Flight less than two weeks away

Re: Flight less than two weeks away

feeds@kickapps.com (esprit12) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:14:51 PST

Hi nycnicole,
Those are good ideas. I will try them on my next four flights. I have two flights on September 24 and two on October 19. I just bought four new books, will take along my DVD player and have some magazines and crosswords with me, too. I do well on the actual flights thanks to SOAR but waiting for the flight is still difficult for me.

I'm glad you had a good flight from LGA to ATL. It gives us fearful fliers hope.
Thanks,
Pam

Re: Flight less than two weeks away

feeds@kickapps.com (nycnicole) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:30:05 PST

hi pam,

i know exactly how you feel. i have done the soar program for the last year and a half and before every flight, i go from really nervous or extremely confident. i also snap at my husband in my anxious state (why aren't they nervous too?!).

but last weekend i flew from lga to atl. i felt very very little anxiety. it was amazing. i kept waiting for it to happen and even at take off (the absolute worst for me), my anxiety was very low (my usual take off routine is to sob quietly and put my head between my legs).

what has helped me, aside from practice (i try to fly often, 1x mth, because that helps me too), is to bring glossy magazines or a book i am really into. also, i do my own version of the 5-4-3-2-1 since my attention span is quite short. i look at something, someone and repeat "this is real". it really helps me to look around the cabin, see people totally unbothered by what is going on.

i hope this helps,
nicole

Re: Flight less than two weeks away

feeds@kickapps.com (esprit12) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:17:39 PST

Thanks for the suggestion Captain Tom. I know why I feel this way from a psychological standpoint. I understand the concept of being unable to give up control and not having confidence in my own decisions. I just want to feel as good before I fly as I do once I'm in the air. I'll just have to keep working on it.

Re: Flight less than two weeks away

feeds@kickapps.com (Capt Tom Bunn MSW LCSW) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 03:29:58 PST

Hi Pam,

Most of anticipatory anxiety is about the prospect of giving up control. This might not seem like a big deal, but it is when we have learned that the only way to make things work out and to be safe is to be in control of everything. Getting on a plane looks like suicide.

But flying is different than anything else. Everyone knows a used car salesman doesn't have the save interest in your welfare as you do, and sometimes your doctor or lawyer doesn't either. But - and not because pilots are better people - it is different when you fly because the pilot can not get back to his or her family safely unless he or she takes care of you!

Because of that, when you meet the pilot, the anxiety drops away provided, of course, that you feel the captain is competent. Fortunately, you always realize that, and so the anxiety drops away. You know it is OK for this person to have control and it is OK for you to trust.

You might be able to head...

Flight less than two weeks away

feeds@kickapps.com (esprit12) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:44:21 PST

Hi Everyone,
I will be taking a flight from IAD to ORD to SAN on September 24 and have been starting to feel a lot of anxiety. I have done SOAR and it has really helped me get back to flying. I flew from IAD to Munich and back earlier this year and the flights were really good. But I continue to have difficulty approaching the flight. I alternate between feeling fairly positive to feeling miserable, upset and unsettled. Worst of all I feel so stressed that I am snapping at my husband because I am so irritable and anxious. I don't want to ruin the trip for him but I don't seem to have made much progress with the AA.

Just posting makes me feel better but any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Pam