Scared of Flying

[RebeccaJane12]

I'm off to Mexico in a couple of weeks and I'm feeling really nervous about flying. It's an 11 hour flight and I have flown before but feeling really nervous about it. Any suggestions you can make to make me feel better and less nervous about flying?

go and see your GP and get some Valium, it will take the edge of, but won't remove, your anxiety.

I second getting some Valium. It won't cure your phobia, but will definitely take the edge off it and stop you panicking. It can also make you drowsy too which might help you be able to nap during it

Do you feel you want reassuring information or ways to take your mind of it?

GP, Valium.

I will definitely get to my GP before I go. And yes some reassurance too on planes/flying being safe I think would put my mind at rest slightly. Thank you everyone

I would talk to your GP about your anxiety before you fly. Rescue Remedy is also good to use.

Where did this all start. What makes you so nervous about flying; is it the noises on takeoff, being so high up?. Did you have a previous bad flying experience that set all this off?. Perhaps if you were to explain some more then we could reassure you. You are at more risk driving a car than you ever would be on an aircraft.

Rationally, there really isn't anything to fear about flying - it's the safest from of transport and you are more likely to get injured driving to and from the airport.
Planes pretty well fly themselves, so long as they are moving forward the wings provide lift that keep them up in the air - did you know that if the pilot was to turn all the engines off (they wouldn't !), the plane would glide for over 200km?
Have said all that, I have a terrible irrational fear of flying to the point I won't do it. That's my problem, and I recognise it. I reckon you are a stronger person than me, (the fact you've even contemplated it, let alone buy a ticket indicates that) and you will be able to cope.

Don't forget to tell the flight attendances, they will keep and eye on you.

If you were to take a random flight every single day it would be over 4000 years until you were involved in an accident and even then you would probably survive.

Airline pilots are the most regulated profession in the world.

Turbulence is horrid but harmless.

Well I flew to Florida in 2011 and was absolutely fine. I flew to Spain in 2015 and wasn't. I cried on take off but calmed down after a while. It all started when I heard about the few planes which crashed or went missing over a short period of time, also I got split from family on the flight but this time I have paid to book seats. I know I will fly and I wouldn't back out of it but I am scared and I'm worried I'll get to Mexico and will dread coming back for the whole holiday.
It's a horrible phobia to have and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I just want to look forward to my holiday.

What about enrolling on one of those fear of flying courses that BA and Virgin to name but two do. They have very high success rates and no-one will make you get on the aircraft if you still do not want to.

Strangely enough I found that watching disaster type programme.s and plane documentaries made me feel better but that's not for everyone obviously! Seeing how much they flex test wings made me feel very safe.

A word of warning on the Valium. I took some before a flight last year and once in the airport I felt so short of breath I thought I was going to have an asthma attack. Never took it since.

I'm the same, flying is great, crashing not so much. My fear is being up at 38000 feet and something going wrong and knowing the plane is going down with my kids on board. I've been tracking the flight we are going on for weeks and it's been fine do have been reassuring myself statistically it'll be fine. I have no problem with my adult children flying, dd is going to Vancouver on Friday and eldest dd flies yo New York 3-4 times a year, they've decided themselves to fly. DS aged 10 has had the decision made for him so he's the one I worry about most. We are heading to Toronto on Sunday, hopefully it'll all be ok. I have xanax, Valium and quite possibly alcohol at the ready.