| Fear of flying 21:20 - Feb 20 with 3910 views | TresBonne |
Anyone on TWTD struggle with it as well? Bricking myself over tomorrow's 3hr flight to Romania. It's such a p*ssy move I know, and I must have flown about 50 times in my life so I don't know why I've got worse with age.
Hate the uncomfortableness of turbulence and all the plane moving up and down. Again, I know it's not dangerous, just scares fck out of me.
Advice appreciated... |  | | |  |
| Fear of flying on 08:51 - Feb 21 with 1031 views | DanTheMan |
| Fear of flying on 22:52 - Feb 20 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Doctors will prescribe a small amount of valium for flying, which has helped me. A bit late for your flight tomorrow, but for future reference. |
Some won't do that anymore (EDIT: Apparently, the NHS as a whole won't do that anymore). I suffer from flight anxiety and when I saw the doctor about it after a particularly fun flight, they basically said the only thing they can recommend is going on a course run by one of the airlines.
These courses seem to just reiterate it's all safe, nothing to worry about which is completely bloody useless.
Tempted to go private next time I need to fly to see whether they might be more amenable to giving me something to help.
Other people have suggested alcohol and why that may work for some, depending on your symptoms, it may make it way worse. It'll increase your heart rate so any anxiety symptoms may feel worse.
I've not found anything that really works other than trying to breathe through everything.
How I envy people who get onto a plane and seem to immediately fall into a coma. Lucky b*stards.
On topic of actually helpful advice, try box breathing when it gets too much. [Post edited 21 Feb 9:11]
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| Fear of flying on 08:51 - Feb 21 with 1031 views | tcblue |
Rational facts do not do anything for phobias. I'm was unlikely to be eaten by a great white shark in Crown Pools as a kid but I still wondered what was behind the grille for the wave machine.
For my own fear of flying, I got a job which I didn't realise meant every two weeks taking a flight. Familiarity helped in the end but the first six months were awful |  | | |
| Fear of flying on 08:57 - Feb 21 with 1010 views | DJR |
EDIT: wrong thread [Post edited 21 Feb 8:58]
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| Fear of flying on 09:02 - Feb 21 with 982 views | artsbossbeard |
I had a real aversion in my early 20's and didn't fly for about 5yrs but managed to control it initially with some travel sickness tablets that calmed me down but the big thing for me was flying regularly and getting used to the whole plane experience - the noises, the bumps & the vibrations.
I'm all good now.
You won't see the world unless you fly, so it's a change of perspective also.. |  |
| Please note: prior to hitting the post button, I've double checked for anything that could be construed as "Anti Semitic" and to the best of my knowledge it isn't. Anything deemed to be of a Xenophobic nature is therefore purely accidental or down to your own misconstruing. | | Poll: | Raining in IP8 - shall I get the washing in? |
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| Fear of flying on 09:07 - Feb 21 with 951 views | homer_123 |
No fear of flying. It's the crashing that I have an issue with. |  |
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| Fear of flying on 09:20 - Feb 21 with 920 views | bsw72 |
| Fear of flying on 08:51 - Feb 21 by tcblue |
Rational facts do not do anything for phobias. I'm was unlikely to be eaten by a great white shark in Crown Pools as a kid but I still wondered what was behind the grille for the wave machine.
For my own fear of flying, I got a job which I didn't realise meant every two weeks taking a flight. Familiarity helped in the end but the first six months were awful |
Fear vs Phobia is a very interesting discussion.
Having a fear of something is healthy, and is natural reaction to something that is unusual or different or where the outcome is unpredictable - it is our natural reaction to something in our fight / flight reflex which was essential when we were in actual physical danger for our lives from wild animals, injury or disease.
Modern life means our fight / flight now reacts to multiple non life threatening stimuli, from flying to a phone ringing or a bill dropping through the door.
When the fear starts to get out of control and becomes anxiety, then it is a problem as that can spiral into depression and worse, plus when the fear of doing something actually means you change your behaviour to avoid, that is the transition into a phobia as you are actively organising your life around those fear inducing activities.
The human brain is a wonderful but equally frustrating thing.
For context I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist my views are based on having to manage anxiety for the best part of my life and on the back of three major depressive episodes in my life, the last of which had me hospitalised.
Anxiety is a horrible and hidden thing. |  | | |
| Fear of flying on 09:27 - Feb 21 with 907 views | bsw72 |
| Fear of flying on 09:07 - Feb 21 by homer_123 |
No fear of flying. It's the crashing that I have an issue with. |
Ha - like people referring to vertigo when talking about fear of heights whereas vertigo is usually a symptom of either acrophobia and or basophobia.
