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I disagree. I think Xanax can definitely help. It doesn't solve the problem by itself, but it's a great tool. By eliminating the physical symptoms (which can often be the most horrific and consuming part of a panic attack), you are better able to focus your attention on your breathing and trying to overcome the irrational thoughts. Without meds, you're tensed up and feel like your heart is pounding out of your chest and your head is going to explode, you have very little chance to control breathing and logical, rational thinking.
I travel frequently, and used to need xanax before every takeoff and again before every landing. By doing so, I was able to listen to guided breathing and meditation recordings, and gradually became more and more relaxed and comfortable with flying. I've weaned myself off of most of the xanax, though I do keep it on hand if I know it's going to be a particularly turbulent flight or if I'm already anxious about other things.
By the way, if you travel frequently and you take xanax on every trip, the tolerance can build up pretty quickly.
Xanax definitely help, but the fear doesn't automatically go away completely.
I didn't say the fear automatically goes away. I said it gets the physical symptoms (the pounding heart, muscle tension, etc.) out of the way so that I can focus on controlling my breathing and my irrational thoughts. The xanax helps make it possible for me to work on lessening the fear.
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Originally Posted by GoodHombre
How much is your dosage? Do you do re-dose? I've heard that some people take enough Xanax to black out.
I haven't flown for almost two years to the point that I don't quite remember my flight experience with Xanax. When I took a lot of Xanax on a long-haul flight, I couldn't recall my flight experience two days later. It wasn't a black out, but it just escaped my memory.
Mine is relatively low (0.25, I think? since I don't take it frequently, I don't need a large dose for it to be effective). I do re-dose if it's a long flight (an hour before departure and usually 30-60 minutes or so before landing). I DEFINITELY don't take enough to black out. Not even close. I want to be able to function. I just take enough to control the aforementioned involuntary physical responses.
I didn't fly until after I was married. Didn't like the turbulence. But I had married an active traveler and I was intent to fly.
I found flying as far forward in the plane is less bumpy, but you still feel bad turbulence.
About 20 years ago I went to a party and met a pilot. I told him about my dread of turbulence. He told me to look at the flight path the same as a road I drive on. He said turbulence is like hitting potholes on a road. And he reminded me that when I drive and hit a pothole, my car is not going to tip over or go careening off the road. Same with a plane, the pilot said.
So when we hit turbulence now, I just think, man there's a lot of potholes on this road.
Visualization worked for me, too, but I imagine that I am on an amusement park ride. A drink doesn't hurt, either.
I had to fly from Detroit to Las Vegas back in 2008 after a hiatus of twenty years. I was pretty scared, seeing as how 9/11 and other lesser terrorist acts had occurred on flights in the meantime, not to mention a few major crashes. Since I'm a Christian I prayed a lot and I had someone load some Southern Gospel type music onto the iPod that I used back then so that I could listen to it to calm my nerves during the flight.
Imagine my dismay when, as soon as we got in the air an old spiritual entitled, "I'm Getting Ready to Leave This World" started playing, lol.
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