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fear of flying

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  1. #1

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    fear of flying

    Could anyone suggest what to do ? I went to hypnosis which sucked.
    I am thinking of taking some pills before I go on a plane, could anyone suggest any medication to take what knocks you off before the take off?

    Thanks


  2. #2

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    I would suggest you check with ya doctor in case you have amy bad reaction to certain medications. Sure that it shouldnt be too tricky to get you sorted out.
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  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by kokoyashi:
    Could anyone suggest what to do ? I went to hypnosis which sucked.
    I am thinking of taking some pills before I go on a plane, could anyone suggest any medication to take what knocks you off before the take off?

    Thanks
    Have you tried a glass of wine before the flight? Have you tried a psychiatrist? A good one should be able to work with you on relaxation exercises that will help. The doctor may or may not recommend a low dose of an anti-anxiety drug (will leave which one would be best for your situation to a medical professional), but these are often addictive and have other side effects.

    Generally most doctors are quite hesitant to prescribe heavy sedatives for flying these days - there are lots of problems that frequently occur when mixing drugs and high altitudes - heart palpitations, extreme nervousness/ restlessness, sweating, increased heart rate and tension, the exact opposite of what you would expect them to do. It could also knock you out cold, making you either a nuisance or dangerous and unable to comply with cabin crew instructions. If you do find a doc that is willing to go the drug route make sure he/she knows you will be taking the meds while flying, and make sure to take the drug beforehand to see how it affects you and remember that a drugs effects are likely to be different on a plane.
    Last edited by hello_there; 02-04-2010 at 10:27 PM.
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  4. #4

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    I was thinking just to go to watsons and get something from there?
    Like valium or something similar.
    I am already like this without the medicine : extreme nervousness/ restlessness, sweating, increased heart rate and tension and crying like crazy.

    I would like to go to psychiatrist, could you recommend anyone ?
    I wouldnt want to pay more than 2000 for a session.
    I am worried they cant help me either to be honest.Only thing what would is to knock me out ! :[

    Thank for your help but I will give the psychiatrist a try for sure.


  5. #5

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    What part of air travel freaks you out the most?

    a) Airports
    b) Inside the airplane (claustrophobia?)
    c) Take-off
    d) Climb-out
    e) Turbulence
    f) Descent
    g) Landing

    At what point does the anxiety start to kick in?

    a) The idea that you need to be someplace and that you have to fly to get there
    b) Purchasing the air ticket
    c) Packing
    d) Trip to airport
    e) At the airport (check-in, security check, immigration)
    f) Boarding, taking your seat
    g) Push-back
    h) Take-off roll

    Next time you travel, it may be of help to you to take down notes, which will be tough given the symptoms of your anxiety and you may really have to fight to understand what's going on in your head at the time.

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  6. #6

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    What part of air travel freaks you out the most?
    C
    E
    G

    At what point does the anxiety start to kick in?

    Well I am PLANNING to fly in june/july and the IDEA of it made me dizzy and sick so it must be A
    and B
    I cant stand take offs and landings ! Everything between without turbolence is pretty chill.

    Well what is going on in my head everytime is please dont fall down please dont fall down for 10 hours straight

    Once there was this stranger and he saw I was pretty freaked out he started to talk to me and explain to me what are the different sounds when you land and so on, that was calming.


  7. #7

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    I came across this website: Fear of Flying: FREE Online Fear of Flying Self Help Course

    I don't know if that will help you; you may want to check it out.

    Doesn't HK offer "fear of flying" classes? I know both Los Angeles and London do because they were on TV in the US not too long ago.

    Last edited by Renotommy; 03-04-2010 at 06:00 AM.

  8. #8

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    Kokoyashi, I would just ask your doctor for some mild tranquilisers. That is what I used to use when I was flying a lot and I hate flying too. They really calm you down and make you sleepy too. Can't drink with them though.

    I went to see a therapist once about it (as it was beginning to interfere with my life - my job required lots of flying and I just thought I couldn't do it anymore) but it was useless to be honest. You try all the relaxation techniques in the world but if you have adrenalin pumping through your body then it doesn't work...there will be other techniques/approaches of course, just my particular therapist was expensive and rubbish.

    I also found, just really trying to focus on the statistics of flying helpful - really chances of things going wrong are tiny.


  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by kokoyashi:
    I was thinking just to go to watsons and get something from there?
    Like valium or something similar.
    Diazepam (Valium) is a controlled substance in HK and you won't get it without a prescription (same goes for other muscle relaxants and tranquilizers). A psychiatrist can prescribe it if he/she thinks appropriate, but won't likely give it on the first visit. It is a heavy duty and addictive drug with a laundry list of side effects. I am not sure of psychiatrists in HK, but if you have a GP you can ask your own doctor for a referral.

    Also disagree with what some other posters say about relaxation techniques, properly taught and practiced, not helping. The fix may not be instant, but many people with anxiety disorders (including issues with flying) find that they work. They are a good and drug free fix that actually help you overcome the problem rather than hiding it with a drug. Can also be used in conjunction with a drug for a short period of time with the goal of not using the drug for the problem long term.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by kokoyashi:
    Once there was this stranger and he saw I was pretty freaked out he started to talk to me and explain to me what are the different sounds when you land and so on, that was calming.
    The fact that this helped you (which is excellent) makes me think that this is really something that you can overcome with some decent professional help. I also don't mean to totally say drugs won't help and they certainly may be able to if given by a professional who assesses exactly which one will help you best, but there are also so many issues with them - their effects change at high altitudes, they may wear off or you may think they are wearing off and take more, which can lead to a whole bunch of issues up in the sky, addiction (even when unintended it can happen)...

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