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Fear of Flying


AlphonseCapone

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AlphonseCapone

Why?

 

I am flying in just under 5 hours and I am absolutely terrified even though I am aware it is completely irrational. I've been panicking all day, I'm not even near the airport.

 

I've been in a plane quite a few times but it never gets any easier.

 

Any tips? I normally get a bit drunk but I'll be driving when I am landing (what an idiot).

 

 

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Why?

 

I am flying in just under 5 hours and I am absolutely terrified even though I am aware it is completely irrational. I've been panicking all day, I'm not even near the airport.

 

I've been in a plane quite a few times but it never gets any easier.

 

Any tips? I normally get a bit drunk but I'll be driving when I am landing (what an idiot).

 

Valium.

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AlphonseCapone

Headphones in and sleep.

 

Too anxious to sleep. I do fire the music up to full blast to drown out the normal sounds of the aeroplane as they are enough to get me panicking.

 

Flying's fine mate. It's the ground that'll kill you.

 

Comforting haha.

 

Valium.

 

Probably too late now.

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loveofthegame

I have a real fear of flying which seems to be getting worse not better. I generally self medicate (bevvy) but like you on my last flight had to drive after and it was 3 hours of utter torture.

 

I fly regularly (I'd average it at about one return flight a month, more often than not London and back for work plus usual holidays/stags etc) so it isn't that I won't do it, but it fills me with utter dread and I spend the entire thing waiting to die... It is horrific.

 

The fear means I find it literally impossible to sleep on a plane, no matter what time it is. For me it is a case of headphones in and just suffer through it (unless, as I say, I can have a drink and then everything is just fine and dandy!!).

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It's a perfectly understandable fear. I fly quite a lot, but still hate it. When they close the doors, I ask myself every time why I've allowed myself to be sealed inside a jet-propelled sardine tin flying at a crazy height and at crazy speed. The fact that it's statistically far safer than other modes of transport doesn't really help. If something goes wrong, you're ****ed - nothing you can do to save yourself.

 

Anyway, bon voyage!

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AlphonseCapone

I have a real fear of flying which seems to be getting worse not better. I generally self medicate (bevvy) but like you on my last flight had to drive after and it was 3 hours of utter torture.

 

I fly regularly (I'd average it at about one return flight a month, more often than not London and back for work plus usual holidays/stags etc) so it isn't that I won't do it, but it fills me with utter dread and I spend the entire thing waiting to die... It is horrific.

 

The fear means I find it literally impossible to sleep on a plane, no matter what time it is. For me it is a case of headphones in and just suffer through it (unless, as I say, I can have a drink and then everything is just fine and dandy!!).

 

You have described how I feel to perfection. It's such a horrible feeling for the whole flight.

 

I refuse to let it beat me so I suffer through as well but I just wish I could get over it.

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Download and watch a movie to take your mind off it.

 

I suggest this one

 

large_egW59XHxkNEdHjuSMHQ8EveOfYB.jpg

 

 

Seriously, I feel your pain I'm absolutely petrified of flying.

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AlphonseCapone

It's a perfectly understandable fear. I fly quite a lot, but still hate it. When they close the doors, I ask myself every time why I've allowed myself to be sealed inside a jet-propelled sardine tin flying at a crazy height and at crazy speed. The fact that it's statistically far safer than other modes of transport doesn't really help. If something goes wrong, you're messed - nothing you can do to save yourself.

 

Anyway, bon voyage!

 

Exactly, all the statistics in the world don't make it easier.

 

I've read lots about how planes actually fly and I love science yet I still can't seem to use it to get over the fear.

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AlphonseCapone

Download and watch a movie to take your mind off it.

 

I suggest this one

 

large_egW59XHxkNEdHjuSMHQ8EveOfYB.jpg

 

 

Seriously, I feel your pain I'm absolutely petrified of flying.

 

:laugh4: thanks.

 

The worst part is that this flight is so short I couldn't even finish a movie.

