Has Anyone Cured their Fear of flying?

Welshwoofs

I have an extreme phobia towards flying - to the point where I've run off planes missing holidays and business trips.

Things that I've tried:

* CBT - didn't work.
* Hypnotherapy x 2 - didn't work
* Meditation - didn't work
* British Airways 'Fear of Flying' course - spent the flight curled up on the floor of the galley crying
* Diazepam - would relax me right up until the point I was on the plane and then I'd freak out

I hit paydirt with a combination of alot of Zopiclone (sleeping pills) plus the liberal application of vodka. Naturally it's not recommended and possibly even dangerous...but it zonks me out enough to stand a short flight.

claire16c

karen310 wrote: »

I was like this , honestly , I used to hold the arms of the seats during take off , and convince myself that the plane getting off the ground dependended on me doing this and concentrating :rotfl:, it sounds bizarre , but thats how irrational it makes you.

At my worst , I couldnt turn pages of a magazine over because I somehow thought the plane might tip.
I also thought that the noises eg bells and buzzers were a secret signal to the cabin crew that we were about to plummet to the ground !!( I now know they signal the meal is ready , or the captain wants a brew) .

Unless you have such an irrational fear yourself , it is hard to understand , but the Allen Carr book really helped. I have had valium and alcohol in the past , but I was still scared , but dopey as well , I would rather have my wits about me !.

I sometimes have thoughts like that on a plane but I don't think it's so much to do with flying, more a form of OCD as I can have irrational thoughts in general sometimes.

I'd been on countless flights & I've only been on one that scared me, flying from Fiji to Hawaii in the night so basically all over the sea, in the pitch black which I don't like, and horrendous turbulence. They couldn't serve any food because of it and the cabin crew had to sit down. Most of the passengers were asleep, apart from me & DH - I was gripping the arm rest, and sometimes him so he was kept awake too. I couldn't take my mind off it so the only thing I could think to do was count. Then eventually the flight would be over. I counted to 60 over and over in my head, up until around 20 I think. The turbulence went on for hours.

When we arrived everyone was pulling off their eye masks looking rested. I wanted to scream at them how the hell did you sleep through that!! And run off the plane lol! The pilot apologised for such a bumpy ride not that it was his fault.

I was about to fall asleep just as the turbulence started but I'm a light sleep so it would have woken me anyway but it did make me think maybe next time on a night flight ill take a sleeping pill.

What made me feel better was a show I watched where a pilot said planes are able to withstand the forces from doing a loop the loop so turbulence is nothing. Oh and watch the flight attendants faces.

Dunroamin

As my flying phobia means that I haven't flown since 1973 I can't offer any advice but I have lots of information about travelling around Europe by coach and train.

Loz01

I can absolutely relate to this thread as I HATE flying and for some reason it's only gotten worse over the past few years. As a kid I went on holiday abroad loads of times and never had a single worry or concern (the joy of innocence) - now Im just irrational and crazy :rotfl: and the thought of going on a plane makes me feel sick.

Mine's also to do with motion sickness. If I'm in my own car and driving, Im fine. If Im a passenger, bring on the nausea. Same with trains. Coaches/buses are the worst.

I know there's more chance of getting abducted by aliens or being in a motorway smash up than being in a plane crash BUT I feel like if Im in my own car then I'm somewhat in control and that's what scares me about being on a plane I think.

What is this Allen Carr book, is it any good?

suki1001

Wow - I'm not the only one then!

It's funny how we can laugh at some of our irrational habits after (some of it anyway) - but at the time it's the worst thing ever.

Thank you for sharing your stories and advice everyone and I will let you know if I find anything bar trying the Mr T method!

Hang_Tight_Harry

I am nervous when flying. I had to take a solo flight and was looking for help on the net, when I come across an online fear of flying course, written by an experienced pilot, totally free. It helped me no end and I did two solo flights.

I can't give you the link but the web address is www. fear of flying help. com. Remove the spaces in the address and voila!

make_me_wise

I am fine with flying but I cannot get on any type of boat following a nasty experience. Anyone got any ideas how to cure that phobia?

cabbage

Hi

I flew regularly for many years and then all of a sudden I had a fear of flying. This lasted 17 years until I realised I was spoiling it for my kids. We travelled by train to France and Spain but it took ages. It was also eating into other areas eg I couldn't do shows where they put you in a holding area before going through, or worse lock you in eek. I got to the stage I wouldn't lock a toilet door for fear of being trapped. It was also affecting bus and train journeys if it was busy.

In the end I went on the virgin flying without fear course. I had to NLP before I could even book on the course as I would have a panic attack. It was great and covered every fear imaginable. I did a flight and have been ok since. I had a top up NLP/ EFT treatment before my first long flight to America. It uncovered all sorts of things I was frightened of.

Now I fly all over. I've been back to America and I am flying to Barbados in September and can't wait to board that plane.

It's helped me with the rest of the stuff that bothered me too. I will be honest and sometimes my heart skips a beat if the loo lock doesn't open straight away but it's only a minor thing and I can get on with my life free of the things that were holding me back.

We had people on my course that were fearful of turbulence, changes in altititude, landing, take off in fact everything and out of about 80 people, 78 flew on the day. The other 2 had 1-2-1 help.

I can't recommend it enough!

geri1965_2

I am scared of flying, haven't flown since 2008 when I experienced my first ever turbulence. It was only 10 minutes or so and although I was nervous, I was coping until people around me started screaming. I thought "this can't be normal, why are they screaming?" and I became convinced that we were going to crash and I would die.

I spent the rest of the flight watching the staff to see if they look scared, I figured if they were relaxed and happy looking there is not much to worry about. Hate it when the seatbelt light comes on. The feeling of relief when we landed was palpable!

I think I will fly again, but I don't think I am ever going to be able to properly relax and conquer my fears.

Dunroamin

make_me_wise wrote: »

I am fine with flying but I cannot get on any type of boat following a nasty experience. Anyone got any ideas how to cure that phobia?

I have that too (moving to the Isle of Wight was a baaaad idea!). I recommend only travelling in good weather and in large boats, with the aid of tranquillizers and alcohol.

Eurotunnel/Eurostar are godsends.