Support Me!

LadyJ

Ok, so basically one of the main reasons I wanted to set up this forum was so that people could come here for support and help with their fears. I myself have many, many phobias but the one that has had the worst effect on my life has been my fear of flying. Recently I developed a bit of a grasp on it but I'm still not sure if I'm cured.

See this thread.

So basically, I need all the encouragement I can get so that I won't chicken out and not take the flights. Lately the fear has been coming and going. Let's keep it gone!

After I conquer flying I will move on to conquering my fear of the dark and then decide what's next. I want to try and conquer all of my phobias starting from now. I won't put a time limit on it because I don't want to take on too much too fast. So who's with me?

Setun

I don't know if I have any phobias, but I support your crusade. Go get em!

LadyJ

Huzzah! Finally some support! Thank you!

bronte

Hope you get over this LadyJ!!
Take the flights!, Think of how proud and happy you'll be when you discover you're okay!

Silverfish

How is it you share all my phobias?

Take the flight! Go on! Hurrah!

LadyJ

Ok, so my first flight since the fear got unbearable is going to be to Prague on the 2nd April. I'm terrified. Thought I was getting over it but I'm sh!tting it! Is it just me or has there been a lot of news about planes in the past month or so? Planes having dodgy landings and almost crashing etc? People tell me I'm just noticing these stories more but I don't think so. There really seems to have been a lot of this recently.


Help! I'm completely freaked out. I've committed to a load of trips now and all I can think about is dying in a plane crash! What an annoying fear to have! So frustrating!

humanji

It's nothing to be worried about. You don't see news articles about the millions of planes that fly each year without a hitch. It's the same as why you don't see stories on the news about people having a grand day and then having an early night. Viewers don't want to watch that sort of thing, so the media has to sensationalise these things.

I was terrified of flying, years ago. My parents ended up dragging me onto a plane and once I did it once, I was pretty much grand after it. I'm still a nervous flyer, but I just try and keep myself busy. And that's probably the best thing to do from now until your trip. Just don't try and think of something else instead of the flight. Hell, think about Prague. I've never been, but I hear it's fantastic. Plus there's loads of hot girls over there (all though, feel free to think about hot guys, if you want. I'm sure there's a couple over there.).

LadyJ

Lol, this alarm will sound every 10 seconds unless everything is not ok!

I know what you mean, it just seems like there've been a lot more bad plane stories of late. I try to think about all the fantastic places I'm going to be going to but it's just so hard not to get stuck thinking about the bloody flight!

humanji

Well I honestly don't think there have been many bad plane stories lately. You really will notice more of these things because your trip is coming up. Do the people going with you know of your phobia? They'll be there to lend support at least, if they do. You'll be grand. And failing all else, drink yourself into a stupor and you won't even notice the flight.

LadyJ

Yeah, it's hard not to notice when someone is having a panic attack tbh! The boyf is coming with me to Prague and for the rest of my trips I have friends coming along and they all know too. However, I may have to take a flight to NY on my own which won't be pleasant. Also, I get freaked out no matter who's with me. Then they get scared. It's sh!t.

humanji

Well, no matter what I say, you'll still be scared until you get off the plane on the other side. But as someone who's been in the same position as you, I can assure you that you'll get through it.

Alternatively, you could try hypnosis. I know some people who've had good experiences with it and it might help reassure yourself.

sandy007

hi all.
I too am afraid of flying , but I love my holidays so much I will still brave it every year. I flew for 13 flights without a problem and on my 14th flight it just came out of nowhere and took over. I have resorted to taking xanax which do take the edge off, but last year we had a bad flight and I ended up taking 3 xanax and alcohol, where I totally lost out on a whole day and cannot remember it which would be fine only my hubby had 5 cases and 3 children to look after as I wasnt capable. When I realised the following day what I had done I promised my family no tablets on the return journey, and I just about managed it.
here are some links which I found to be of help.
I am thinking of going for hypnosis this time
http://www.changethatsrightnow.com/fear-of-flying.asp?SDID=124:1406

http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/

Trojan911

LadyJ wrote: »

So basically, I need all the encouragement I can get so that I won't chicken out and not take the flights. Lately the fear has been coming and going. Let's keep it gone!

Having just read your PI post, there is not much I can add to the help already offered. The only other advice I could suggest that you let the ground staff know of your fear when you check in. They may be able to relieve a bit of the anxiety with reassurance.

A friend of mine has the same fear & I flew to NY with him some time ago. What helped him was reading. His biggest issue was take off/landing.

This might help.

Good luck...

LadyJ

Ok, big day on Wednesday. I'm off to Prague. However, to my horror, I loaned my Allen Carr book to someone and they haven't returned it so I may not get a chance to reread it! Freaking out a bit tbh.

Not sure what I was thinking organising all these flights! I'm terrified!

humanji

Well I didn't see anything on the news, so I assume she got by alright

watna

humanji wrote: »

Well I didn't see anything on the news, so I assume she got by alright

I was thinking about her alright. I'm sure she's having a great time in Prague and it was all worth it!

We'll see on her return over the weekend!

LadyJ

Well hello all you concerned posters! Lol. Thanks for all the support. I got on ok. Not as fearless as I would have hoped but a damn sight better than my last flying experience. Take-off was the worst but the rest of the flight was fine and reasonably uneventful.

