Marissa,

I understand how you feel. I was the same way. There are 3 things that help me:

1. I studied as much as I could about the way jets fly. That way any weird noises or movements were unsurprising. Buy a flight sim or a book.

2. I always sit near a window. I find if we hit turbulence, and I can look out a window, you often realize that the motion you are experiencing feels worse, just as a perspective. That being said, try and sit over the wing or further forward to minimize movement.

3. Alcohol. Drinking helps. 3 of 4 drinks (2 prior to takeoff, 1-2 onboard...or more depending on length) helps A LOT. If I know we will be flying through weather, a drink helps.

These things are what I do, and I fly every 2-3 weeks.

Dear Captain Lim and David,

Thank you very much for trying to help me feel better. Appreciate a lot!

Wishing you safe flight always too

Marissa
I'm a bit like you, though I'm rarely that nervous days before flying, when I get on a Plane I do feel more 'edgy' as it were. I never used to have a problem flying,I enjoyed it actually, but after a particularly Turbulent Landing last December, I've become a nervous flyer, and though the last flights I was on were extremely smooth, nothing could stop my nervousness. I could be listening to my Ipod, all of a sudden theres some turbulence, and I have to turn my Ipod off, shut my eyes and practically grit my Teeth and pray it stops soon, Yep thats how bad I am now, sorry to say but I am hoping I can beat it as its only recent development for me. However, theres something a Colleague of mine recommended to me recently, though I've yet to try it myself. Theres a Herbal Supplement you can get in Vitamin Stores called Rescue Remedy. My Colleague takes a lot of business Flights every Year and practically swears by this stuff. According to him a few drops of this under the Tongue before flying and a few during the flight can apparently help you relax a lot more during the Trip. Like I said I have yet to try it, but if you can find it, it might be worth a shot.

Peter

Hi i AM THE SAME WAY PROBABLY WORSE THEN ANY... The only thing that works for me is valium.I am five monthes pregnant and have to fly to Pa. five hour flight and now i can't take valium... Hopefully there is something i can take..

I guess I am scared to die in general but I feel flying really pushes me over the edge... I have NEVER flown before and plan to take a trip with my husband to cancun in March, and I am so nervous, If I think about it I start getting sick at my stomach like i can puck and cant eat and cant sleep,... I am scared of the terrorist threat and scared of the plane crashing and oh man I am sooo scared...... I Have two little girls too and I do not want to leave them without their mommy... I always think about that too..... I am trying to be strong and plan to go and conquer this fear but what if i am the one that finally decides to fly and something happens. I know The good Lord does not want us to live in fear though, and Gods will is Gods will and that its is supposedly the safest way to travel but man I can not help but think that way.... Before i was a mom I didnt at all, but now I have so much more that is weighing me down.... I pray that God keeps us all safe and comforts us through all the flights we take. I pray God gives all the pilots ability to have control in all situations. I pray that the security is handled well so that anyone that could cause harm to anyone , is not allowed on the plane. I pray for it all!! However, I have to say.. what is the odds of surviving a plane crash?? its probably like zero!! And with a car accident .... at least you have a chance of survival.... I feel like you have more control when your in your car than on a plane that you know nothing bout and could not take over if someone lost control of the wheel!!! BUT there I go again stressing out when I need to give it to God and have a little more Faith! Thanks guys and may God bless you all!! -KJ

Hi, I just wanted to add to this. I too am scared to death to fly. My father in law is a pilot at a major airline and is constantly reasuring me that I will be okay and etc. But I am mortified of flying. When we take off and land, I actally assume crash position. Head in back of seat etc. I literally have panic attacks in the plane. The flying part doesnt actually scare me, its the thought of crashing. I mean yea, its safer to ride in a car, but in a car crash you could more then likely be okay. If you crash in an airplane, then you are dead, period, and who the heck wants to die that way, in absolute shear terror. Im sorry if I am not helping, but I have a huge fear of flying so hope that helps you all to feel better.. I have however found that flying with other people who are afraid to fly has helped me. In trying to keep them calm, I forget about my own fear. So anyways, hope everyone else can get past their fears.. Just last month I booked a flight, I was traveling 1000 miles away. I actually canceled my flight because I was so scared and drove the 2000 miles there and back!