 

* Worst part as in it makes my fear seem even more ridiculous. 

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chester copperpot

Funnily enough I hated flying untill my flight from Malaga was rather interesting.

 

The engine caught fire and we had to about turn and go back to the airport. That flight was rather scary.

 

Thing is, since it happened, I am a lot less worried about stuff as the way I see it I've had my moment and would have to be extremely unlucky to be involved in another incident.

 

I always believed that I'd die on a plane likes.

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I'm not keen on flying but do it as I like going abroad.

 

I take comfort in the fact that if I go everyone else on the plane is going too.

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Siphiwe Tshabalala

Hit an air pocket a couple of years ago and nose dived for a few seconds, thought it was game over.

 

Underground tube in London is far worse imo, nearly had a panic attack a few weeks ago.

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Fear of flying (aviophobia) is quite common.  Like all phobias, it's irrational, but that doesn't help the afflicted.  There are treatments for it, with education about flying being the most successful.  However, the treatments all take time, and time is something you don't have today.

 

Take a sleep aid and try to sleep as much as you can.

 

Have a good trip.

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Jambof3tornado

Remember being on a nimrod that got struck by lightning on the way from keflavik to kinloss. ****ing terrified.

 

Also remember in a vc10 watching the air engineer attack a pump of some variety with a bright yellow torch, all done at 35000 feet.

 

Civvy airlines are so safe.

 

Dont fly with the RAF!!!

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Man up ya wimps! just as well our RAF boys in the last show weren't a shower of pussies :toff:

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Don't worry you'll be absolutely fine.  Incidents like that German pilot who crashed the plane on purpose are so very, very rare it's not even worth it t even start worrying about it.

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I hate flying too. Usually only do it to Spain but for the near three hours I'm living on the edge of my nerves.

 

Flew to Rhodes once, 4 and a half hours iirc, and was a gibbering wreck by the latter stages. Real stand up and cause an incident type stuff. ?

 

Bevvy apart, the only distraction that has ever worked for me is reading. It's difficult to get into a novel when your mind is screeching with fear but if you can, it really works.

 

PS

 

On the return flight from Rhodes I stayed sober on the last night but set the alarm for 6am. By the 2pm flight I was feeling no pain. Shocking abuse from the wife but I was too p155ed to care.

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Bungalow Bill

I'm the same. One day just developed a fear of flying. I'm been on loads of long haul flights with no bother too.

 

I can't sleep on planes either, who else is going to listen to the hum of the engines if I'm sleeping!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Daydream Believer

I'm the same. One day just developed a fear of flying. I'm been on loads of long haul flights with no bother too.

 

I can't sleep on planes either, who else is going to listen to the hum of the engines if I'm sleeping!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I'm the same for some reason.

 

I used to love flying and at some point I suddenly started hating it. Nothing specific happened, I just got scared of it. I'm in London and elsewhere for work a fair bit but I always get the train on the basis that if I go down in a fireball for a holiday then fair enough, but I'm buggered if I'm doing it for my crappy work. 

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I had an ex who hated flying but loved holidays. I don't think my habit of falling asleep before the plane even takes off helped much.

 

Sent from my P01Z using Tapatalk

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Guest jonesy

I don't have a fear of flying, but have a deep, uncomfortable dread of airports. They're like little pockets of hell on earth.

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With my work I fly almost every week, either within Australia or to Asia or the US.

 

I enjoy flying, as it gives me time for myself.

 

I invested in a good pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones, and can happily sit plugged into a movie or music.  I think anyone scared of flying should try this.  It cancels out the "scary" noises (especially the one not long after take-off when the engines stop thrusting and it feels a bit like the plane is going to stall!)

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Magic Numbers

If you are on your own then you are in a spot of bother, but if you are with a group, have them watch copious amounts of A-Team episodes, that'll give them some ideas.

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michael_bolton

I used to be quite scared of it, and while I still don't enjoy taking off in a plane the rest of it is now fine.

