Post: #1

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Despite having traveled extensively since 2006 I am still very uncomfortable on planes. Say what you will about the comparative risk between being in a car and on a plane - the fact of the matter is that it's not natural for a human being to be 30,000 feet in the sky in a giant iron bird hurtling forward at 700 MPH.

It's actually not too bad until we hit bad turbulence and then it begins to disturb me.

Does anyone else also have this reaction?

How have you dealt with it?

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Post: #2

same problem here

I always get nervous flying. I can't sit by window seats and I always close my eyes when ascending.

Even the slight turbulence makes me nervous.

I can't imagine having to fly through a thunderstorm.

Post: #3

I love flying. I'd like to fly a jet some day. Hurtling along at insane speeds that we should never experience is a thrill for me.

Most people just booze up. Maybe ask your doctor for some sleeping meds if it's a long flight

Post: #4

Oh man. Same here.

I find that there are a lot of experienced travelers who are still afraid of flying. I think Nomadic Matt is one of them.

It's mostly ascending and descending that scares me. I usually close my eyes and meditate a bit during those two parts of flight. Or perhaps other artificial distractions. But eh, it's a part of travelling, so it's just something to accept as a temporary "transition" period between places.

Post: #5

I love flying. I just don't like traveling by air, with the TSA grabbing your balls and having to take your belt and shoes off, so I refuse unless I absolutely have to fly.

Just remember: planes want to fly. If there's too much wind, you have to chain them down so they don't start flying by themselves. Flying isn't the problem; it's the transition between ground and air and air and ground that gets you.

Post: #6

It's the lack of control. Regardless of the statistical odds compared to driving, we at least perceive that we have the ability to ward off the worst accidents when we're in a car. If the plane goes into a nosedive, there's nothing we can do.

Post: #7

(09-23-2013 09:11 AM)Architekt Wrote:  I love flying. I'd like to fly a jet some day. Hurtling along at insane speeds that we should never experience is a thrill for me.

Most people just booze up. Maybe ask your doctor for some sleeping meds if it's a long flight

I've tried popping a xannie - didn't have any effect.

I've also downed 4-5 (very large) beers in the airport bar before coming on board but I have a high tolerance so I don't really get too drunk and also recover quickly. That doesn't help either.

Of the two, alcohol definitely helped more.

Ultimately, I don't know if medication or mind-numbing amounts of booze is really the best long term solution but I don't know what else to do, really.

I know that car accidents are more likely but the thought of dropping like a brick 30,000 feet out of the sky is awful.

Post: #8

I love flying, but you should check out this book, written by the same author of another book I've mentioned a couple times: http://www.amazon.com/Enjoy-Flying-Allen...27s+flying

I haven't read it, but the guy is pretty famous for helping people by getting inside their heads and leading them to new thought processes that annihilate phobias and addictions. Consider giving it a read.

If someone reads it and has some success, be sure to report back.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #9

(09-23-2013 09:20 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  I love flying, but you should check out this book, written by the same author of another book I've mentioned a couple times: http://www.amazon.com/Enjoy-Flying-Allen...27s+flying

I haven't read it, but the guy is pretty famous for helping people by getting inside their heads and leading them to new thought processes that annihilate phobias and addictions. Consider giving it a read.

If someone reads it and has some success, be sure to report back.

No kindle edition

Post: #10

(09-23-2013 09:21 AM)youngmobileglobal Wrote:  

(09-23-2013 09:20 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  I love flying, but you should check out this book, written by the same author of another book I've mentioned a couple times: http://www.amazon.com/Enjoy-Flying-Allen...27s+flying

I haven't read it, but the guy is pretty famous for helping people by getting inside their heads and leading them to new thought processes that annihilate phobias and addictions. Consider giving it a read.

If someone reads it and has some success, be sure to report back.

No kindle edition

Sorry bro - thought I linked the Kindle edition. Here you go: http://www.amazon.com/The-Easy-Enjoy-Fly...27s+flying

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #11

I think of turbulence as waves hitting a sailboat.

Post: #12

The fear of flying is quite interesting. It reminds me of buying a lottery ticket.

Flying - very small chance of a terrible thing happening.

Lottery - very small chance of a wonderful thing happening.

So - a fear of flying is no more illogical than playing the lottery.

I am not scared of flying. But then again I hate travelling. I think it is the most overrated thing in the world. But I guess that is a topic for a different thread.

Post: #13

I love the experience of flying. Showing up to the airport, dressing well, feeling important, a drink at the bar, watching people coming and going. The airport tells me that a new experience is waiting. I always tell myself that even if the plane goes down I died going somewhere I wanted to be.

Post: #14

(09-23-2013 11:21 AM)MaleDefined Wrote:  I love the experience of flying. Showing up to the airport, dressing well, feeling important, a drink at the bar, watching people coming and going. The airport tells me that a new experience is waiting. I always tell myself that even if the plane goes down I died going somewhere I wanted to be.

I agree about this aspect of the experience.

Airports are emotional places, aren't they?

The end to one journey and a new beginning.

That part of the experience is a bit different than what I am talking about, namely the visceral/primal fear of hurtling through the air at 30,000 feet and hitting turbulence.

Post: #15

I always eat edibles before I do a long flight.

They effectively knock me out cold for a good 4-6 hours.

As for the fear itself, are you afraid of dying in any instance? This sounds like terrible advice, but you won't ever know the day you will die. There is no sense worrying about it. You could die by choking tomorrow.