Scared is no HELP. Smile

I too am so terrified of flying in fear of getting air sick and being confined to a closed in area with germs all around and not being able to just get off the plane. Im flying to Hawaii with my Boyfriend and another couple in one week. I haven;t been able to sleep since we booked this flight. First flight is one hour on a united express to SF from their its a 757 for 5 hours to Kona. I have lost 5 pounds because i am so scard i cant eat and my stomach is sick feeling all day every day. Im thinking of telling my Boyfriend to find someone to go in my place because im to scard.

I have a really big fear og getting sick on a plane , the idea of being in a confined space and being sick scares me to death. I also get really nervouse for being on the plane and theres turbualnce, i hate turbulance it makes me think that the plane is going to crash . I`m going on a flght to punta cana , Dominican Republic, and i`m really scared
HELP

I am also afraid of flying and I know exactly when it began, because it wasn't always like that. It started after 9/11 when I imagined what the people on that plane must have gone through in their last minutes. And there - that was the moment, when it hit me and I realized: once I enter the plain, I give away all control and am not able to realisticly influence the outcome of a potential crash or any other accident. So in my case it is about control and the fear to die. And yes, I know it is ridiculus cause aviatin is so much safer then driving, but this fear is not rational. So, what helps me is I admit scary but very relaxing at the same time: before entering the plane, I say a little prayer and I embrace my destiny. I tell to myself that if it is my destiny, then it will happen anyhow and it is all in God's hands. I know this might not help you, but it is I guess about accepting that you basically are never "in control". There are so many other destinies of people where you just wonder how ironic the ending was, so - to conquer the fear of flying (or dying ) is simply to accept the fact that I am mortal. Sounds bizzar, but it somehow releases the stress in my case at least.

Flying maybe one of the safest options but who cares. I hate flying it is not natural to be so high travelling so fast. I would rather walk thousands of miles than risk not being in control of my own destiny, plummeting towards the ground at 500mph. It maybe alright for the profesionals to say flying is safe, but planes do crash, and yes there are more car accidents but a hell of a lot fewer people get killed in one sitting than the approx 150 - 300 in a plane. Put your mind at rest travel by train, coach or car, be in control not the areoplane industry who only want your money and will tell you anything for you to book a seat on their planes. I have just came back from europe by plane and by God was I scared, weeks before, during and at least 3 hours after the plane touched down. I have promised never to fly again it is putting me into an early grave. I mean if the flight dont kill me then the sheer fright will.
Sorry to be so negative but better to be safe than dead.

Hi everyone. This has been a fascinating couple of hours on this website. It's very good! I hope my story might put some of you at ease...
30 years ago I wasn't afraid of flying until, like most of you, 2 incidents in planes in 1 week terrified me. After that, I was a wreck when it came to flying and experienced most of the symptoms you all wrote about.
I decided in 2002 to visit my Dad (I am in NZ and he was in the UK at the time). Major worry about being on a plane for over 24 hours! Took lots of Rescue Remedy and did an on-line course on Fear of Flying and calming techniques etc. These really helped and I even managed a few hours sleep! Still, I wasn't a happy flyer by any means.
Over the next few years had to fly a bit more (flights of over 3 hours) and got a bit more used to it. Then.....decided I would become a flight attendant - if you can't beat em join em mentality I suppose! Am still flying around 5 years later and thoroughly enjoying myself. Being a F/A, I've learnt alot about how to fly a plane, that the people up in the pointy end want to get back to their families just as much as you, that they are well trained, intelligent beings who know exactly what they're doing. Anything that happens in a flight (like unusually sudden or more severe than expected turbulence etc) is always explained to us and I can tell you when you hear them talking like it's another day at the office (which it is really), you realise that there is nothing to fear. There has only been one time when I was frightened at work and that was a unusually bumpy landing due to high winds. Even then, the pilots told me what to expect, what they would probably be doing (approach to land but then going around for another try if too bad). They have so many options and procedures in place for every little thing that is "out of the norm" - they've even showed me how to use the radio in case both of them are incapcitated! So you see, you can get over your fears. My feeling is that most people are afraid because THEY ARE NOT IN CONTROL! Hope this helps a few of you! Happy flying!