 

I've probably flown once a month on average for the last 9 years or so, so you get used to the noises and bumps etc.

 

I'll never enjoy take-off. It just feels wrong. Once that's over though, fire on a film, get a whisky and enjoy your day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It might be your last.  :kirk:

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What to do is, mate, and I've said this before on kb, just accept that you're going to probably die, come to terms with it and make peace with it, therefore if you do land safely it can be treated as a bonus and another chance at life, that's what i do because I'm convinced I'm going to die.

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I've posted this link before:

 

https://www.flightradar24.com/45.15,-2.52/5

 

Those are the planes that are in the air right now.  Zoom in on Europe. Each of those wee yellow airplanes represent a flight that has taken off safely and, in 99.9999999999% of the cases, will land safely.  Much, much safer than being in a car.

 

Relax and enjoy the flight.

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A mate of mine turned down a gig supporting the Avalanches and DJ Dexter on a world tour due to his fear of flying.

He would have been their warm-up DJ and played at after parties all over the world.

He just couldn't make himself do it, the neurotic weirdo.

The gig went elsewhere to another guy who could make the commitment, he stayed in Glasgow and he eventually lost his weekly gig at the biggest hiphop night in Glasgow and most likely Scotland.

He's not remotely bitter about it and he's still one of the best turntablists that Scotland has ever produced but he had a chance to play in the major league and he couldn't do it due to fear of flying.

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loveofthegame

Nice to read I'm not alone and that there are plenty sufferers - the comments on having to listen to the engines :rofl: that is completely me.

 

Brutal but have been to US multiple times, Oz, NZ, Asia, Dubai etc etc. Needs must...

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zoltan socrates

A mate of mine turned down a gig supporting the Avalanches and DJ Dexter on a world tour due to his fear of flying.

He would have been their warm-up DJ and played at after parties all over the world.

He just couldn't make himself do it, the neurotic weirdo.

The gig went elsewhere to another guy who could make the commitment, he stayed in Glasgow and he eventually lost his weekly gig at the biggest hiphop night in Glasgow and most likely Scotland.

He's not remotely bitter about it and he's still one of the best turntablists that Scotland has ever produced but he had a chance to play in the major league and he couldn't do it due to fear of flying.

Maybe getting old but it isn't difficult to put a record on a turntable, I don't get how dj's get paid so much and are lauded as musical heroes, no trolling this, I genuinely don't get it

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LeylandJambo

I don't have a fear of flying, but have a deep, uncomfortable dread of airports. They're like little pockets of hell on earth.

This is the reason I always book the wife and I into the lounge. ?19 and you can eat and drink as much as you want. Nothing better than getting stuck into the brandy at 6 in the morning.
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Bungalow Bill

This is the reason I always book the wife and I into the lounge. ?19 and you can eat and drink as much as you want. Nothing better than getting stuck into the brandy at 6 in the morning.

That's a great shout, I think I'll book that for my next trip.

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Maybe getting old but it isn't difficult to put a record on a turntable, I don't get how dj's get paid so much and are lauded as musical heroes, no trolling this, I genuinely don't get it

 

No offence but the bold part that's about as ignorant a post on the subject as I've ever seen on the subject. Turntablism is a branch of DJing and IMO, is where 99.9% of the talent is.

It's mostly goons with CDJs and MP3 mixers who like the attention of DJing but turntablism is taking the art to it's most technical and difficult extreme.

Your comment about it not being difficult to put a record on a turntable is like saying it's easy to play guitar like Slash or Jimi Hendrix because it's easy to play a shitty version of Wonderwall on a wrecked acoustic guitar.

That's every bit as difficult to do as anything Steve Vai, Joe Satriani or Slash do and take similar amounts of hard work and practice to achieve.

 

I actually agree with the 2nd, unbold text part of your comment. 99% of DJs are talentless a-holes, attention seekers and contribute nothing to the the music they play. When chumps like Paris Hilton, Nigel Benn and Peter Hook can make money from DJing, you know there's something far wrong with the "artform".

