first time flying & absolutely terrified.

[bad username]

Hi minimariah,

 

I had my first flight a few years ago and also experienced the 'intuition' feeling based on anxiety, as well as dreams of plane crashes. The flights were fine. Incidentally, they were Germanwings flights, two hours long and flying into Cologne-Bonn.

 

However, I'm flying again in a couple of days for the first time since then and although I don't have the same anxiety or premonitions, it's purely because I haven't allowed myself to think about it. I know I'll be terrified once I'm on the tarmac. Best wishes for your flight!

[losangelena]

Ohhh, OP, I feel for you! I am not a fan of flying, either.

 

I can identify with that feeling of confirmation bias, or whatever you want to call it, that feeling that everywhere you turn, there's the thing you're fixated on. I get this fairly often—like after my ex, who's Indian, broke up with me, I started seeing Indians and Indian things EVERYWHERE. Or when I had health anxiety, and was convinced I was about to have a stroke, or cancer, I started seeing stories about cancer victims all over the place.

 

But, I don't know if that feeling is the same as intuition. 'Cause I was pretty sure I was going to die of something for about a year, but that never happened. So in that way, my "intuition" was incorrect, because I'm still here.

 

Anxiety and anxious thinking can make something SEEM real or sure or imminent, when they really aren't. I didn't realize, but I just googled "anxiety and intuition," and a lot of results came up! Like this, for instance: Your Gut Feeling: Fear or Intuition | Rosalie Puiman

 

As far as the flight itself, yes the Germanwings flight was a tragic thing, but one disturbed pilot who caused that, and the likelihood of that happening again is very, very low.

[carhill]

How do you feel when sitting in a car as a passenger? It's pretty much the same thing and you're far more likely to have a bad outcome riding in a car than flying. Apologies if already covered.

 

Another factor I noted was how knowledge helped overcome anxiety. By the time I experienced my first in-flight emergency, I was so familiar with the systems and procedures that there was no real anxiety, rather understanding about what was happening and what the options were. In our case, that was a 30 pax turboprop that lost one engine on takeoff and the other was surging as we were flying at night over San Francisco Bay to return to the airfield. I was, as usual, in the main emergency exit row seat so my job was to follow the instructions of the flight attendant if we had to ditch, which probably meant leaving that door closed (back of aircraft).

 

OTOH, bouncing up and down in a thunderstorm on landing in a 250ton 747 back when just starting out flying many years ago had me scared to death, though it was just normal stuff. FWIW, back then, fatal aircraft crashes were a lot more common than now. Today it's exceedingly rare and that's why they get so much news coverage.

 

If you do decide to try a benzo to calm yourself, try it on the ground first before day of flight to gauge results. Nothing worse than going sideways on drugs when stuck in a perfectly safe aluminum tube going along at 500mph. Myself, I have the FA bring me a G&T before departure and usually I'm snoring away by the time the wheels go up, something I perfected over many years of flying. IME, the anxiety thing was a phase, mostly at the beginning. Loss of control. Something I never had in GA aircraft where there was a yoke in front of me, even if I didn't have a pilot's license. I figured, heck, they practically fly themselves and, like that lady in the video I posted prior, we'd figure things out if something went sideways.

 

Just like you got there safe, you'll get home safe. Just the top ten airports in the world account for nearly a billion passenger movements a year. I've flown into or out of seven of them, some many times. One of billions who fly safely, and have for over 20 years. Good luck!

[xxoo]

My flying anxiety (car trip anxiety, too) usually peaks before the trip--when there is time to change my mind. As I mentioned, I actually have a ton of anxiety just buying the tickets, sure that I'm signing my own death certificate. Irrational.

 

The anxiety, for me, drops when start going through the motions of going to the airport, dealing with TSA, getting bored with the wait, finding my seat and stowing carry-on. There's nothing I can do at that point. I feel a bit fatalistic, but not much anxiety. I say this to validate your anxiety dropping as you got on the plane, but refocusing on the flight home (which you could still change your mind about). Sounds about right to me. Sign of nothing.

 

See you on the flip side. I look forward to your post that you are safely home!

[OldRover]

My biggest anxiety is just dealing with the TSA.... hate them people and their worthless BS, and one of the reasons I fly less commercially.

 

The flying part is great, and easy to love. I prefer the smaller planes, unless I'm going across the ocean.

 

The anxiety can easily be solved with pills.

[minimariah]

How do you feel when sitting in a car as a passenger? It's pretty much the same thing and you're far more likely to have a bad outcome riding in a car than flying.

 

i actually feel safe -- i'm on solid ground & i feel much more in control. i feel like... if something was to happen... i could react & help myself & i feel like i have better chances of surviving any trouble than being in airplane.

 

in airplane... if something goes bad... slim chances of survival. i'm not on solid ground and i have no options & no back up plans (no air pillows like you have in the car; seatbelt probably won't help me...).

 

i'd feel so much safer if they just handed me a parachute when boarding a plane.

 

that's another thing -- why aren't they giving the passengers parachutes?

 

 

If you do decide to try a benzo to calm yourself, try it on the ground first before day of flight to gauge results.

 

i finally went to a coffee shop in Amsterdam today & bought some weed. and it made me even more paranoid. so i'm definitely not doing that tomorrow at the time of my flight.

 

Just like you got there safe, you'll get home safe. Just the top ten airports in the world account for nearly a billion passenger movements a year. I've flown into or out of seven of them, some many times. One of billions who fly safely, and have for over 20 years. Good luck!

 

thanks!

i deadass wish you were traveling with me, you seem like such a calm & chill guy. lol.

 

thanks everyone.

 

keep posting, my flight is tomorrow and welp... anxiety through the roof again!

[minimariah]

My flying anxiety (car trip anxiety, too) usually peaks before the trip--when there is time to change my mind. As I mentioned, I actually have a ton of anxiety just buying the tickets, sure that I'm signing my own death certificate. Irrational.

 

The anxiety, for me, drops when start going through the motions of going to the airport, dealing with TSA, getting bored with the wait, finding my seat and stowing carry-on. There's nothing I can do at that point. I feel a bit fatalistic, but not much anxiety. I say this to validate your anxiety dropping as you got on the plane, but refocusing on the flight home (which you could still change your mind about). Sounds about right to me. Sign of nothing.

 

See you on the flip side. I look forward to your post that you are safely home!

 

great post, thank you so much. i feel exactly like this -- especially the first paragraph.

[minimariah]

landed safely home. just letting everyone know, thank you for comforting me! thanks so much.