I'm also very scared to take the flight especaially after reading the news about the A330. I beleive we all know we cannot control the flight. i jsut still feeling so sick. I will be in London one week after, I starting to have trobule to sleep.

Anybody can recommend some medicine so I can feel more relex when I'm on the flight ?

take xanax and drink alcohol you'll be at your destination in no time.

Hi guys i have to fly from Kyrgyzstan to Chicago (round trip , and it is take 18 howers to get there! I am scared too!!!! But you can do nothink about that! If it happen it happen!!!!

well im going to nebraska and im really scared im 14 years old and im traveling alone i reallly scared of heights peolpe often tell me that i shouldnt be afrid because its just like driving a car but your in the air im leaveing on june 16 and i couldnt be more scared ... i wish i couldnt go

scared!! i cant believe i am this scared , that it has come to this....i recently got married and put off a honeymoon bc of flying...i wanted to go on a cruise from ny so i didnt have to get on a plane at all...went to book it and my husband talked me into going on a plane to punta cana which is only 3-4 hrs...but this is consuming me...this should be the happiest time of my life and i am dreading it!!! so nervous

I am so freakin scared to fly! I have to buy plane tickets ASAP bcuz we need 2 b in Mexico by first week of August. I haven't bought tickets yet bcuz I'm still trying 2 hold out and somehow wait and c if I don't have 2 go after all. Lol but I don't think it works like that! I wish I would feel fine but I'm nervous!

I'm almost 60 and flew for the first time last week. I loved the take off and the landing was good too, looking out of the window at the sky, clouds and sea etc was amazing. My only fear was being SO HIGH UP,it was scary that there wasn't anything between the aircraft and a very distant earth except air, I was also wary of moving in case I caused the plane to tilt (doh!!). So it really was a love/hate relationship.

in december im gonna be goin in my home country im 15 and im traveling alone im scared...should i go or not
???

i have been flying on planes since i was one years old but as i got older i really understood what bad things could happen while on a plane. I really get scared when i fly over sea i feel like i wanna be sick and cry.My mum worries me even more because shes scared.on the 29th of august im flying back home to from morocco to england and i fly over sea
when i was coming to morocco i couldnt get out of my seat or eat or go to the toilet.i would start to shake and start to shout at my sister for no reason.

Hi everyone.
I have just finished taking a course for people who are terrified to fly........and unfortunately, the only way to get over a fear of flying is to.....fly. You will be scared, and you will be anxious. You must first define what scares you (i.e. the anticipation, not having enough air, heights, etc..) and then you start there and work on that. It will get worse before it gets better, but remember............fear's best friend is avoidance, so go ahead and do it anyway good luck

i am so scared coz on a plane i get really sick... ii am flying in two days and i am really nervous of an 8hour flight! ahh! help me! advice.

