Remeron + ? Haven't flown in 20+ years - HELP ME

The “active ingredient” for overcoming phobias is exposure to feared triggers. It’s important to note that avoidance keeps your phobia alive and intense.

With fear of flying, there is a huge component of anticipatory anxiety, or the fear experienced in anticipation of taking a flight. Any successful treatment will help fearful fliers manage anticipatory anxiety (because many people avoid planning flights, or they just cancel them) as well as during a flight.

Newer treatments for fear of flying involve traditional methods of cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, tailored to flying. Therapy includes techniques for managing anxiety, such as diaphragmatic breathing, to use while on the flight. People who are sensitized to bodily sensations during take-off, landing, or turbulence are desensitized to these triggers.

Try and take short flights at the beginning, 30 minutes flight for example and increase the time slowly until you are able to stay for hours in a plane without panicking.

Flying can be an unique experience and full of excitement but only if you can manage to overcome your fears.

I wish you all the best!

I'm 67 years old and have NEVER been on a plane! No one can believe it when I tell them. Didn't have much opportunity to fly when I was younger but now there's no excuse....other than my overwhelming fear. On the surface I don't have that same fear when I think about flying as I used to...maybe it's because I have so much anxiety anyway, being on a plane would just be another of the anxiety provoking situations I've somehow made it through during my life. But, then again, I'm not scheduled to take any flights so who knows how I would really react....probably running out of the airport at 100mph LOL

Wow, great group. Thanks so much for the warm welcome and thoughtful comments.
I agree that avoidance just feeds the fear. Over the years, I've also struggled with driving on the
highway, being a passenger in a car, and still fear heights and being in tall buildings.

I found some success with exposure therapy with riding in a car and heights. In those cases,
a gradual exposure was possible and there was always an escape. With flying, there is no quick escape.
Also, I tell myself that I am so high in the air moving at 500mph, the negative G's of dropping suddenly, it all just overwhelms me.

I, like most people, fear the panic attack more than the reality of the situation. People who have actually experienced attacks understand the feeling of having a heart attack, of not being able to breathe, depersonalization (really from hyperventilating), general feeling like they are going to die. Luckily for me I don't not have these out of the blue like others, mine are situation based, and the avoidance provides short term relief, but obviously not good in the long run. I hate being limited by my irrational fears.
I'm 44 and have a daughter with whom I'd like to travel with and experience the world. I'm financially able to do this and here's proof that money doesn't guarantee happiness!

The Fear of Flying course I took was excellent. It explained in great detail how a plane works, how it flies, how incredibly safe it is. How air is so thick like water waves even though we cannot see it. It described the body's fight or flight response and the amygdala part of the brain. The class taught that we can't control our thoughts (pick an object in your mind and then try NOT thinking about it!), but how we have control over our muscles and our breathing. Finally, we were taught about how our past traumas and fears manifest themselves in the airplane. The class culminated in a short 50 minute flight. I actually made it to my seat and tried to relax, but was too scared to complete the flight and walked off. My heart rate remained high, even though I tried to relax. Many made the flight including one person who had never flown before, but a couple of others also did not choose to fly.

I've had general anxiety since childhood. Mostly undiagnosed and untreated. Some childhood traumas added to the mix. So I think my body and mind are hard wired and automatically responds to a stressful situation with fear and withdrawal. I'm not ready to give up, but not ready to jump on that plane yet either.

I thought I'd share that I'm currently in therapy for complex trauma/ptsd,...blah blah blah, and so forth! So I can certainly share the emotion about dealing with childhood issues (for me it was abuse and neglect, among a few other things) and sure-enough, it's carried through my whole life. I'm only *now* (finally!) dealing with my collection...

Part of how these complex traumas can manifest include many different forms of fear and anxiety, so you are in good company! The more we share, the more we realize we're not alone, even when it can feel like it! :)





M.

Hi Readytofly

Welcome to the forum You will find good support here from the members who can relate to what your going through.

A lot of us have a fear of flying myself included and Valium is a good option but I also use Mindfulness Meditation which is really effective once you master it we have some links in our resources so take a look.

This is an old thread so i will lock it down as we are pushed for space and I don't think Gumart comes on the forum anymore but feel free to start a new thread i'm sure you will get lots of responses.

Hibee