On the way back the seatbelt sign was turned on and I got a bit panicky but it turned out the pilot had to turn it on because he needed to take a piss.... :rolleyes:

I told the cabin crew I was a nervous flyer and they were very reassuring and kept coming over to tell me that everything was going fine. It's amazing how safe that made me feel. Anyway, glad it's over tbh but I'll be flying to London next month so that'll be challenge number 2. Hopefully it'll all go swimmingly!

watna

Glad you were ok. It sounds like you're on your way.

I didn't want to post up about it until I knew you were back but I had a bad experience on a plane last week. I was flying in to Stansted in high winds and the wings were tipping from side to side. I was by myself and can honestly say I've never been so terrified in my entire life. My heart was beating twice as fast and I had to keep taking deep breaths. I hurt my palms with nails I had clenched my fists so hard.

We landed fine but it took me about 30 minutes to get back to normal. The worst part was I had to get another flight on from Stansted. I was actually fine getting on the next plane which I was pleased about. I definitely think the plane nervousness is going down every time I fly. I'm sure it will be the same for you.

I think the imagined things are always worse so having a bumpy landing put things in perspective a little bit.

humanji

Well, well done. It'll get easier with experience.

Rashers

I know this won't help much, but worth thinking about anyway.

It's been proved statistically that you're more likely to die by being kicked to death by a donkey than to be killed in a plane accident.

Next thread.... fear of travelling by donkey.

humanji

Or fear of flying on a cargo plane full of donkeys!

WindSock

Thats great LadyJ, well done. Hopefully the mountain won't look as high now.

humanji

Especially when trying to fly over it. Boom boom!

watna

I'm flying to NZ next Thursday and the nervousness at such a long flight it starting to kick in with the excitement. We're splitting our journey so I have two flights on Thursday and then another 2 flights 2 weeks later.

I'm trying to talk myself around that long flights are no worse than short ones as it's the take-off and landing that are scary. I'm hoping will help. I'm not liking the idea of sitting in a plane seat for 12 hours. I think I might need some valium or something.:)

I can't understand why the older I get the more nervous I get. I flew from Dublin to LA by myself 4 years ago without batting an eyelid!

IamMetaldave

My Dad was telling me about a Horizon or one of them documentary programs had a special on flying.. They had a flight safety statistic that was; if you wanted to (for some crazy reason) guarantee yourself to be in a plane crash, you'd have to take a flight everyday for 24000 years, and even at that rate you have an 80% survival chance!

LadyJ

Yeah but statistics don't help because, although you know in your heart and soul how safe it is, at the end of the day, it is an irrational fear. Watna, I think you'll be fine. And if you're worried, you can always go to the doctor and perhaps he/she might prescribe something just in case.

IamMetaldave

That's totally true. It's one of the those fears that's very hard to deal with. Since flying is such a big thing now..

Have you ever tried hypnosis? Although, it's not something I'd do myself..

Rashers

Watna. If you spend some time (10 or 15 minutes a day maybe) over the next week just visualising the flight while thinking of yourself feeling very relaxed and enjoying the whole thing, it will help enormously.

As you think so do you feel.

Have a great time.

Poppy78

Well Lady J, are you over your fear yet. Please give hope to all us phobics and tell us you are going for your pilots license next.

Although I am not afraid of flying I have a long list of phobias that I am currently working through and could do with a bit of incentive right now.

LadyJ

Well I've flown to London and to Helsinki as well over the past couple of months and, I have to say, it's going great! Still a tad nervous but generally ok once I get into the air. Take-off is worst for me now but getting better each time.

I'm getting acoustomed to all the sounds and sensations that used to scare me and am now seriously hoping to go to New York and maybe even Barbados some time in the not so distant future. Long enough trips but I think I can handle it. I'm delighted tbh. The world is my oyster!

It was pretty encouraging on the way back from Finland btw. When we were coming into Dublin it got very, very shakey but I was ok with it. In fact, my friend (who is a bit afraid of flying but wouldn't be half as bad as myself) was terrified during the approach and landing so I know I must be doing well as I was quite calm.

Rashers

Poppy78 wrote: »

I have a long list of phobias that I am currently working through and could do with a bit of incentive right now.

Gradual exposure to what you fear. Start a daily journal (and keep to it daily) about your fears and successes and anything else you can think of. Practice muscle relaxation daily. Also practice calm rhythmic breathing, breathing right down into and from your diaphragm.

Be gentle with yourself.... be patient with yourself.

You can do it!

Banana_montana

Well done! I hate flying too but I get really excited landing.. love that part!
I just get freaked when the seatbelt sign is turned on hahaha it always gets me but sure it usually is for a silly reason.

I wish you all the luck in the world getting over your phobias!!
You will deffo achieve it!

watna

Rashers wrote: »

Gradual exposure to what you fear. Start a daily journal (and keep to it daily) about your fears and successes and anything else you can think of. Practice muscle relaxation daily. Also practice calm rhythmic breathing, breathing right down into and from your diaphragm.

Be gentle with yourself.... be patient with yourself.

You can do it!

I agree completely with the above advice.

Reward yourself for overcoming any small thing so you start to feel more positive about things.

You can always post here with a log if you want some support.