Hello Guys Im leaving for overseas this saturday to germany its a 24 hour flight im living in australia
and its a 14 hour flight from here to bangkok then 14 hours from bangkok to vienna
im really scared any tips on how to stay calm ?
( NO DRUGS )

Hi Guys,
I'm like most people on here, I've been flying since I was a kid, and what went on in a plane or what could go wrong on a plane never phased me, I loved every minute of flying, even queuing!!!! I remember the last flight I was on before fear set in, I was right at the back of the plane and whenever turbulence began, believe it or not I actually enjoyed it, because it felt like we had road under us instead of that motionless feeling where your just made to sit still for a long period of time fighting off fear of boredom if anything, but since then, I've gone down hill dramatically and can't even bring myself to book a holiday at the dread of going on a plane, my last flight was to Gran Canaria, 4hrs only and it was a white knuckle ride the entire way, coupled with cold sweats and guess what? For that flight I had armed myself with Valium, IT DIDN"T EASE A THING, and I took more than I was prescribed, However I refuse to be subdued and restricted by this fear and more than anything I want to conquer it, I want the enjoyment back that I once used to get and will keep flying until I win, It's not gonna be easy but I agree with another poster on her, you have to fly.

i am flying to melbourne to be with my friends for a week before returning home.
i am 14 and i'm really nervous to fly on my own,

what if i crash ?!

I'm also scared to fly I've never been on a plane before the flights are booked for the end of this month july2011 friends of my husband done it as a surprise not knowing how scared i am! i just want to stop thinking the worst all the time my family are really looking forwards to the flight and time away but I'm scared I'm not gonna get on that plane and spoil it for all my family as its my children's first time on a plane also! help me please

It's really been interesting reading through some of these posts.I have been laughing all through especially the guy who says he gets scared of even standing from his seat coz he's scared his weight might toss the plane.I think i was like him when i flew for my first time.Anyway guys,I would those looking forward to flying to pray first before flying,i did the same,I told God that i dint want to feel anything while taking off or landing and for sure i enjoyed the whole flight,i dint anything as such.By at first i dint want to sit near the window coz i would fear looking down,but when we began cruising i began envying the one who was on the window,i would now raise my head to see outside.When we were coming back i sat near window and enjoyed every bit of it.So just pray and God will give you the desires of your heart.

I only have a hour and a half flight on Saturday. Its late on Thursday evening now but I am starting to get these horrible images in my head about what could go wrong.

I know it is soooo much safer up there than down here, but you cant help but think"what if im the one something fatal happens to".

This fear all started I think after a bad experience of turbulence when I was 13. However it does help if you close your eyes during the turbulence and imagine u are sitting on a bus bobbing up and down!

Only tips I have, and am going to use myself are:
1. Have a drink to calm the nerves a bit and reduce the tension. No more than 2 alcoholic drinks though, you dont want them to refuse u boarding!

2. Keep yourself occupied; read a book/magazine, think about what fun you're going to have when u arrive at your destination and plan your activities for the holiday, listen to music. If there is anyone friendly next to you start a conversation with them and you will see they dont flinch when the plane starts the get a bit bumpy.

3. Hypnotherapy. I got a form of this when I was 15 because I was so bad I used to make such a show of myself with crying and shouting and telling my parents I wanted to get off the plan when everyone had sat down. The therapy worked wonders for me because I went on a 3 and a half hour journey on a very old plane in heavy wind and rain! It has however seemed to have worn off and would definitely get it done again.

I cannot explain how bad I used to be, you're mind will drive you crazy if you obsess over it. (on a night flight, I freaked because I thought the wing was on fire but it was just the city lights!)

If you can understand the different sounds as well it helps. After the plane has taken off and leveled out the engines will reduce and the sound wont be as loud-I used to think that the engines were going to stop and conk!

There are so many ways I can back up why it is safe to fly, yet I know when I get on that plane, I will be like a mad woman. Its so hard to stay calm when there's other people around and Ill be flying alone so just going to have to get the window seat and cry!

For the people who are avoiding flying, its not doing you any favours. You really are limiting yourselves here. Theres plenty of worse situations going on in the world that getting on a plane is inconspicuous in contrast. Have u ever had one of those days when you're having a bad time and see a plane in the sky wishing you were on it. Well now you are on it, and theres going to be someone else on the ground wishing the same thing!

Im scared of dying young and terrified Im just going to drop dead, but theres more chance of me dropping dead with cardiac arrest than being in a fatal plane crash!

