Airplane Anxiety

[jasonibs9]

any of you get anxiety on long airplane flights?  Like a feeling of needing to escape? 

[Door]

Sometimes.  I routinely take 20-hour flights.  If I ever get anxious, I remind myself that the flight attendants are very understanding.  Passengers with airplane anxiety and panic attacks are nothing new to them.  I have asked them for help once.  They were very nice.

I always get an aisle seat too.  It makes me feel better.  Plus I get more leg room.

[dtrotter]

I'll always try to be chatty with attendants, so it will reminds me that, attendants will be there to help and it is safe. Occasionally, i will try shut my mind off by sleeping :)

[lilgina]

The last time I was on a long flight was when I was about eleven years old; it was a ten hour flight, and it did not phase me at all, not to mention it was before my anxious years. 

But I do get that feeling when in a car driving or as a passenger.  I recently was a passenger on a drive that took about 40 minutes and in the first few minutes I started to feel like I could not breath or like I was suffocating. I told myself that I wasn't in any danger and that I did not need to panic; I quickly calmed down and didn't have a panic attack. 

I do feel like pulling over and fleeing.  For me,the odd thing is, because panicing is such a scary feeling, just remembering the last experiance is enough to cause another panic attack; it's feels like a feeling of dread, when I know I have a long drive ahead of me. 

A few years ago my husband wanted to drive to another state which was about a eight hour drive.  He wanted me to go.  I did it, but it was not easy.

[leobaby]

everytime i go on an airplane, i just hate situations where i'm not in control.

[JenniferMSD]

I get it so bad that I stopped flying. Even on Xanax, I hate it. 
I hope that one day I will overcome the fear because I know I am missing out on some wonderful trips.

[(HAWK)]

I know this post is old,but OMG   I could never fly agin!  My anxiety levels would get so high I would die I know you can't die from anxiety but I would    This post scares me just thinking about it!

[jasonibs9]

then why do you like the name Hawk if you don't like flying? :) 
Yea it kinda helps to know others freak out over flying too ya know.. 

[(HAWK)]

MY LAST NAME IS HAWK!

[Tifflove]

I'm going to Vegas for my honeymoon, Ive been having some anxiety about getting on the plane since I was just diagnosed with GAD and Panic disorder. I really wish I hadnt been diagnosed.
Hopefully I will be okay the flight is about 2 hours, I figure I will pop a xanax and fall asleep. In the past I would get anxious but in about 5-10 minutes I would be okay.

[jasonibs9]

those xanax pills are overrated if you ask me... I took them 4 yrs back and I noticed that they were good when you just took them but after 4 hrs or so they'd wear off and then your anxiety would come back stronger!  I didn't like that ...  I will either do this and just deal with the flight with nothing , or I'll have a drink.  All the anticipation building up to the big day is what's most troubling.

[jasonibs9]

tiff , where are you flying from to LV? I know a way to combat the airplane anxiety head on and its not with pills either... Its with knowing you have the ability to get up and go to the bathroom as much or long as you need to...   I'm breaking my 5 hr flight into increments so I'll be going to my bathroom break at 11am , 1pm & 2pm just like I'd do here at work.   Everyday I've been practicing staying in my seat at work , and then getting up at those times to use the restroom or stretch.

 Then when the day comes to take the flight you just imagine yourself as you were at work, getting up to take your breaks...