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Terrified of flying, yet only way to get across country on vacation... driving, train, bus not an option for me. I'm ok until the take-off... that ZOOOOMMM straight up into the air angle.. my brain thinks "OH LORD HELP ME!" So then i'm ok for a while until my goofy brain starts thinking.... "I'M UP HIGH! THERE'S ONLY AIR SPACE UNDER THIS PLANE'S BELLY!" Worse of all is when we hit a little turbulence... "AAAAGHHH I'M GONNA DIE, SMASHED TO PIECES AND ALL MY SOUVENIRS AND VACATION PICS I'VE TAKEN LOST FOREVER!"
LOL sounds silly i know, but i have not one minute's peace until them wheels touch down, and i've tried everything from reading, praying, chatting with people, Valium.... but i do give myself credit! although being so darn afraid i keep going back flying each year for my New England vacation so maybe there's hope for me
Even as a kid I was nervous on planes, but really just for takeoff - I think the loud noise and being tilted away from the ground scared me. For my first semester in college I took puddle jumpers home, and one day there was really bad turbulence that made me terrified every time I have to take a plane.
Reading and music help. I wish we were allowed to have the music player on during takeoff because I think that would really help me. As soon as I'm in the air - and there's no turbulence - I'm usually okay. But then, it could be the Xanax. It often makes me sleepy by the time the plane has leveled off and I doze. (One flight a few years ago I was startled awake because the plane was shaking and my brain was like, "OMG turbulence! No! Panic time!" and then I looked out the window and saw that we'd just touched down.)
I also have used puzzle books, or try to write something in a notebook to distract myself, like name all the states in alphabetical order. Sometimes with reading, my eyes can just glaze over on the page and my mind starts thinking about all the strange noises coming out of the engine. Working on something is a better distraction for my brain.
I also try to look at passengers that aren't afraid, and it sort of adjusts my panic level a little. I've noticed that with some of my other fears - if someone's there with me and isn't afraid, it's not as bad.
I wish the pilot would speak more to the passengers and explain what's happening. On that one really bad flight in college, they did warn us at the start that it might be a bit bumpy, but he never said anything after that. I can't help but think if he'd come on the speaker and said something like, "Yup, it's bumpy right now, and we're sorry about that, but everything's just fine," that my brain would have panicked a bit less. Or even to warn when they'll be turning - I always have a fear that when the plane starts to tilt, that it'll just keep going until it flips over.
Once there was this one guy next to me on a flight who was asleep when I took my seat, asleep during all of takeoff, and asleep during the flight. I was amazed and jealous.
I do that, too. If there's turbulence or something I look first at the flight attendants, If they look calm, I feel better.
Watch the online movie, I get excited when the food cart comes along, (Gives me something to do with my mouth)
Read magazines, look out the window...as long as we are still up in the air, i'll be fine.
I do that, too. If there's turbulence or something I look first at the flight attendants, If they look calm, I feel better.
Once I was on a flight in the front row, and the attendants seats were facing us. One of the attendants looked nervous & I swear I heard her tell the other one that flying makes her nervous. Wrong profession lady!
I like to hum any ol' 'Son's of the Pioneers' song that pops up in my head. If that doesn't calm me down, I'll pop up and turn around in my seat and stare at the people in the rows behind me. Usually the looks on their faces makes me think, "hey, my trip apparently isn't going quite as bad as some of these nervous Nellies". Then I usually can fall asleep there with my head on the top of the seat, the waitresses will generally leave me be until its time to zoom in for the landing. While that's happening, I'll chew on a pillow to help muffle my screams.
I'm not afraid of flying, but two things help me. One is that I quite often stay up all night the night before a flight and then end up sleeping all the way to my destination because I'm so tired. (Note: This can affect the first day or two of a vacation!)
The other thing that really helps me be calm and drown out noises I don't want to listen to is listening to music on an MP3 player.
I used to love flying, but now it's pretty stressful, crowded, and no peanuts! What's with that?!
I stare at things that are normal like shoes or books to begin a meditative state. I can't relax by muting out the sounds of the flight, so music or movies won't work for me. I used to suffer from panic attacks and found that finding a 'center' really works. Looking at myself in the mirror, feeling the details of fabric, or petting an animal all brought that. Rubbing my feet mid flight does the same. Basically, I use kinesthetics to induce a calm state.
That, and I now love the train....
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