Its something that takes time to get over, but you have to learn to rationalise your fear which is what Im trying to do now. And those movies are all sensationalised! Plus my first flight was when I was 10 months old, I should be used to it by now!

Goodluck everyone =) (safe journey of course!)

Hi All,

Till I join an International Airline as a Cabin Crew never had a personal experience of flying. I was dead scared when I started working for the airline as a Cabin Crew eventually I got rid of this fear with experience now I work as a first officer in the same airline. What my advice is to do what you do with passion and a vision all your fears will go away. Don't even think about your feeling just keep on doing touch and goes (circuit patterns) You will be confident.Flight Sim helped me, Might help you as well. Blue Skies!!

Just keep on watching airhostess ass and keep thinking that if I DIE THIS ASS will also die with me .. It really helped me out. So people you should focus only on the asssssesss.

hi marissa, im just like you! i used to LOVE planes, until when i was coming home from florida we had a lot of turbulence and the flight attendants even had to sit down!! if you sit with someone that is really nice like your parents or meet someone really nice!!

I used to have this fear as well, it's just that the idea of a plane crash is so terminal, unlike most other accidents.
However, the more I fly, the better I feel, a plane is like a big bus. How many bus crashes are there really? Most reputable airlines (and that's the majority of them, really) know how much a crash hurts so they make sure the equipment is kept in good condition and upgraded regularly. I would mostly worry if I knew the plane was old, but you can always find out what equipment is being used when you get the ticket.
Like many other things in life, it's a matter of risk and odds, and when it comes to flying neither are stacked against you. Just relax and enjoy the flight...comfortable seats and a few drinks always make it much better though!

I am morbidly afraid of flying. I have this unbelievable fear the wings are going to fall off at any minute, leaving me hurtling towards the ground at 500 miles per hour.

A few years ago, my mother, a private pilot, bought me this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Bo...0688158927

What an amazing book! It is black box recordings from some of the air disasters. Yes, it was about crashes BUT some of the recordings were so amazing you had to wonder how people survived at all.

I am still morbidly afraid to fly but I LOVE the thought of the freedom that comes from flying so... I am taking flying lessons. So far, I have five hours in the air, controlling my own fate. It can be very scary at times, but I get this rush and this sense of accomplishment after each flight that I've never had anywhere else.

If you are scared to fly, read the book and give it a whirl. Just call your local flight school and give it a try. It is much better to be holding on to the yoke (the plane's steering wheel) than sitting in the back.

I AHVE A 4 YER OLD CHILD AND IM PREGNNT I NEED TO GO BACK TO CANADA TO GIVE BIRTH AND ITS A 17 HOUR DURATION I AM SOOO TERRIFIED I NEED HELP WHAT CAN I DOOO IM GOING TO TRVEL BACK WITH MY SON AND KNOWSING THAT HE IS WITH ME MAKES ME MORE NERVOUS COZ I DNT WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO HIM IM ALSO AFRAID OF HEIGHTS ITS CRAZY BEING UP SO HIGH AND GOING SO FAST JUST THINKING ABOUT FLYING MAKES ME NERVOUS AND SCARED

I really sympathise with everybody who has posted about their fear of flying – I started going on planes aged 7 and progressively, as the years have gone by my fear of flying has become worse and worse.
I STUPIDLY flew to Scotland from the UK recently, it was just over an hour and I could have just taken an 8 hour train but decided I could do it as it was ‘only an hour’! I wasn’t too bad on the way there, I hate taking off the most but once in the air I tend to relax a little bit. On the way back it was a completely different story! My mum told me about these tablets, a herbal remedy called Kalms, I took 6 in total to try and calm down but all it did was heighten my emotions I was so on edge I hit the guy next to me when he didn’t switch his Iphone off when the announcement came to turn everything off. I just was not myself at all, I had gone crazy! I had a huge go at my mum for trying to take pictures out of the window because I was convinced anything electronic would mess up the pilot’s electrical equipment. I never move on planes, just in case! This is the worse fear for me because I love to travel and have been on 10 hour flights and longer throughout my life, quite a lot of them infact, I just feel like my luck is running out and there is more chance of me being the one that dies if I get on more planes. So scared! Unlike many of you I actually dislike driving a lot as well! Would walk and take boats everywhere if I could. I feel so selfish because I dont get worried when other people fly at all - I just cant handle being so high up - I try and calm down on plans but a voice in my head just tells me 'you can still die', its like tempting fate doing such an unatural activity.

