air at any one time. It makes you realise how very silly it is to worry. Your chances of anything going wrong are absolutely minuscule. You have a higher chance of winning the lottery. I watch the cabin crew if I fly - they're so relaxed and fly day in and day out and feel safe. I also read about things like turbulence and how, to a plane, turbulence is really nothing more than a car coping with going over cobbles. The plane is designed to cope with so much more than is ever thrown at it. Lastly I think a great thing to do when taking off is to distract yourself. I do my 7 times tables, then 14 times tables, then 13.5. I'm rubish at them so have to concentrate and it really switches off the anxiety.

Flying is really really safe and opens your world up so much so I hope you can get on that plane. I have planes flying over my house all the time - none of them have ever crashed.

I have the flight radar app and like following the flights. Seeing how many flights are safely in the air helps me :)

I used to be terrified of flying, but strangely not any more. I think it's something to do with predicting doom every time, and the flight turning out to be completely routine!

My mum is very scared of flying, and took Diazepam on a long haul trip. Apparently it worked a treat. I used to take it for panic attacks, and it makes everything 'fine'.

I really feel for you. Have flown many times and been on BA Fear of Flying course and of course know how irrational it is but still very frightened as day for flight approaches and as I board.

I cope thanks to Valium plus propranolol , as others have mentioned.