Panic attacks, claustrophobia and new fear of flying after breakdown

[Sweetenermaz]

Hello everyone,
I have been in the depths of what can only be described as a nervous breakdown over the last few weeks.
For context, I have severe claustrophobia and have done for as long as I can remember. I’ve managed it over the years by either avoiding confined spaces or taking someone I trust with me when I can’t avoid them.

Recently, I had built up an enormous amount of stress and bottled it all up over a weekend away with my mum. It was her birthday trip, and I didn’t want to complain or vent because I wanted her to enjoy it. I was exceptionally anxious the whole weekend and just kept suppressing it.

As soon as we drove away from the hotel, all of that built-up anxiety came pouring out in the form of a huge panic attack. I’ve never experienced panic like that before. I couldn’t breathe, I was shaking, I felt completely overwhelmed and unable to cope. It was absolutely horrific.

Ever since then, I’ve been in a terrible state of anxiety. I’m not sleeping properly, my thinking feels muddled and tangled, and I constantly feel on the verge of panicking. The worst part is that the panic attack seems to have triggered a severe fear of flying, which is a huge problem because I have three trips coming up over the next couple of months.

It’s not the safety of flying that worries me. It’s the fear of having a panic attack on a plane where I can’t escape. The anticipatory anxiety is absolutely horrific, and I’ve made myself ill worrying about it. It feels like there are no good options. Getting on the plane feels completely insurmountable because of the fear I’m experiencing, but cancelling the trips makes me feel equally awful because it feels like I’ll be stuck like this forever and never be able to fly or go on holiday again. I never had a fear of flying before this happened.
I ended up seeing my GP today. She has prescribed sertraline and recommended CBT. I have tried CBT before for my claustrophobia but didn’t get very far, mainly because I struggled with the exposure side of things. My doctor is convinced the medication will help, but I don’t really understand how it can help with this specific fear of panicking on the plane.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? Did medication help? Has anyone had success with hypnosis or anything else?

I really am at my wits’ end. I’m terrified I’m going to end up cancelling all the trips I’ve paid for and been looking forward to for months.
Please help.

It's very similar but this sounds more like cliethophobia than claustrophobia. You need to get CBT with a senior therapist so you can really pick through the causes. The sertraline may bring your general anxiety down, but you may have side effects initially that won't help. Good luck, I have been there and am slowly coming out the other side - but it's taken years.

Me! Hypnosis helped until it didn't and then it was slightly worse.
I use phenergan - half a tablet before short haul and a whole one if longer - it will chill you out and maybe send you to sleep

Hi OP. So sorry you are feeling like this. I developed the same a few years back. It’s not a fear of flying but having a panic attack on the plane.

I have to fly fairly often for work so not great! I get propranolol prescribed by my GP which helps with the physical symptoms but I also need diazepam which I have to get from a private GP as mine won’t prescribe it. I get 3-5 5mg per trip depending on how long the flight is. I take half of 1 as soon as I get to the airport with 2 propranolol, then another half about 30 mins before boarding. For short haul this is usually enough, for long haul I’ll have half every few hours and more propranolol if I feel I need it.

Annoying that I have to pay £100’s per year for it privately but it’s the only thing that works for me.

It's good that you know that it's your fear of fear that's causing the problem, not the flying itself. Fear is an emotion and emotion (over)reactions respond well to hypnotherapy/remedial hypnosis (without the trance element). Given that you've got some time before these upcoming flights you should check to see if this is right for you, or not, sooner rather than later.

Buy SELF HELP FOR YOUR NERVES by Claire weekes and follow her advice to the T. You won't regret it.

Oh I feel for you, I went through something similar years ago. Give the CBT a good go but you will need to be brave and do exposure.