By the way ‘better to be safe than dead’ is the funniest quote on the whole timeline!

Happy flying (without me I should think!)

I loved flying when I was a child- so much so I wanted to become an air hostess. But- like the poster above me-things have gone from bad to worse.
I can`t work out why. I`m not afraid the plane will crash- for me- like one poster said- I think its a fear of not being in control. Last time I got on a plane- as soon as I was on the thing- I had to fight the fear inside me- I was thinking- "I want to get off- now!!" Its literally terrifying, and I am so annoyed with myself, because it does restrict you . I was looking at my watch the whole journey counting how many minutes till we landed- I thought I was gonna have a heart attack! I really wish I could get over this phobia.

After reading about all of the awful things that happeend to all of you, I am sorry. But life is wonderful and really there isn't anything to be worried about. (Ok.. a couple of things The truth is, I have been on airplanes my whole life. I was on my first plane ride 2 weeks after my birth. I have been on a plane at least once a year since my birth. So I guess I have become immune to the fact that I could die at any moment in the air. I try to sleep it off and really just try to enjoy my trip. It's all just make believe isn't it? Smile. Have a sleeping pill. Learn the flight attendents name. Get a movie. Oh! an if you have ear problems, try chewing some gum. Or just yawning works if you forgot about the gum. When I was younger, I used to take off my shoes and lean up against the window... Happy flying.

Hey everyone,

I am actually very relieved that there are so many other people who share the same phobia as myself!

I get very fearful weeks in advance of my flights and am always find myself thinking of the worst when we are flying. I find myself thinking completely ridiculous and absurd thoughts while in-flight such as; oh no what if the laws of physics suddenly stopped working and the plane begins to fall! Or what if the plane just disappeared and I started plummeting to the ground! I know that these are impossible but I somehow manage to freak myself out on every flight.

The only thing that has ever helped me with my flight anxiety is xanax but I am afraid to ask my doctor for some because I think he will assume I am a drug abuser. When I am flying I am never able to stand up because I feel insecure and am afraid that the second I stand up there will be a vicious bout of turbulence. This sometimes gets so bad that I become very frustrated when I have to stand up for others to go to the bathroom. It has gotten so bad that I never go to the bathroom while flying because I just feel so weird standing in a tiny room trying to urinate while 30,000 feet in the air. I finally called it quits when one time I mustered up the strength to walk to the bathroom and then could not make myself urinate entering the bathroom. I know it sounds funny but it is really quite annoying because it forces me monitor how much I drink before and during long flights.

I have found that making a playlist for the entire flight also helps me to relax because music puts me in a different place when I close my eyes. I used to be afraid to even look out the window and would literally stare at the seat in front of me for the entire flight but now I have found that looking at the ground during take-off is actually quite relaxing.

I think that my anxiety from flying is a combination of lack of control, fear of heights and claustrophobia and it really angers me that I allow my emotions to control me. When flying I need to constantly tell myself 'mind over matter, it may feel weird but everything is fine'. My one advice is don't become superstitious! I had literally convinced myself that if I took my hands off the armrests that the plane would lose control. I have relieved my bad habit since then and now I am able to use my arms freely (thank god!).

Well I feel much better after getting all of this off of my chest and I am actually become excited for my flight from Newark to Holland this coming weekend! I wish all of you the smoothest and safest flights for the rest of your lives!!