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Harry Potter

I hate flying too. Usually only do it to Spain but for the near three hours I'm living on the edge of my nerves.

 

Flew to Rhodes once, 4 and a half hours iirc, and was a gibbering wreck by the latter stages. Real stand up and cause an incident type stuff. ?

 

Bevvy apart, the only distraction that has ever worked for me is reading. It's difficult to get into a novel when your mind is screeching with fear but if you can, it really works.

 

PS

 

On the return flight from Rhodes I stayed sober on the last night but set the alarm for 6am. By the 2pm flight I was feeling no pain. Shocking abuse from the wife but I was too p155ed to care.

Tried pills drink , the lot but still claw the seats in front on take -off, white as a sheet, trembling sweat running down my back,

kids laughing at me, will fly but hate every boring minute of it.

What i really hate is folk that say they love flying, the majority are probably putting a brave face on it.

As for safer than driving, rather take my chances in a car.

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Had a number of scary moments on a pland, first with Ryanair in Paris Beauvais, our pilot attempted to land whilst the Dublin flight was heading the opposite way up the runway - it was only after we got off the plane that we heard why our first landing was abandoned after being close to the ground.

 

I blame French air traffic control for that, not Ryanair.

 

Also been on a flightcoming into Florida during a thunder storm, that was amazing to watch from the sky but half the plane were thinking we'd die :lol:

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LeylandJambo

Had a number of scary moments on a pland, first with Ryanair in Paris Beauvais, our pilot attempted to land whilst the Dublin flight was heading the opposite way up the runway - it was only after we got off the plane that we heard why our first landing was abandoned after being close to the ground.

 

I blame French air traffic control for that, not Ryanair.

 

Also been on a flightcoming into Florida during a thunder storm, that was amazing to watch from the sky but half the plane were thinking we'd die :lol:

Landed in sanford in a thunder storm it was brilliant.
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John Findlay

My first ever flight was on Wessex MK5 helicopter. Was a right bones hake and I thought it was going to fall out the sky. It didn't and I have been fine fling ever since. Just try and blank it out your mind. Easier said than done but, dont keep thinking about it.

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Tried pills drink , the lot but still claw the seats in front on take -off, white as a sheet, trembling sweat running down my back,

kids laughing at me, will fly but hate every boring minute of it.

What i really hate is folk that say they love flying, the majority are probably putting a brave face on it.

As for safer than driving, rather take my chances in a car.

I only fly because I have to. Wife and kids must have their Spanish sun. However, I refuse to fly when other modes of transport are a realistic option. A UK break/holiday, for example, is always car, bus or train.

 

It's not up for debate. ?

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Why?

 

I am flying in just under 5 hours and I am absolutely terrified even though I am aware it is completely irrational. I've been panicking all day, I'm not even near the airport.

 

I've been in a plane quite a few times but it never gets any easier.

 

Any tips? I normally get a bit drunk but I'll be driving when I am landing (what an idiot).

I haven't read past first post, so probably covered by others but....

 

What scares you about flying? What specifically makes you anxious. Is just a fear of plane crashing? Is it being a confined space? You need to understand that to address.

 

Anyway a couple things might help.

 

Understand how planes work, you understand how something works less likely to fear it. Consider taking a flying lesson, understanding and feeling of control will make a difference IMO. Planes don't even really need pilots nowadays, only there to make for emergency and make people feel better.

 

Jumping in a car is way more dangerous, but you don't fear that because you understand how that works and common.

 

If you get that and still concerned. Things that occupy you during flight ie. iPad filled with favourite downloads or similar. However, invest in a good pair of noise cancelling headphones so you don't hear constant drone to enable yo to get in happy place. The drone reminds you in airplane a good pair noise cancelling eliminates that. Remove the reminders.

 

Some eye masks, not a bad idea if not sleeping. It's stops you seeing plane.

 

Book window seats so as not bothered by people getting to toilet. Makes it much easier to focus on what if not bothered by people.