Just relax and live your life

Post: #16

Get an aisle seat, order some vodka sodas, a cheese tray, listen to music, read sky mall, or a book. Eat a weed brownie before you go into the airport. Lots of stuff you can do to take your mind off flying. If you combine all of the above, you'll have a great time!

Post: #17

The only time I felt uncomfortable on a flight was after edibles. I kept reminding myself that I was in an aluminum can going 600mph. It was a harrowing experience to say the least.

Post: #18

I love the experience of flying. I've always wanted the window seat so I can watch the take-off and landing. That's if I don't fall asleep before take-off, or wake up before the landing. Unless I'm in business class, flying isn't physically comfortable, but I still enjoy it. One of the most beautiful sights was taking an evening flight from London back to New York. We were chasing the sun from East to West, as the sun was going down. There were dark blue above, but still light blue below. The only thing that could have made it more beautiful would have been having my dick sucked as I looked out the window...hahaha! But seriously, I've never been nervous flying, even during turbulence. The descent into Salt Lake City is also really beautiful.

Post: #19

It seems like my fear of flying got worse after taking a year off traveling. I've flown around the world three times but for whatever reason the thought of it now is hard to stomach.... which sucks cause more then likely I'll be flying to Central America in a few days. I have a prescription for some generic Xanax but it didn't seem to help much after this last year of not flying. Maybe I will pop a extra one and hope for the best.... its irrational I know as flying is safe af. But the thought of being stuck on that tin can at 30,000 feet above the ground is still a big "nope" for me. I think also its the lack of being in control....

I started googling this and found that a lot of people who have flown all their lives, end up devolving a fear of flying at some point.

Post: #20

I went through a bout of fear of flying about 20 years ago. I'm largely over it now and enjoy flying once again.

Some things to consider if you have fear of flying.

1) Turbulence is a natural air condition and the planes are well designed to handle it effectively. Planes can easily handle more than 5G's both positive and negative, which is way more than you will ever experience while flying.

2) Pilots are perfectly used to turbulence as they encounter it every working day. They train in simulators for all kinds of funky events (engine failure, loss of hydraulics, etc.) that almost never occur during normal flight. The planes are largely automated. The pilots are trained to handle all of the exceptional events that no automated system can handle.

3) There has not been a major crash with U.S. carriers in well over 10 years (I think more like 20 years actually), and only one (that I know of) of the major East Asian carriers. Even (Taiwan-based) China Airlines, notorious for crashes in the 90's, has not had a crash since '02.

4) If turbulence gets to you and you don't like the sight of the wings flexing up and down during it, imagine the plane made out of rubber. Rubber is flexible and it is nearly impossible to destroy it through mechanical action. Then remember the plane can take more stress than the pilots, fight attendants, and your fellow passengers.

5) Lastly, take green tea extract. it works nearly as well as the prescription anti-anxiety compounds without the experience of feeling like a robot. During my time I despised these experience even more than the fear itself. Green tea extract is healthier for you as well.

6) Flying through thunderstorms sucks donkey dicks. It is "character building" even for those who are normally comfortable in the air. Fortunately, pilots don't thunderstorms either and will stear around them anyway they can. The worse thunderstorm I was in was flying from Tokyo to SF, which lasted like 2 hours before it mellowed out. Some people were injured on the flight and we had to wait for the paramedics to get them before getting off the plane in SF.

I was flying a lot between Asia and the U.S. when I had my bout. in reality, it was only the return to North American (a night flight) that I had the problem. The rest of the time I was fine. It turns out that the Western Pacific, just 1-2 hours out from Japan, has the most amount of clear air turbulence than anywhere else in the world, statistically speaking.

Post: #21

Try an NLP session.

I know people cured in one session with NLP.

Worth a shot.

Post: #22

Mrs SP did a fear of flying course with easyjet. Cured her problems.

Personally, my flying issues are less pronounced when I'm flying with the family. Something about appearing calm to reassure them.

Post: #23

I'd recommend taking Ativan or something. That's what I do. It doesn't get rid of anxiety but helps. But I have PTSD from a bad flight experience and since that point in time it takes every ounce of will power to get on a plane. In my experience long-haul flights are paradoxically easier than interstate flights, which have been bumpy for me.

Post: #24

(10-22-2018 01:59 PM)Cr33pin Wrote:  It seems like my fear of flying got worse after taking a year off traveling. I've flown around the world three times but for whatever reason the thought of it now is hard to stomach.... which sucks cause more then likely I'll be flying to Central America in a few days. I have a prescription for some generic Xanax but it didn't seem to help much after this last year of not flying. Maybe I will pop a extra one and hope for the best.... its irrational I know as flying is safe af. But the thought of being stuck on that tin can at 30,000 feet above the ground is still a big "nope" for me. I think also its the lack of being in control....

I started googling this and found that a lot of people who have flown all their lives, end up devolving a fear of flying at some point.

devolving? Do you mean they got rid of their fear or acquired one?

Post: #25

I have tried benzo's, alcohol, and other drowsy meds, nothing works for. I just try to clench fists/inhale, then let go/exhale. Breathing technique helps a lot. I'm sure hypnotism works for things you want to do but it's hard to find someone local that can do it. I fly several times each year and it doesn't get easier with time. Every time the plane takes off or has turbulence I get palpitations and severe anxiety where I start to mentally talk myself down from freaking out.