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I'm terrified of heights and flying on planes

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Posted 5/10/2007 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
I'm terrified of heights and flying planes. Last time I almost quit my boarding, took 4 tablets 0.25 of Xanax and still was trembling.. 10 years ago I didn't have fears like this, I get rid of my panic attacks, my anxiety is my less but I got this new problem.. Once I went to a restaurant on 20th floor, I did one step out from elevator and went back - I couldn't stay there. Any suggestions?
Posted 5/10/2007 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
I know about fear of heights, I'm terrified. I am okay on planes and in buildings (as long as I'm inside) though curiously. I think for me the fear is more about me falling from heights. I'm very afraid to drive on bridges and I cannot do any kind of rollercoaster or that sort of thing.

Do you see a therapist? You may want to look into cognitive behavior therapy, many people say that this type of therapy is very good for phobias since it trains you to think differently about situations.

Take Care
Posted 5/10/2007 3:18 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for reply, I didn't see any specialist yet - no time, spending all day at work and comute to work, and another reason - I don't have good insurance to cover. Also, for me it is little bit different. I'm not afraid of bridges at all, nor fall from somewhere, its just this feeling that I'm high somewhere, I feel dizzy and weak. Even if I'm in closed large building but on 20+ floor I feel that anxiety comes to my neck :-)  I would appreciate any suggestions on books, home therapy or CD programs. Thank you.
Posted 5/10/2007 3:33 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sure Lyn will come around soon but she does an online CBT program which I'm sure she'll be happy to share the website with you. I think she says she has done very well with the program.

Take Care
Posted 5/10/2007 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you, will look for Lyn :-)
Posted 5/10/2007 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
I don't like even being on a ladder anymore,so afraid of falling.Flying?? Forget it.If I can't drive to where i'm going forget that too.
Posted 5/10/2007 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
Ha, then you need help too smile) I know one thing, you cant avoid things you afraid of because you will be more afraid of them. When I moved to NY I was afraid to stay close to subway train, I couldn't pass narrow areas between wall and rails. I forced my self to stay close (not too close for safety reason, about 10 steps away), every week was walking one step closer one step closer. And now I'm totally fine. With planes I can't do this practice, I wish to fly one meter higher one meter higher smile but I know if I will avoid them I will be come totally phobic smile Another example: few years ago I had terrible panic attacks 3-4 times per week, night and day and they are gone (by the way, thanks for book "Hope and Help for your nerves" by Dr. Claire Weeks). Now another step - fight fear of heights. I know it is possible. Brain is twisted thing to understand, we have to put it in a right direction. Lets hope, dear SnowyLynne, that someone will answer with a good suggestion - maybe online program, or book - don't surrender yet!!! We will never be pilots, but we will rock the world with our courage! smile

Lana
Posted 5/10/2007 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hi lan and wecome to HW

It's funny that you say that you are afraid of heights because I to am, but not when it comes to flying as have logged over 600hrs of flying in my old bush plane here in Alaska and love it to death. I think the hardest thing for ppl is, is to get on the plane and taking off as you feel the force of the plane's engines pull you back in your seat but once airborne everything smooths out and it's just like riding on a bus with a great view and trust me your pilots have 1000's of hours logged in as well as training in all aspects of flight.