Interestingly enough is is not unusual for aerophobia to get worse from late teens until early 40s, and then recede again after that. | | | |
| Fear of flying on 09:28 - Feb 21 with 897 views | bsw72 |
| Fear of flying on 09:02 - Feb 21 by artsbossbeard |
I had a real aversion in my early 20's and didn't fly for about 5yrs but managed to control it initially with some travel sickness tablets that calmed me down but the big thing for me was flying regularly and getting used to the whole plane experience - the noises, the bumps & the vibrations.
I'm all good now.
You won't see the world unless you fly, so it's a change of perspective also.. |
As I said above - aerophobia is known to get worse from late teens to early 40s and then recede - may be why the OP (and you) found it got worse for a period and then you have found it has eased . . . | | | |
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| Fear of flying on 11:19 - Feb 21 with 808 views | DanTheMan |
| Fear of flying on 09:27 - Feb 21 by bsw72 |
Ha - like people referring to vertigo when talking about fear of heights whereas vertigo is usually a symptom of either acrophobia and or basophobia.
Interestingly enough is is not unusual for aerophobia to get worse from late teens until early 40s, and then recede again after that. |
Sweet, only a few more years for me then! | |
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| Fear of flying on 11:22 - Feb 21 with 808 views | Plums |
| Fear of flying on 09:27 - Feb 21 by bsw72 |
Ha - like people referring to vertigo when talking about fear of heights whereas vertigo is usually a symptom of either acrophobia and or basophobia.
Interestingly enough is is not unusual for aerophobia to get worse from late teens until early 40s, and then recede again after that. |
That is really interesting as I really wasn't a fan in my 40s and even short flights couldn't be over quick enough - but now I'm older and greyer I really love the experience. |  |
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| Fear of flying on 11:24 - Feb 21 with 806 views | Lord_Lucan |
| Fear of flying on 09:28 - Feb 21 by bsw72 |
As I said above - aerophobia is known to get worse from late teens to early 40s and then recede - may be why the OP (and you) found it got worse for a period and then you have found it has eased . . . |
I used to be a very nervous flyer but I'm fine now. Probably because I'm now of an age where death is a fair possibility at any time - so a fatal plane crash is inconsequential |  |
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| Fear of flying on 11:25 - Feb 21 with 798 views | artsbossbeard |
| Fear of flying on 11:24 - Feb 21 by Lord_Lucan |
I used to be a very nervous flyer but I'm fine now. Probably because I'm now of an age where death is a fair possibility at any time - so a fatal plane crash is inconsequential |
You sir, are the worst flying buddy known to man.
This is quite the turnaround! | |
| Please note: prior to hitting the post button, I've double checked for anything that could be construed as "Anti Semitic" and to the best of my knowledge it isn't. Anything deemed to be of a Xenophobic nature is therefore purely accidental or down to your own misconstruing. | | Poll: | Raining in IP8 - shall I get the washing in? |
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| Fear of flying on 11:34 - Feb 21 with 775 views | TresBonne |
| Fear of flying on 11:24 - Feb 21 by Lord_Lucan |
I used to be a very nervous flyer but I'm fine now. Probably because I'm now of an age where death is a fair possibility at any time - so a fatal plane crash is inconsequential |
Yeah see, I’m 20. Loads left in the tank, so falling out the sky would really p*ss me off.🤣
At the airport as we speak, time for a Madri! | | | |
| Fear of flying on 11:35 - Feb 21 with 771 views | TresBonne |
| Fear of flying on 08:39 - Feb 21 by blueasfook |
Just think about it statistically. You have a 0.000001% chance of dying in a plane crash. That really isn't a number worth worrying about. |
To be fair, the chances of us not winning in the 95th minute, 2-4 up at Charlton were similar… | | | |
| Fear of flying on 11:38 - Feb 21 with 763 views | Lord_Lucan |
| Fear of flying on 11:34 - Feb 21 by TresBonne |
Yeah see, I’m 20. Loads left in the tank, so falling out the sky would really p*ss me off.🤣
At the airport as we speak, time for a Madri! |
I fully understand this and I believe it's definitely the reason I no longer have a fear.
BTW, airport beerage is a wonderful thing, especially a crack of dawn one.
I've joined Priority Pass for lounge access around the globe and I highly recommend it. The UK lounges are a bit naff but some of the international ones are cracking. | |
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| Fear of flying on 11:40 - Feb 21 with 762 views | nodge_blue |
I hate the turbulence too. It gives me cold sweats.