 

Stick yourself in a calm place through visualisation ie. Shut eyes, imagine the feeling of sun beating down you as you order and ice cold beer and it delivered to you. Taste that ice cold beer as you take first slip. It takes a bit of work but don't see self just doing actuAlly remember how feels etc.

 

Visitation, IMO, is a very effective tool. Underrated by most people as can't do effectively. It's like most things needs worked at.

 

You can stress relieving apps etc, nothing revolutionary but control breathing, remove tension from

Body, etc. If your concentrating on something else the fear is much more likely to be reduced.

 

Make friends with person next to you. Again it occupies your mind and don't be afraid to admit nervous others will help you through.

 

Also accept your nervous/anxious and understand that. Pretending your not is a vicious circle. Embrace it and remind yourself your feeling crap cause flying. Accept you will have nervous feelings and rationalise it.dont beat yourself up for fearing it.

 

I fly a lot, not as much as used to. It's never bothered me (I jump out planes for fun occasionally)!and a few years ago I loved it as it was about only time I got any peace between phone calls, emails etc. But again think of positives a few hours of that time and how can utilise it. Catching up on tv you like, reading book never get time to, learning a new language whatever you like to do.

 

Other that man the the **** up ;-)

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Try poaching or grilling , it's much healthier

 

I hoped when Bob Monkhouse died his jokes would go with him.

 

8-D

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Never been bothered myself, though can't be fun for those that suffer.

 

Be sure to watch the movie Airplane though. If you're going to go down keep this in mind and at least you'll go down laughing.

 

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

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Craig Gordons Gloves

I've posted on this subject before.  In the past 10 years i've flown approximately 800,000 miles and used to do it every week around the US, now it's down to once or twice every couple of months.  I still hate it every time.  Every single noise that the plane makes results in my heart rate going up and me looking around anxiously.  I can never sleep on a plane, no matter how little sleep i've had before hand.  I've had flights from Orlando that have taken off and fly through thunderstorms that have had me shiting myself, flights on helicopters, i've even flown a small plane myself and i still get terrified.  It's not the flying that i'm scared of but the 100% certainty that if anything goes wrong, i'm going to die - and that's my biggest fear.

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I'm okay with flying...so long as it's over land, massive fear of crashing into the middle of an ocean...which is irrational because from that height it's very much the same...probably.

 

In fact...if I'm ever in that situation, I really hope the pilot doesn't try some landing the plane on the ocean type stunt, I'd much prefer a full impact nosedive thanks, and really don't fancy enduring the trauma of falling from 35'000ft...only to die a bleak, cold, watery death in the middle of some probably very choppy body of water.

 

A massive instant explosion is a much more relaxing thought.

 

I'm probably looking for the fear of boats thread...

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Why?

 

I am flying in just under 5 hours and I am absolutely terrified even though I am aware it is completely irrational. I've been panicking all day, I'm not even near the airport.

 

I've been in a plane quite a few times but it never gets any easier.

 

Any tips? I normally get a bit drunk but I'll be driving when I am landing (what an idiot).

 

its the opposite its normal to be apprehensive when u know if something mechanical fails at that height then ur certain to die its not like when u get in a car if something bad happens u dont have to land 40,000 ft to be safe

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All roads lead to Gorgie

I don't fly that often but when I do I don't feel too bad and just try to think of the things I hope to see at our destination. Getting accustomed to all the sounds of flight helps as you know what any sudden noise is and it shouldn't bother you too much. I remember one of my first flights into Glasgow airport when I was convinced that a repeated noise was the pilot trying in vain to get the landing gear down when in fact it was just the flaps being extended for landing. Had to land at JFK in a thunder storm once and that was a bit white knuckle and I was expecting a go around but even with the plane rocking and rolling we landed safely. That in itself gives you the confidence that these machines are strong enough to cope with nearly anything.

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What would be worse would be landing on water where there were sharks.....

 

Landing or crashing on a wasp bink.

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