Nocturnalkitee Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 I have avoided many trips over the last fews years because I have develop a fear of flying. I am suppose to fly to the east coast next Friday. Already I have started to feel nervous and anxious. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to relax besides getting drunk before I get on the plane? Link to post Share on other sites
re3rocks Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 i know. just know that, there are airstrips all over. if something should go wrong, the pilosts will know, and land . and remember, that u are safer in a plane, than in a car Link to post Share on other sites
moimeme Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 It's too bad you left it so late. Phobias are easily cured with the help of psychologists. Here's a description of treatments: http://www.phobialist.com/treat.html I've seen a couple of books on overcoming fear of flying listed on commercial sites. Try your local bookstore or library. Link to post Share on other sites
bluechocolate Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 It is a bit too late now, but in this country, British Airways runs a program for people who are afraid of flying. They end the program with a short flight, basically the plane takes off & lands again. Maybe there is something similar where you are. Link to post Share on other sites
amerikajin Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 A commercial plane crash is a very rare event, which only appears to be more common than it actually is because of the god awful newsmedia which swarms over a crash like vultures on a fresh carcass. Consider this: -In the United States alone there are nearly 200,000 takeoffs and landings each day! -In the United States alone, there are nearly 700 million passengers moving through U.S. airspace each year! -The United States accounts for only half of the world's commercial air traffic, so double these figures and you have an idea of how many people do this on the planet on any given day and throughout the year. The numbers are astronomical. -Out of these billion or so passengers, how many were killed in 2003? Officially, 576. -The odds of your being in a fatal airplane accident? About 1 in 4 million. -Many fatal airline accidents have survivors; only a rare few accidents have a 100 percent mortality. -The U.S. has an excellent safety system in place, in which airlines implement a lot of safeguards to prevent accidents in the first place. There's a lot of what's called "reliable redundancy" in the safety process, in everything from the inspections process to the flight deck to the actual engineering and design of the aircraft itself. It's a system designed so that in case there is one slight problem, there is easily another two or three operations waiting to correct it. Disasters only occur in those very rare situations in which a number of circumstances happen all at once, getting past the system of "reliable redundancy". -Those pilots are damned good, too. They know what they're doing. Trust them. Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Spock Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 If it's a true phobia, rationalizing the safety aspect won't help. DO NOT GET DRUNK It won't make you less anxious. Go to your doctor and get a prescription for a light sedative, and call the airline to see if you can get seated next to an emergency exit, as it's usually roomier Link to post Share on other sites
Author Nocturnalkitee Posted October 3, 2004 Author Share Posted October 3, 2004 Originally posted by amerikajin A commercial plane crash is a very rare event, which only appears to be more common than it actually is because of the god awful newsmedia which swarms over a crash like vultures on a fresh carcass. --Those pilots are damned good, too. They know what they're doing. Trust them. Mooimeme and bluechocolate, yes I did wait to late to even think about trying to get a cure for my fear. At first I told myself that I was never going to fly anymore How boring is that? Amerikajin yes the news media is a trip. They will make a person afraid of everything. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Nocturnalkitee Posted October 4, 2004 Author Share Posted October 4, 2004 Mr. Spock, When you sit at an emergency exit, if there is an emergency don't you have to assist in helping the passengers off the plane? Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Spock Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Not that I'm aware of. Sitting next to the emergency exit means that you need to be prepared and capable to open the door in an emergency. It's the flight staff who are trained to assist and direct people off the plane. The chances of you having to open the door are slim, and there should be one or two other people seated in that same area. Link to post Share on other sites
amerikajin Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 For what it's worth, yes, you do have to assist others in an emergency if you sit next to an emergency door. It doesn't mean you have to go searching in a smokey cabin for possible survivors but you have to open and stand by the door to help anyone who may be near it. I'd do as Spock suggested and take a mild sedative. You might also want to get first class if you can afford it, as it's roomier and you're around fewer people. And again, the chances of anything happening are very, very remote. I fly all the time, covering lots of distance. Link to post Share on other sites
