Has Anyone Cured their Fear of flying?

barbiedoll

colleensims wrote: »

Love this thread.

I have a big fear of flying. Went on a plane for the first time when I was 17 (now 27) and have been on one almost every year since but I literally hate it! Even if I see a plane outside and I have my feet firmly on the ground I feel sorry and emotional for the people on board. I love our holiday when I get there but the plane journey ruins the excitement for me. I am flying to America again in June and although I should be excited, I feel like I am preparing to die.
We got a dog in November,he is like my baby, I feel that I am putting myself in danger by going on holiday and my husband and I might not come home and see him again.
When we go on a plane, I always tell my mum and friends what to do with my house, car and belongings if I die:eek: Its like I fully expect to die.
The worst things for me are.......
1)Waiting at the airport. I end up needing the toilet (I dont mean a wee) about 10 times before take off, It has a massive laxative effect on me!
2)My husband love to go to the airport and enjoy a massive breakfast and stuff before the flight. This annoys me as I am thinking 'whats the point of eating if we are going to die anyway'.....stupid I know!
3)As someone mentioned, with every sucessful trip (one where we havent crashed) I am always thinking the odds become more likely that you will have an accident.
4) I HATE HATE HATE takeoff. The noises, the angle of the plane. I usually put sunglasses on and cry. I get worse with everytrip.
5) I look around me and get everyone else doesnt look concerned. This annoys me even more as it makes me feel like a complete idiot.
6) I am constantly on the lookout for secret signals between the crew and pilots. If one goes into the flightdeck I start to worry that there is something wrong when in reality the pilots are just having a drink taken to them or somethings.
7) I hate a love/hate feeling for the pilot. I want to hug and kiss the pilot when we have landed safely, but if I spot the pilot going to toilet during the flight, I feel sick.
8) I cant believe they dont have parachutes onboard!!!!!! What good is a life jacket going to doing when you are thousands of feet in the air flying across America?

I shall stop writing now as the list goes on and on and on. I just want to enjoy my holiday!! Any pilots on here, with any facts that will make me feel better? thanks

Love this post, it made me laugh out loud!
I can totally relate to the parachute thing....my brother once told me that the only reason that they give you brightly coloured lifejackets is so that they can find the bodies after a crash! :eek:
If you could buy parachutes for domestic flights, I would have one!

And I love the bit about hating the pilot if he goes to the loo, I'm always thinking "what if the co-pilot has a heart attack right now"

As for the secret signals between the cabin crew......I spend most of the flight watching the crew closely. Of course, there are lots of things which will make them frown or look worried. They would probably look a bit worried if they ran out of peanuts or tonic water!

I blame Hollywood myself, they make too many disaster movies!

sassyblue

suki1001 wrote: »

I've always avoided flying. Missed my sister's wedding, and I've only flown twice.

Now my job can include trips away if I want, they're all expenses, but the thought just turns my stomach. I'd love to more than anything, but my fear of flying stops me taking these opportunities. I feel so lucky to have these opportunities, but i just hate flying more than anything.

I'm hopefully starting cbt soon, which will cover this, but I's like to know if anyone has cured their fear of flying and if so, how did they do it?

I hate feeling like this, my children have only been abroad once, but my phobia is crippling.

This is not helpful to you but.... I 'cured' mine by looking at flight radar 24 website. It shows you all the flights happening at that time. I looked at the European map and it was flooded with flights and l thought you have got to be very unlucky if your flight ever crashes. I think l read somewhere there's over 30,000 flights in the world per day? If you get a chance that website is really interesting, we see big jets going over and the website tells you where they've come from, where they're going, what height they're at, etc.

I still scare myself silly but I'll fly...
Your fear is more height and sensation, I'm not sure what to suggest to help sorry.

sassyblue

colleensims wrote: »

The worst things for me are.......
1)Waiting at the airport. I end up needing the toilet (I dont mean a wee) about 10 times before take off, It has a massive laxative effect on me!
2)My husband love to go to the airport and enjoy a massive breakfast and stuff before the flight. This annoys me as I am thinking 'whats the point of eating if we are going to die anyway'.....stupid I know!
3)As someone mentioned, with every sucessful trip (one where we havent crashed) I am always thinking the odds become more likely that you will have an accident.
4) I HATE HATE HATE takeoff. The noises, the angle of the plane. I usually put sunglasses on and cry. I get worse with everytrip.
5) I look around me and get everyone else doesnt look concerned. This annoys me even more as it makes me feel like a complete idiot.
6) I am constantly on the lookout for secret signals between the crew and pilots. If one goes into the flightdeck I start to worry that there is something wrong when in reality the pilots are just having a drink taken to them or somethings.
7) I hate a love/hate feeling for the pilot. I want to hug and kiss the pilot when we have landed safely, but if I spot the pilot going to toilet during the flight, I feel sick.
8) I cant believe they dont have parachutes onboard!!!!!! What good is a life jacket going to doing when you are thousands of feet in the air flying across America?

