Terrified to Fly!

Anonymous
DH, DD and I are flying cross country to CA this weekend to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with my parents. I'm already extremely afraid and anxious about flying...but all these ISIS threats for the US aren't helping. I'm not so bad on 1-2 hour flights, but flying from DC to CA is scaring the crap out of me. I fly about once a year, if that. During a flight, I'm always looking around for suspicious people, grasping DH's arm or the armrest when the plane does that "drop" thing randomly, and freaking out at all shakes and bumps. Someone please give me some advice! It's almost to the point where I don't want to go visit my parents anymore because I'm so afraid to fly!
Anonymous
Pills?
Anonymous
I am the same way. I've been unhappy flying since 9/11. I now take anti-anxiety medication to fly. It has been life-changing. I highly recommend you talk to your doctor and see if meds will help.
Anonymous
Pills and red wine OP!
Anonymous
You need to make your peace with your mortality. Then you can relax.
Anonymous
It's hard but remind yourself that it's safer to fly than to drive. The odds of anything happening to your plane are ridiculously low. And I always think that the safest time to fly is after something bad happens because police are on alert. Just in the time it took you to read this dozens of flights took off and landed safely. You'll be fine.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:You need to make your peace with your mortality. Then you can relax.


Make peace with the math.

You're more mortal whilst driving to the grocery store.
Anonymous
How old is your DD? Are you not afraid of scaring her by being scared yourself? That is what helped DH and I get over our fears.

I will sometimes take meds, but then I worry about not having my wits about me should something happen.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You need to make your peace with your mortality. Then you can relax.


Make peace with the math.

You're more mortal whilst driving to the grocery store.


Well, you are just as mortal. At any moment someone could spray you with bullets. Your plane could fall from the sky in a blaze of burning aluminum. A drunk driver could plow into your car at 70 mph, plunging your head into the steering wheel like a spastic melon. You should either be relaxed all the time, or anxious all the time.
Anonymous
Xanax.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:How old is your DD? Are you not afraid of scaring her by being scared yourself? That is what helped DH and I get over our fears.

I will sometimes take meds, but then I worry about not having my wits about me should something happen.


DD is 4. I do a good job at not showing her that I'm afraid. But you're right, I look at her and think, if she's not scared, why the heck am I? I'm also afraid to take meds because then I will panic about not being in my right mind LOL.
Anonymous
You need to get a special pair of Big Girl Flying Panties and put them on. This is ridiculous. I force myself to confront my fears every single day (literally, since I'm afraid of water yet shower).
Anonymous
I feel bad for anyone with an olive complexion who is seated next to you.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:It's hard but remind yourself that it's safer to fly than to drive. The odds of anything happening to your plane are ridiculously low. And I always think that the safest time to fly is after something bad happens because police are on alert. Just in the time it took you to read this dozens of flights took off and landed safely. You'll be fine.


OP here. I try to remind myself that many more car crashes happen than plane crashes. I also try to remember that thousands of flights take off and land every single day, and I really have nothing to worry about. I feel like my fear is irrational - I'm scared a wing will fall off (they look pretty flimsy in flight lol) or the plane will just fall out the sky. Ahh, fear. I'll keep trying to remember these tips. Thanks.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for anyone with an olive complexion who is seated next to you.


Lol why? It's not that certain people or races scare me. I'm just scared of anyone who "looks suspicious" (when most times, no one does lol). Like if someone gets up out of their seat more than once to go to the bathroom, I'm freaking out lol.
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