But be fatalistic about it. It's highly unlikely anything will happen but if it does then it's just your time. Ive found that accepting sh1t could happen makes me a bit more sanguine about it. |  |
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| Fear of flying on 11:48 - Feb 21 with 731 views | TresBonne |
| Fear of flying on 11:40 - Feb 21 by nodge_blue |
I hate the turbulence too. It gives me cold sweats.
But be fatalistic about it. It's highly unlikely anything will happen but if it does then it's just your time. Ive found that accepting sh1t could happen makes me a bit more sanguine about it. |
That’s a good point to be fair.
I guess the dream scenario (sort of) is to survive one. Easy lawsuit. [Post edited 21 Feb 11:49]
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| Fear of flying on 12:14 - Feb 21 with 692 views | Churchman |
I’ve always loved flying and still do. I even had the chance to a little bit of it myself. Mrs C on the other hand was not happy about flying when I first met her. The full arm clamp and all that. But over the years and many flights later she’s fine with it.
As for drinking before it, I’ve been known to have the odd ‘livener’ but unlike some friends of mine tend to keep it to the one or not at all. Simply, I don’t want to be desperate for the cubicle on a Ryanair or EasyJet flight!!
The closest to an eyebrows raised job was a few years ago coming back from Denver. It’d been snowing all day and was very cold. The aircraft (a BA747) went for its de-icing and onto the runway we trundled. Off we went, got half way down the runway when the pilot aborted it. Anchors on, lots of screeching, lockers opening, noise and the curiosity of wondering what next.
Well, they stopped it at the end of the runway and I swallowed back my quarter pounder with cheese. We thought that’d be that for the night, wondering if the brakes and tyres were ok, but no, the pilot said ‘we need another de-icing, a few checks and then we’ll have another go’. What?? Thought I.
After an hour he did just that. He held the aeroplane on the brakes while revving the engines up. The 747 was fairly hopping up and down, then he released the beast. We fair shot down the runway and after what seemed an age got airborne. Even my buddy who’s flown all over the world many times had a sweat on.
Back to the point I always think that if the lads and lasses up front are happy then so am I. Flying is great. |  | | |
| Fear of flying on 13:21 - Feb 21 with 644 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| Fear of flying on 08:51 - Feb 21 by DanTheMan |
Some won't do that anymore (EDIT: Apparently, the NHS as a whole won't do that anymore). I suffer from flight anxiety and when I saw the doctor about it after a particularly fun flight, they basically said the only thing they can recommend is going on a course run by one of the airlines.
These courses seem to just reiterate it's all safe, nothing to worry about which is completely bloody useless.
Tempted to go private next time I need to fly to see whether they might be more amenable to giving me something to help.
Other people have suggested alcohol and why that may work for some, depending on your symptoms, it may make it way worse. It'll increase your heart rate so any anxiety symptoms may feel worse.
I've not found anything that really works other than trying to breathe through everything.
How I envy people who get onto a plane and seem to immediately fall into a coma. Lucky b*stards.
On topic of actually helpful advice, try box breathing when it gets too much. [Post edited 21 Feb 9:11]
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You're either incorrect or my docs have gone rogue, as I have had it on the NHS (and fairly recently). I have been treated on the NHS in the past for anxiety, so I don't know if that was my particular loophole.
I agree about breathing. Don't know what it's called but if you breathe in through the nose for a count of 4, then out through the mouth for a count of 8 (a few times) that should calm you down. |  |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| Fear of flying on 13:25 - Feb 21 with 636 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| Fear of flying on 09:20 - Feb 21 by bsw72 |
Fear vs Phobia is a very interesting discussion.
Having a fear of something is healthy, and is natural reaction to something that is unusual or different or where the outcome is unpredictable - it is our natural reaction to something in our fight / flight reflex which was essential when we were in actual physical danger for our lives from wild animals, injury or disease.
Modern life means our fight / flight now reacts to multiple non life threatening stimuli, from flying to a phone ringing or a bill dropping through the door.
When the fear starts to get out of control and becomes anxiety, then it is a problem as that can spiral into depression and worse, plus when the fear of doing something actually means you change your behaviour to avoid, that is the transition into a phobia as you are actively organising your life around those fear inducing activities.
The human brain is a wonderful but equally frustrating thing.
For context I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist my views are based on having to manage anxiety for the best part of my life and on the back of three major depressive episodes in my life, the last of which had me hospitalised.
Anxiety is a horrible and hidden thing. |
Me too, re the anxiety. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy changed everything around. Literally saved my life and gave me a life. | |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| Fear of flying on 13:42 - Feb 21 with 606 views | borge |
Lots of good advice on here.