Happy trails
-B

Hi i am very scared .. i am taking my first flight alone and I am really really scared... and to add onto that i haven't been away from home for more than four days and im gonna be gone for almost 4 months..im very very very scared

Hello there guys i am 13 years old and i somehow managed to conquer my fear of flying. Whenever you hit turbulence imagine you are in a roller coaster, and that every drop it makes makes you more excited! Besides i am sure that most of you guys are adults. Man up. You will soon have kids and you won't wanna be emberassed in front of your him/her right? The chances are minimal but if god forbid you end up crashing at least you can be assured that it was time for you to die. Sorry if i scared you guys lol. i will soon be flying from Florida, USA to Rome, Italy. Man up guys! I wish you all the safest flights!


- Mario A.

i'm 11 and in one mounth i will be flying on a plane where i have to get off and switch. I scared of what might happen my brothe will be no help he is a year older then me. I head that a flight attendant helps you but i'm still scared. What is it like flying alone.

im 14 and i never flown before i live in ohio and have to fly to my aunts house in chicago...i dont kno wht to do ! i gotta fly by myself...can anyone help?

Hey guys! I'm 11 almost 12 andgonna be flying to LA in six weeks and we leave on the 27th of Aug... My dad flies a lot so he's used to flying.. My friends are amazing and they've helped me whenever I've randomly said 'can't we just but wings?' or 'I'm willing to swim?!' at school. I live in Australia and our school I right over the flight path from airport... I've told them to wave and I'll try look out the window... I know it's stupid but take off is the worst bit and I hope that'll help me... I know that is random I just amreally scared of flying so I needed to tell someone and I can't tell mum coz she hates flying and dad just fob me off (of course coz he's the busiest man in the world )
Anyway, wish u guys all the best in flying and just think of the 11 year old who hates flying as much as we all do!
Happy steel coffin cruising DX

hi im very scared.im 12 almost 13 im scared of flying im flying today from Manchester airport to Palma . i am scared to what might happen.

Hi All,

I am too a very nervous, anxious flier. For my job, I travel a lot and just got back from a 5.5 hour flight from Las Vegas, NV.

Needless to say the flight was unpleasant; however, a notable thing I've come to learn over the years is this:

1.) If you're an anxious flier, talk to your doctor - chances are (s)he will be more than happy to prescribe you an anti-anxiety medicine (Xanax, Adivan, etc.) which will certainly help relieve your in-flight anxiety, e.g. panic attacks, restlessness, inability to sleep, fear of death, etc. For examples sake, my doctor prescribed me a good anti-anxiety pill which I took 1 hour before take-off (to Berlin from Detroit). I remember taking off..somehow woke up for dinner, then remember feeling this big bang: we had landed.

2.) If you drink alcohol - and don't wish to take medication - I encourage you to have a few drinks before and during a flight. This is an 'over-the-counter' way to cure most anxiety. If nothing else, it will likely relax you and make you sleepy.

3.) Try and chat with the person sitting next to you. I've been "saved" by several kind and wonderful people during flights over the years. You'll find that talking with people - especially on long-haul flights - is a great way to not only alleviate your stress and anxiety, but also a wonderful way to meet new and interesting people from all over the world.

4.) Sit in an aisle seat. One: you'll have more room. Two: if you're a control freak like me, you'll feel like you have more space. Three: you won't feel as closed in, i.e. when you have to go to the restroom you won't have to crawl over 2-3 other people.

5.) Watch a movie and/or read a really, really interesting book. Although (domestic) movies are totally overpriced, that 6-10 dollars can easily take your mind off flying for 1.5-2 hours.

Though I know the above are only tips and tricks, I truly hope they help you like they've helped me.

Happy Flying!

I hate flying, its the worst. I live in europe but i studied in the us, so i had to fly all the time. I could not sleep weeks before my flight, i could not eat...
i spent the whole 9 hours on the plane praying and crying. when i got off the plane I thought i was a superstar but i also thought that my suicide attempt failed.
I am going to fly with my 5 month son this sunday, i am scared, i am sooo scared but i have a few tips that help me ...here they are...

