fear of flying...help (long sorry)

[helsi]

I was ok with flying until about 4/5 years ago. I saw some footage of a plane crash and since then my confidence has taken a nose dive (pardon the pun) and I am now convinced that I am going to die in a plane crash. I am also convinced that my family will perish also (dh and dd). It has become so bad that I even managed to get out of flying for a trip to Hungary 3 years ago with dh and inlaws (my fil hasn't been back for 47 years). I was so scared I stayed at home on my own for a week. I also keep "forgetting" to renew my passport-an excuse that is now wearing thin.
Now dh booked us on a trip to Prague in June for my b-day for 3 nights and I am petrified. I am already dreaming about crashing - it seems so real in my dreams - I can't explain the fear.
I know that more planes take off each day than there are cars on the road and I know they are safer than any other mode of transport but it doesn't help. I can't affiord therapy etc. Anyone else been through this type of thing?

helsi... i can sympathise as i feel EXACTLY the same, its awful isnt it? i will be watching this thread to see what anyone else says

Yes and I so want to travel and see different places/cultures etc.

me too, my parents have always took me to different places and have flown since being 12mth old at least twice a year!! ut the older i get the worse i get, i hate it, i have daydreams and nightmares about it, and just the thought of boarding a plane gives me the creeps, its the noises of the plane, when it banks just about everything about it that petrifys me, and i so want dd to see other countries

Helsi I have been through this. It got so bad for me, that I came back from a trip to Italy by train. Finally it was stopping me travelling so i decided to do a Fear of Flying course. I did one at Heathrow - British Airways run it (I think Virgin do one too). It has been amazing - i can fly now and am not at all scared. (well not much anyway!).

The course consists of a talk by a airline pilot, a talk by a psychologist and a flight of about an hour. Straight afterwards me and dh went on a trip to Edinburgh for the weekend and it was fine. I really recommend it.

how much was that pollyanna?

pollyanna - how much was it?

sorry helsi xx

i have tried taking tamazepan (sp?) didnt help really

im petrified of flying too. in fact i decided about 15 years ago that I had to overcome my fear (having only ever flown once before) and i asked my friend Pete who was a pilot to come with me to Dublin (45 min flight) I nearly crapped myself and ended up causing a scene and the airhostess upgraded us and got me pissed then i ended up in the cockpit for the descent.

My best friend lives in the US and I would love to go and see her, also dh has family in Aus which would be nice to see too

I found that neither drugs nor alcohol worked for me.

The course is now £235 (I think it was cheaper when I did it). Check out fear of flying course I really recommend it!

no way can I afford that. Might be able to stretch to a bottle of vodka!!

I'd go along with the suggestion of asking for a few valium tablets from the doctor.

What worked for me, is that we live right under the flight path for a busy international airport. When I last flew I pictured those bl**dy planes (which are a nosiy nuisance to us) taking off one after another, and the same when we were landing. It worked then and I'm gearing up for another go this summer. Can you go to an airport sometime soon and watch them for an hour or so?

Does DH know you're scared? Hang onto DH for dear life, and get him whispering soothing nothings into your ear.

I know I won't get over my fear by refusing to fly, and I'm hoping that each time I do it will help for the next time.

Anyone got any other ideas?

Its going to be dd's first trip on an airoplane so I don't want to appear scared in front of her but I don't want to be so doped up that I can't watch her properly either.