scared to fly....what helps?

Hi aic, to the best of my knowledge Xanax is a good choice for shot-term, acute anxiety treatment. However, since you are mixing herbals and rx PLEASE consult with your dr. about possible interactions...even natural suppliments can have side effects. Be careful with Kava Kava, as is can be hard on the liver for some that are sensitive to it. Make sure to give a complete list of everything you are taking to your doc.

Also check out our Anxiety Resource Guide (main page 3rd post) It has some links to sites that teach some easy breathing and relaxation exercises that you can learn and use during your flight. I have flown twice this year, and found that these really help!

I hope that you have a good trip, with as little anxiety as possible:)
Scaredy Cat

I sympathize with your plight. I used to be terrified of flying. If I knew an air trip was approaching I'd begin freaking out weeks, sometime months, prior. Xanax usually took the edge off, but I still felt icy cold fear. No more. I was in Los Angeles for business and came out of the hotel shower. The TV was on, and there was a public service ad warning all to be prepared for "the big one." They were referring to a massive earthquake. Then I began noticing public service announcements warning of quakes everywhere---TV, radio, magazines, billboards, on buses, in newspapers. I realized that scientists were predicting a massively destructive quake for sometime in the next 20 years....and then I did the math. If I was in LA for four days, my chances were less than one in 2000 that I'd be there the day of that quake. Then I realized my odds of being involved in an air disaster were almost 700,000 to one. I couldn't live in LA and be in constant fear; and I knew I was much safer in the sky. For some reason this simple understanding quelled my fear of flying and, while I do not relish each flight, I cabn easily handle it. But don't get me satarted on helicopters.

Hey AIC, the only other thing that I can think of that might help, may not be any help at all, in which case please feel free to ignore me;)

I realized with my health anxiety, and anxiety of things that felt out of my control, that it was all indeed, control-centered. I am uneasy about most things that I can't directly affect by my own will. For instance, I can do a ropes course 100 ft up in the trees. I can walk the shaking ladders, tight ropes, and switch carabiner connections like a champion...but the free-fall zip line? Uh-uh, no-no! Nearly lost all bodily functions on that part, because I had absoluetly no control at that point.

There came a part of my recovery that I discovered that I needed to get over this issue to some degree, if I was to get better. I started to repeat to myself things like "What if I become sick, faint, whatever? I can't change anything by worrying or not worrying about it"

I also used this when I was flying. I repeated the mantra "I can't control anything but my own thinking, and I am going to choose to let go of this worry." I realized that whatever was going to happen was going to happen whether I was stressing about it or not...so I choose not! It was strangely freeing. Was I still nervous with the pit of my stomach sensation upon take off and landing? Sure, I mean I was still in a plane after all, but it was manageable.

This may, like I said, make you feel better, or worse...I hope better, but I know this way of thinking is not going to work for everyone, so do with it what you will:)

Take care,

S.C.