NEVER sit in the back. the turbulences are the worst there, sit by the window where the wings are, watching how the wings move during turbulences make me feel calm cuz they dont move at all...

Wine, i drink wine, i have two glasses before i get on the plane and then i drink during the flight as well. ( obviously cant do that now when i am traveling with my little baby boy) and drugs, i take everything that my doctor gives me. IT HELPS.

Headphones...if u listen to music u cant hear the annoying noise that every flying coffin makes.


I always do something nice before i get on the plane.what comes around, goes around, right?

I always download tv shows that i like so i can watch them on the plane. time passes faster, even on a plane, with a full season of modern family.

I tell the stewardess i am scared. its nice when she comes to see how i am going during the flight and has a huge smile on her face. I always tell myself she does not look like a person who is going to die today.

Think about all the great things u will do when u land.

i am not gonna wish u good luck, cuz we dont need it, (we need xanax) all are gonna make it.

Seat just in front of the wing! Least turbulence

I used to be fine when going on planes
But now I get so nervous and get butterfly's
In my stomach. I cry on takeoff and cry on
Landing because I'm so scared of dropping
Out of the sky! I think I get my fear from
Air Crash Investigations which is a T.V show.
I'm so scared at the airport and have to lie
Down in the waiting area. I don't know what
To do!

I used to be fine when going on planes
But now I get so nervous and get butterfly's
In my stomach. I cry on takeoff and cry on
Landing because I'm so scared of dropping
Out of the sky! I think I get my fear from
Air Crash Investigations which is a T.V show.
I'm so scared at the airport and have to lie
Down in the waiting area. I don't know what
To do!

Hello, I am a fearful flyer. But I am also aware that it is not the flight itself that makes me afraid. I know, that sounds strange, but all it does is to trigger unsolved emotional traumas from earlier in life, or traumas that we maintain. By "maintain" I mean disconnect from. The good news is, this is all subconscious. Please, I am not saying our fear isn´t real or that you are dumb for being afraid. I am afraid myself. But through seeking help for my fear, I discovered how I was trying to push lots of things away in my life. And guess where we can´t push things away? In an... airplane! Think about it, isn´t onboard a plane about the only place where you can´t take a break, hang up on someone, dismiss something as stupid (like this post!-)? Everyone from psychologists to happy-smiley-life coaches know that the reasons for our fears are mostly subconscious. Are you also maybe afraid of talking to an audience? How about to your spouse? About real things, I mean. I sure am. How about elevators, crowded places, open spaces? How about childhood? Unsafe? Alcoholic parent? Divorce at young age? Any situation that you know isn´t dangerous, but that produces a (sometimes very faint)fear in you is a hint that you are repressing stuff. You need help to figure this out, don´t waste years trying to "learn" not to be afraid. Most of us have already spend a lifetime repressing our feelings, so don´t count solely on yourself for fixing this. As for me, EFT and other stuff slowly brought me from feeling sick and angry with my self and the world for a week before the flight, to simply coping with the fear. And the bonus was a whole new life view. Good luck, it isn´t really the flight, and it isn´t really you.-)

I'm so scared of take off its unreal, days before
I work my self up to a frenzy, I get anxious and nervous my hart beats so fast I think it it beats any faster I'm going to die, and this is before I get on the plane, when were taking off I feel like screaming get me off this plane, I shake I feel sick, I feel like I can't breath my heart rate increases do much, once the air hostesses stand up I totally calm down and relax now and again I get a but anxious again I.e during terbulance. I have tried everything I can think of went to my doctors but the tablets they give me made my heart beat even faster. I don't no if I'm scared of taking off or I work my self up that much it's my heart beating so fast that scares my, I'm glad I'm not the only 1 that is scared but nothing works for me I'm due to fly in 4 days and I keep asking friends and family if they would like to take my place I'm that scared of take off!!!