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That is correct. Even if all is going well, I will never be able to relax because I know, or feel, that the minute I let my guard down, there will be something that either is, or at least, sounds, catastrophic. I cannot imagine living through that for 5 hours, I never flew more than 3 hrs before. There is just too much time up in the air for NOTHING to go wrong. In all honesty, I shouldn't be going. But as I said, I would never put my children on a plane without me there.
I can think of all the positive thoughts I want and it feels like I can do it. But all of this thinking will fly out the window (what a bad choice of words) once I strip on that pane and count down the 5 hours, minute by minute as I wait for something horrible to happen. I never thought I had that much of a problem but as I read what I am writing, I sound like a lunatic. Yet, what I think can happen, has happened to others before and may happen to me. That slight possibility is what completely parodies me. I cannot see how any type of therapy could ever help me because that possibility of something going wrong can, and might happen. Nothing could ever change that, and therefore, my feelings toward flying.
That is correct. Even if all is going well, I will never be able to relax because I know, or feel, that the minute I let my guard down, there will be something that either is, or at least, sounds, catastrophic. I cannot imagine living through that for 5 hours, I never flew more than 3 hrs before. There is just too much time up in the air for NOTHING to go wrong. In all honesty, I shouldn't be going. But as I said, I would never put my children on a plane without me there.
I can think of all the positive thoughts I want and it feels like I can do it. But all of this thinking will fly out the window (what a bad choice of words) once I strip on that pane and count down the 5 hours, minute by minute as I wait for something horrible to happen. I never thought I had that much of a problem but as I read what I am writing, I sound like a lunatic. Yet, what I think can happen, has happened to others before and may happen to me. That slight possibility is what completely parodies me. I cannot see how any type of therapy could ever help me because that possibility of something going wrong can, and might happen. Nothing could ever change that, and therefore, my feelings toward flying.
i still say you should take a few flying lessons. have the instructor teach you how an airplane flies, with practical experience, and that will alleviate most of your phobias to the point where you will at least tolerate flying. then the more you do it, the less power your phobias will have over you.
That is correct. Even if all is going well, I will never be able to relax because I know, or feel, that the minute I let my guard down, there will be something that either is, or at least, sounds, catastrophic. I cannot imagine living through that for 5 hours, I never flew more than 3 hrs before. There is just too much time up in the air for NOTHING to go wrong. In all honesty, I shouldn't be going. But as I said, I would never put my children on a plane without me there.
I can think of all the positive thoughts I want and it feels like I can do it. But all of this thinking will fly out the window (what a bad choice of words) once I strip on that pane and count down the 5 hours, minute by minute as I wait for something horrible to happen. I never thought I had that much of a problem but as I read what I am writing, I sound like a lunatic. Yet, what I think can happen, has happened to others before and may happen to me. That slight possibility is what completely parodies me. I cannot see how any type of therapy could ever help me because that possibility of something going wrong can, and might happen. Nothing could ever change that, and therefore, my feelings toward flying.
Go for the drug option, then.
I used to wish I could just be put under general anesthesia for the duration of the flight. Airlines should offer that service.
You also might want to volunteer at a child's cancer ward or hospice (you'll find that not everyone in hospice is old)... might speed up the process of figuring out how silly your fears of using air transportation really are.
OP, I have the same problem as you. The only difference is that I've NEVER flown before. For me, it's 3 things: I'm afraid of heights, hate the loss of control and am claustrophobic. Family members around the country are upset that I refuse to get on a plane to visit them.
I fail to see where flying is a silly irrational fear. We aren't birds, you know. Just because the technology exists doesn't mean we should be up there. For those of you who aren't afraid, congratulations. You're just braver than the rest of us, I guess.
Regarding statistics, I understand that there are far less air incidents that road incidents. However, as the OP pointed out, there's still a better chance of survival on the road in the case of a crash.
Interestingly enough, the people who tell me "when it's your time to go, it's your time to go" are the same ones who object to me buying a motorcycle.
PS: flying isn't a necessity. It just gets you to your destination faster. What did humans do before airplanes were invented?
........Since I cannot stand Whoopie Goldberg, I will skip the video but thanks anyway.
Glad to see there are at least 2 of us !!
I haven't flown for over 30 years. If I need to travel somewhere far from home, I add a few days to my trip and take a bus or train. There is nothing wrong with not wanting to fly. If you don't want to fly, then don't.