I love flying (being above the clouds, seeing the sun, being able to spot landmarks on the ground etc) but absolutely hate turbulence. In my previous job I was lucky enough to fly around the world but the lead up to the flight and often the flight itself (if there was turbulence) caused me significant anxiety. This only started in my late thirties.
As people on here have said, from a 'factual' perspective you are very, very unlikely to come to any harm - turbulence doesn't cause planes to drop out of the sky, there is an incredibly slim chance of crashing and 95% of people in place crashes survive (you often only hear about the crashes with casualties).
That doesn't necessarily help with the anxiety though unless you can train yourself to think rationally during the turbulence.
Practical things to do include:
Try to relax your hands so they aren't gripping the arm rests (or anything else)
Moderate your breathing
Relax your legs and ensure your feet are planted on the floor
If you can, look out of the window at the horizon
If you can't look out of the window, close your eyes - don't look around the cabin
The last two are because in turbulence the plane is actually hardly moving - generally speaking no more than a few feet up and down maximum (usually less). If you look around the cabin the movement seems and feels exaggerated. If you look at the horizon you can really see that it isn't so bad (I try to avoid night flights because then you can't see the horizon).
I also find it reassuring if the turbulence is caused by passing through clouds - at least then there is a reason you can see, unlike clear air turbulence which is a pig!
Personally I try not to travel across the Atlantic (no landing strips in the ocean!) in winter (greater chance of adverse weather and strong winds) and if I have to, I try to ensure I have a decent seat and a few drinks (not beer because you don't want a full bladder) to send me to sleep (the doctors gave me Diazepam and it didn't work). I am happier on shorter flights and flights where you have a good pilot/first officer who is willing to give you a bit of info about how long they expect the turbulence to last for. | | | |
| Fear of flying on 21:48 - Feb 21 with 518 views | stonojnr |
| Fear of flying on 08:39 - Feb 21 by blueasfook |
Just think about it statistically. You have a 0.000001% chance of dying in a plane crash. That really isn't a number worth worrying about. |
yeah but you can say that, and statistically its true, but it dont help rationalise it if thats the day your number is up.
I do know someone who died in a plane crash, one of those classic shouldnt have happened air crashes too, bunch of tiny errors compounded all together and the result was two planes collided and everyone on board was killed.
the worst part was the wreckage of the planes were still on the airfield when we flew to the same place 2months later, and saw it as we taxi'd past to the terminal.
yeah statistics eh. actual flying doesnt bother me I like it, but take offs and landings always make me nervous, as several of the recent air crashes have demonstrated theyre the most dangerous part, and anyone who says they arent nervous in those situations probably doesnt understand the position theyre in. | | | |
| Fear of flying on 21:56 - Feb 21 with 513 views | BluePG |
| Fear of flying on 21:51 - Feb 20 by DJR |
There may not be enough time before you outward flight but I had a needle phobia and bought for not much money a short booklet on how to overcome it.
Maybe there is something similar for flying (but not the Erica Jong book!)
And I came across this. It's about 23 minutes long but I think you have to sign up to the course at the end to get the benefits.
https://www.fearless-flyer.com/ff-vsl-gbp/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=ffuk&a [Post edited 20 Feb 21:57]
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Have sent you a PM. | |
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| Fear of flying on 22:17 - Feb 21 with 499 views | TresBonne |
Happy to say I made it. This thread ended up being way more helpful than imagined, put my mind at ease, probably one of the best I’ve ever done on a flight, helped by the fact it was super smooth!
Only a city break so we’ll be ready for round two come Sunday… | | | |
| Fear of flying on 22:17 - Feb 21 with 496 views | TresBonne |
| Fear of flying on 21:48 - Feb 21 by stonojnr |
yeah but you can say that, and statistically its true, but it dont help rationalise it if thats the day your number is up.
I do know someone who died in a plane crash, one of those classic shouldnt have happened air crashes too, bunch of tiny errors compounded all together and the result was two planes collided and everyone on board was killed.
the worst part was the wreckage of the planes were still on the airfield when we flew to the same place 2months later, and saw it as we taxi'd past to the terminal.
yeah statistics eh. actual flying doesnt bother me I like it, but take offs and landings always make me nervous, as several of the recent air crashes have demonstrated theyre the most dangerous part, and anyone who says they arent nervous in those situations probably doesnt understand the position theyre in. |
Just want to say sorry for your loss mate. That must be genuinely devastating. Can’t imagine what you would go through should the statistically impossible actually happen. | | | |
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