Cowboy up
Posted 5/10/2007 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
To many it's the enclosed space that's bothersome, but apparently not for you. I have heard of people conquering fear of heights/flights with hypnosis of all things.
Posted 5/10/2007 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for reply. Reply for Debaser - I bought a CD "Overcome The Fear of Flying" by Glenn Harrold - have read reviews on Amazon.com - should be good. Listening for 3 days, still no effect, don't feel that inner stability. Will see how will go later.
Reply to FreezinginAK: noop, I like take off and I LOVE landing! This is weird, but I like this feeling when finally I'm going back to Earth! :-) I affraid when I'm UP there, specially when turbulence. And I read articles that is safe transportation, still... When I'm on hard land I have a chance to escape, small chance to live after accident, but if I'm on a plane and something going wrong - that's it, probably if pilot will say "we have some problems, no worries" I will have a heart attack before he will finish sentence :-) And I'm only 32.. Shaking like a rabbit :-) Maybe it's all about fear of death?.. Don't know how to coop. I'm not religious, I don't believe in "everything in God's hands", and "other" life which is waiting for me.. sorry.. I'm spiritual, but no religion believe.
Posted 5/10/2007 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
Yes lan, I know what you mean by turbulence it can get rough up there at times just going though some of the mountain pass here can really throw you around with the winds blowing down on you and I have even had a few times that the head winds where so strong you could cut the motor down and fly backwards just from looking down at your shadow on the ground [img]/community/emoticons/yeah.gif[/img] haha

But even with an engine out the plane has a good glide ratio and can still land safely, and at 30,000 feet you my have 20 to 30 miles of glide and the pilot would find a good landing zone in that much time. The hardest landing I did I blew out my right wheel on a rock, good thing my ground speed was down as it just turned me around abit. I had to stuff it full of moss, clothes and what ever I could find just to take off again. [img]/community/emoticons/smile.gif[/img]

Cowboy up
Posted 5/11/2007 1:41 AM (GMT 0)
Not gonna ever catch me on a plane I have a sense of adventure but does not include that lol

Great thread Cowboy

Luvs ya and yahooooo
Cowgirl Is HAPPY .....adnd now going to bath and eat and go night noght be back on at 6 in the am if not before
lol
GOOD JOBBERS EHHHHHHH.
Posted 5/11/2007 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
Oh Lyn that nothing, you should see how we fly in on are goat and sheep hunts back then lol

We would fly in at full power pulling up on the stick and land on rock slides and the guy in the back seat would grab all the gear while I still had full power on and brakes on and once unloaded my buddy would turn the plane around and down I would go and re-land on the top and hike down for are base camp. First time I did this I though for sure I was going to do a crash landing but I made it fine.

Cowboy up
Posted 5/11/2007 3:05 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, that's cool! But I think small planes easier to handle, they can flow with a wind and land even with engine off, right? Big planes are different.. specially when they show crashes on TV, time to time it's happening... :-( Small planes can turn around, fly up and down fast, big planes - if bigger degree turn - boom, you are gone! It can't do twist in air.. But still, no way I could go on a small plane either, but I always wanted to go to Alaska, mostly to see white bears and whales... at least from far :-)
Posted 5/11/2007 3:49 PM (GMT 0)
Oh I think you would be surprised what a big plane can do in the air even without power and you don't just drop out of the sky like a rock. And when you do see a big plane land like that there wheels are up so they slide to a stop, well most of them lol but yes they can glide for miles and make turns as well and just before landing he will pull up and bring the air speed down to all most a stall speed, even in a chopper they can change the rotors as there going down so it gains speed and then will change the rotors back to push the air back down and land but it dosen't work out so well for the choppers but it will slow down enough for a hard landing but a survivable landing

Cowboy up
Posted 5/11/2007 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
When I was young 22 I flew to Spain,Also sky dived.I musta been nuts,LOL.
Posted 5/11/2007 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you. I really need some positive thinking and when next time I will fly (in 2 month I will have 10.5 hours non-stop trip New York-Helsinki and then another 2 hours to my home land) I will try to remember you, pilot-moderator from Healingwell.com :-) Honestly, i really appreciate your positive responses. And, since you are living in wonderful land, maybe you can send me a pic with your plane and beautiful landscape? It sounds like you are very facsinated about and i'm not a cat but curiousity killing me :-)

Thank you again.

 

   No problem lan glad I could help but I did remove your email addy as it opens up you to spamers

But can go to your profile and open it up there so only HW ppl can have it and yes I'll send you some pics as I got your email now

  Cowboy up

Post Edited By Moderator (freezinginAK) : 5/11/2007 12:31:34 PM (GMT-6)

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