OP, I have the same problem as you. The only difference is that I've NEVER flown before. For me, it's 3 things: I'm afraid of heights, hate the loss of control and am claustrophobic. Family members around the country are upset that I refuse to get on a plane to visit them.
i also have acrophobia(fear of heights), but that only manifests itself when i am close to the ground. for instance, i cant look out over the hoover dam without my acrophobia kicking in, but i can be in an airplane at 35,000ft, and have no issue looking out the window at the ground far far below.
i also dislike the lack of control i have when flying, but i realize that the pilots in the cockpit are very experienced pilots, and at least the captain is type rated, so he knows the quirks of the aircraft he is commanding.
and i too have a touch of claustrophobia, though i can easily control that.
Quote:
I fail to see where flying is a silly irrational fear. We aren't birds, you know. Just because the technology exists doesn't mean we should be up there. For those of you who aren't afraid, congratulations. You're just braver than the rest of us, I guess.
there again, it isnt bravery, so much as we trust the technology, and the people operating the technology, and some of us understand the technology as well. i for one understand how an airplane flies. i also understand that and airplane wants to fly.
Quote:
Regarding statistics, I understand that there are far less air incidents that road incidents. However, as the OP pointed out, there's still a better chance of survival on the road in the case of a crash.
Interestingly enough, the people who tell me "when it's your time to go, it's your time to go" are the same ones who object to me buying a motorcycle.
PS: flying isn't a necessity. It just gets you to your destination faster. What did humans do before airplanes were invented?
yes its true that the chances of surviving a severe auto accident are indeed better than surviving and airline crash, thats a given. but in terms of miles flown vs miles driven, the automobile has a far far higher fatality rate than aircraft do.
one more thing to consider, right now when an airliner crashes, it makes the front page of the newspapers, and broadcast and news channels make a big deal about the crash, covering it for days before they move onto something else. it when airline crashes become so common that the story is buried somewhere in section d page 8 at the bottom right and corner of the page, and the tv people talk about upcoming events in the next hour say something like, "in the news the president pushed for this piece of legislation before congress to day, in sports the yankees traded their top rookie first baseman for a relief pitcher, and a botanist has come up with a new strain of rose, oh and an airliner crashed in los angeles today, 500 dead, dave back to you", then i would worry.
i also have acrophobia(fear of heights), but that only manifests itself when i am close to the ground. for instance, i cant look out over the hoover dam without my acrophobia kicking in, but i can be in an airplane at 35,000ft, and have no issue looking out the window at the ground far far below.
It depends for me. I can be in a high-rise and drive across a bridge without a problem. If I walk across a bridge without a guardrail, I'll make it across, but I won't look down.
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Originally Posted by rbohm
i also dislike the lack of control i have when flying, but i realize that the pilots in the cockpit are very experienced pilots, and at least the captain is type rated, so he knows the quirks of the aircraft he is commanding.
Yeah, but they're still human. I'm reminded of Air France 447, where the co-pilot made that fatal error of leaving the nose of the plane pitched up as they were falling to the ocean below. There has been other incidents similar to this, as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rbohm
there again, it isnt bravery, so much as we trust the technology, and the people operating the technology, and some of us understand the technology as well. i for one understand how an airplane flies. i also understand that and airplane wants to fly.
It's hard to trust the technology when there are so many people involved in its maintenance. I'm reminded of Japan Airlines 123 and Alaska Airlines 261. These weren't the only cases, either. I don't want to be in a tube thinking how one person's negligence can doom our entire plane.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rbohm
yes its true that the chances of surviving a severe auto accident are indeed better than surviving and airline crash, thats a given. but in terms of miles flown vs miles driven, the automobile has a far far higher fatality rate than aircraft do.
Understandable. I just like having the ground directly under me at all times lol. Moreover, I'd rather be in an accident/crash that takes seconds over one where I'd have a lot of time to think about my upcoming death. Imagine the horror at falling to the ground under intense g-forces. Scary.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rbohm
one more thing to consider, right now when an airliner crashes, it makes the front page of the newspapers, and broadcast and news channels make a big deal about the crash, covering it for days before they move onto something else. it when airline crashes become so common that the story is buried somewhere in section d page 8 at the bottom right and corner of the page, and the tv people talk about upcoming events in the next hour say something like, "in the news the president pushed for this piece of legislation before congress to day, in sports the yankees traded their top rookie first baseman for a relief pitcher, and a botanist has come up with a new strain of rose, oh and an airliner crashed in los angeles today, 500 dead, dave back to you", then i would worry.
Believe me, I agree that it's the safest form of transportation. It just doesn't change the thought that I might be on one of those rare ill-fated flights one day.
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