I shall stop writing now as the list goes on and on and on. I just want to enjoy my holiday!! Any pilots on here, with any facts that will make me feel better? thanks

Oh god that made me :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: but l agree on every point. I still do no.6!!

lori64

I have never flown before. Its not the crashing aspect that freaks me out, though how a huge plane stays in the sky, i just dont know! Its getting air sick that I cant handle, as i have a vomit phobia, if I feel sick I panic and need to go for a walk to calm me down. Now, I couldnt do that in a plane, and also, if food was being served on board, I couldnt handle the smell and want to throw up!! I would like to overcome this, but it looks like its keeping my feet on the ground for me as far as holidays go. I just cant take the chance that i may feel ok.....but then again, not!

Gloomendoom

Getting air sick isn't part and parcel of flying. I get travel sick at the drop of a hat but have never, ever been sick on a plane... and I've been on lots of planes.

trolleyrun

Just a few quick words as I've got to go flying

The parachute issue. Let me put it this way: Can you imagine how approx 200 people who've never used a parachute would get on with using one? For that matter, the doors cannot be opened whilst in flight. They are locked and 1000 strong horses wouldn't be able to open them.

The pilots have to go to the loo as well, I'm afraid. Usually, because they've drunk copious amounts of tea/coffe/water. Both pilots are trained the same and nothing bad will happen in the few minutes one goes to the toilet.

There are no secret signals between pilots and crew. There are a lot of bings and bongs (noises) onboard, but it's supposed to be like that. Depending on the aircraft, one "bing-bong" is crew calling each other, for example from the front to the back. A double "bing-bong" is the pilot calling the crew, usually for something to eat or (yet another ) cup of tea. Cabin crew use a lot of hand signals to each other during cabin service, but these involve "can you get me more Water (a W made with the thumbs together), Coffee (a C made with thumb and index finger), Tea (a T made with both index fingers), Milk (a fist squeezed together in a milking a cow motion) etc etc. A "V" is the signal for needing a vegetarian meal See, it's perfectly innocent.

I've got to go now, but will try to write more once I'm back

colleensims

barbiedoll wrote: »

Love this post, it made me laugh out loud!
I can totally relate to the parachute thing....my brother once told me that the only reason that they give you brightly coloured lifejackets is so that they can find the bodies after a crash! :eek:
If you could buy parachutes for domestic flights, I would have one!

And I love the bit about hating the pilot if he goes to the loo, I'm always thinking "what if the co-pilot has a heart attack right now"

As for the secret signals between the cabin crew......I spend most of the flight watching the crew closely. Of course, there are lots of things which will make them frown or look worried. They would probably look a bit worried if they ran out of peanuts or tonic water!

I blame Hollywood myself, they make too many disaster movies!

Haha. I can laugh about it now from the comfort of my bed but I tell you at the beginning of june a few weeks before i go on a plane will probably lose 2 stone from constantly going to the loo!!!-Its the best holiday diet there is!!!

Dont like the though of the lifejacket thing! That horrifies me:eek:
Haha about the pilot. I am always worried that they will have a heart attack too! I have been known to lookout for our pilots and if I think I spot them, I give them a full medical with my eyes!!! They must think im a looney!!:rotfl:

In Sept 12 I flew to Newyork, it was horrific. The plane was jolting everywhere and I was crying my eyes out. I looked around me and there were people reading magazines and people trying to go to sleep. I felt like shouting....'WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL DOING? WE ARE ALL ABOUT TO DIE!!!!! :rotfl:

Think I would have been locked up!!

Dunroamin

tanith wrote: »

I've read this thread through and most of the people who are afraid of flying have actually flown some many times so you have overcome your fear. How do you deal with someone who has never flown and knows that the fear will always prevent them from doing so. They will not even try because the fear of crashing is so great it is overwhelming and means they can't even try to overcome the fear because that means they may get in a plane that may crash. It sounds mad to me too but thats how my OH describes it to me. Its such a shame as he would love to do it but its a crippling fear and he just can't help himself.

I'd just accept his phobia and find ways to go abroad without flying, as I've done for the last 40 years.

Gloomendoom

Good point. My wife and I were trying to see if we could get to Perth in Australia without flying and we reckon it's possible although, so far, we have only got the route planned as far as Singapore by train. It will have to be boat from there though.

The main problem is the time it takes. If we do it, we will be flying back.

CustardAndPickles

Another "frightened of flying" person here!
I've been really really unlucky with my flights, I've hit turbulence (bad enough for the flight attendants to be told to take their seats) on the return leg of my last three flights. You'd think that having been through it that many times, I'd be able to think "well, I know from experience it'll be okay" but actually I just end up being even more scared and thinking "this time it's gonna get me!"

For people who are really, really scared of flying, the S.O.A.R. course is meant to be good (I think it comes up if you google soar fear of flying). It's run by a pilot and it's videos, telephone conference calls and a personal phone call or two. It's expensive but you can sign up for their free emails which have helpful tips and thoughts in. They go on the basis that the fear of flying, if you're someone who is boarding on having a phobia about it, is actually more likely to do with something else, and approach it from that angle. It's got a good track record and just reading the stuff on their site has helped me a bit.