Positive Vibes please for me and my crippling fear of flying )-:

[mosschops30]

Yes its that time of year again where I'm convinced I;m gonna die next week, my plane is doomed, etc etc.

Would love lots of positive vibes from you all to keep me going.

As usual I have started to have nightmares already/not sleeping/very stressed I dont know why I work myself up so much

I've seen that site before, and didn't do anything for me.......

I've got a fear of flying too, although it never stops me booking holidays. I study the air hostess's faces and have to sit near the window so I can check for clouds which to me means turbulence - it's pathetic - I sit there looking around as if I'm co-piloting the plane. I take loads of magazines to distract me but can't manage anything more complicated than Hello, OK or Heat so I can just look at the pictures and get back to my cloud spotting as necessary. If there is as much as a tiny bump, I cannot think about anything else. I usually gulp a gin and tonic down at the start of the flight and that helps. Also, if there is any turbulence, I look at my watch when it starts and usually, although it seems to go on for ever, it's usually no more than 10 minutes. I realise it's totally irrational and I find it so annoying. Weirdly, I enjoy long haul flights more - there are more distractions, I suppose.

mosschops30 - try not to worry, more chance of drowning in the bath apparently; you'll be fine, keep busy, take lots of distractions; it really is rare to hear of plane crashes; they don't happen that often. Enjoy your holiday.

brilliant...not that your scared sh**less but that you started a thread I could have started myself!
I'm planning a trip to florida in MARCH and I'm sweating already. It doesn't help to think bout the hundreds of flights every day that land because I'm sure that on every plane that ever went down there was at least one person with a fear of flying who got on that plane because someone told them to think of all the planes that fly over our heads daily!
I'm not afraid of dying, just how I'm gonna die....spend minutes in total fear with an impending sense of doom leading to panic, finally crash into the sea, my section of plane has managed to stay in one piece and I fight, with several fractures and internal bleeding, underwater to get to the top only to be met by a blanket of aviation fuel on fire...go back under, rise at a clear spot, blood pouring from my wounds I spot a rescue chopper and with a hint of elation through all my pain and panic I wonder WTF has grabbed my leg...I'm sharks dinner!!!
yeah, I know your panic even if yours ends differently to mine...

don't worry, you'll be fine, think of all the planes that land safely every day!!!!

fizzbuzz: knowing about the funny noises the engine makes (like when he seems to stall ) helps me. Dh is an engineer who "knows about engines" and he reassures me about the engine noises.

I am not sure anything would reassure me about the actual ability of the plane to stay in the air though. I just have to think to myself "it does, therefore it will."

LOL at that fear of flying site. I think it was written in more innocent times! Explaining about the engine noise cutting out after take off which I was mentioning in my last post, the pilot says:
"When you first get on the airplane, turn left and go up to the cockpit, tell the captain you are an anxious flier and ask if there will be a big power change for "noise abatement" on today's flight."
Hmm, yes, in this day and age, if you turned left and went towards the cockpit, I think you would be immediately arrested as a suspected terrorist!

I'm the same too. Haven't flown in nearly 9 years now and won't fly as I'm too scared. We drove to Lisbon before the children were born for a holiday. Drove down to Portsmouth, spent nearly 2 days on a boat and then drove for about 10 hours to get to Lisbon. Did the same on the way back too. It was worth it though I hope to get over this fear one day but as I'm terrified of heights (can't even go above about 5th floor in a building), don't like enclosed spaces (hate lifts) and don't like not being in control on a plane, I think it might take some doing!

Wilkie my fear is that I will know I'm going to die for some time before the plane hits the ground. However I am currently of the mind set that if i was dying of cancer I might wake up every day thinking 'will it be today' and that must be unbearable

fizzbuzz lol at your post 'the plane will know if you let go' that actually happened to me once on a long haul flight where I was literally propelled out of the toilet by the worst turbulence ever

Have tried in the past CBT/Hypnotherapy/Drugs/Courses/Books

still terrified! (although feel scarily calm about it today)

Dumbledoresgirl, can you get your dh to explain about engine noises to me

Well actually, dh's explanations do tend to work along the lines of "boring the listener to death" so I would recommend looking at that website below where a very nice sounding pilot can explain it all in a more interesting, reassuring way.

am amusing myself by looking at some of the airline reviews online (Ive had a stressful day on top of my looming flight). I cant beleive some people, 'my husband likes to sit in an aisle seat and we were most disappointed that this wasnt adhered too, shall never fly again' lol.
And am glad to not be flying with some more questionable airlines!

Come on DG give me some corkers from your dh so I can remember them mid flight

Scarily calm is an eerie feeling. Know it well.........

my DH is an airline pilot and he would say that he could land it in any conditions.
They have t go on courses every six to 12 months and lots of conceivable occurences are thrown at them.

I understand your fear of flying I to am terrified I am thinking of going on one of those courses at the airport

My fear however is irrational I know

Enjoy your holiday

mosschops30 - that reminds me of once when I was on a BA flight and two old duffers next to me had the most bizarre conversation - one said to the other "there won't be so much turbulence, we're on a British Airways flight" - WTF! I forgot my own fear of flying for a moment and sat there sniggering into my G&T!

sniff come and tell me how wonderful your dh is and how all pilots are marvellous motivated clever concentrating men in the cockpit

how can you still be frightened, think if i was sitting next to pilot it would be much better, I long for the days when you used to be able to go up and have a chat, I mean honestly I'm a 5'6 blonde student nurse, size 10 with 2 kids, I'm hardly the stereotypical terrorist

oh no only one sleep left until the night of drug induced sleep before flight ....... feel sick, have already started on the rescue remedy

They are all very good at they're job to be fair
My DH and all the people he flies with are very passionate about flying

they always volunteer to fly and he used to love showing the children around the flight deck and they miss it

You will be fine tell the air stewerds you are frightened and they should give you special attention

lol at only one sleep left me too my hands are shaking and i have butterflys already !

when do you go to chicago lillyloo? are you excited (apart from the flight actually)

i know how you are feeling but im sure you will be arriving at your holiday destination safe and sound.By the time they have been round with tea and duty free sales etc you will be there .Two hours will soon pass.Enjoy.