tokyo Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I didn´t know you had to assist when you´re sitting next to the emergency door?! What happens when you´re an old lady? I hate flying and I think it gets a bit worse every time. I feel so helpless. I don´t like the taking off and the landing. I hate sitting in those little seats (and I´m small!). But I think it´s true, chances that your plane will crash are small. Link to post Share on other sites
bluechocolate Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Originally posted by kooky I didn´t know you had to assist when you´re sitting next to the emergency door?! What happens when you´re an old lady? They wouldn't let you sit there. I was once at the check-in desk forever(!) because this woman was insisting on sitting on the emergency exit with her 11 year old son while the airline employee tried to explain to her, repeatedly, that regulations stipulate that anyone sitting on the emergency exit must be capable of assisting other passengers in the event of an emergency & children are not allowed to sit there. I would imagine it's the same for frail old ladies! Link to post Share on other sites
tokyo Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Ok, thanks, bluechocolate There are so many advantages being a woman Link to post Share on other sites
Papillon Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I'm not afraid of flying, I'm afraid of crashing. Link to post Share on other sites
fredrolin Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I have a fear of flying but it's got nothing to do with crashing. It's a lack of control issue. What if I am way up there in that plane and I want to get down? I can't. Which then leads to my fear of closed in spaces. I don't even like being a passenger in a car..I want to control my movements. Link to post Share on other sites
moimeme Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 Yeah, but if the unthinkable happens, and the thing crashes, you die FAST. Poof and you're gone. No getting eaten by sharks. No getting mangled or paralyzed. No lengthy suffering. Just poof. If you gotta go, I figure it's one of the better ways. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Nocturnalkitee Posted October 5, 2004 Author Share Posted October 5, 2004 Yeah, but if the unthinkable happens, and the thing crashes, you die FAST. Poof and you're gone. No getting eaten by sharks. No getting mangled or paralyzed. No lengthy suffering. Just poof. If you gotta go, I figure it's one of the better ways. MOIMEME Did you see my my post!!! Thanks alot Link to post Share on other sites
amerikajin Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 Relax, it's not going to happen. Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Spock Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 Originally posted by amerikajin For what it's worth, yes, you do have to assist others in an emergency if you sit next to an emergency door. It doesn't mean you have to go searching in a smokey cabin for possible survivors but you have to open and stand by the door to help anyone who may be near it. Are you sure about that Amerikajin? As far as I'm aware, you do not have to stand by the door and help people off the plane, there simply isn't room to do so. You are to open the door, and activate the chute, then proceed down it..... Link to post Share on other sites
amerikajin Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 Well they always announce in the pre-flight safety routine that the person sitting in the emergency seat has to assist in the event of an emergency. I think the degree of your "assistance" is at the discretion of the flight crew. If the flight crew is incapacitated, you're free to do as you please. Link to post Share on other sites
Naive Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 Originally posted by fredrolin I have a fear of flying but it's got nothing to do with crashing. It's a lack of control issue. What if I am way up there in that plane and I want to get down? I can't. Which then leads to my fear of closed in spaces. I don't even like being a passenger in a car..I want to control my movements. This is exactly my fear. I guess it's because I get panic attacks, so I get scared of having an attack and not being able to get off. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Nocturnalkitee Posted October 6, 2004 Author Share Posted October 6, 2004 I just realized my fear of flying is the turbulences. It reminds me of being on a roller coaster. As you can guess I do not ride roller coasters. Thanks for posting Link to post Share on other sites
amerikajin Posted October 6, 2004 Share Posted October 6, 2004 Yeah, turbulence can be unsettling sometimes, but as long as you're buckled, you should be fine. Keep your seatbelt on whenever you're in your seat - even if the seatbelt sign if off. Link to post Share on other sites
Frequent flyer Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Hello! I too had a problem with flying, especially long flights. Anyways I found some help at this free forum (Taking Flight). Good info from others who have FOF, and there are experts including an active Airline Captain! Give it a try... http://p197.ezboard.com/bfearofflying16582 Link to post Share on other sites
sinkerswim Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 This is a fear I also have to get over! Ive never flown...and I want to fly... especially now since I met a guy in Kentucky.. Link to post Share on other sites
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