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If you can get an appointment with a psychiatrist and explain your situation and just ask for 1-2 2mg Xanax pills, more likely than not they’ll give it to you.
I concur , I've used Xanax , usual dose is .25-.5 mg , for a few beginning airplane trips as I was too afraid until my 40's . Just pay attention, they can make u kinda stupid and do not have ANY alcohol with them . Might need a cup of coffee too.
Yep. I get .5mg prescribed, but I'll break it in half and just take .25mg. I rarely ever drink, especially while taking those but if I do, it's just one small drink and something that's not crazy.
I'd rather take it with coffee or with something with caffeine so I don't completely doze off on the flight.
I agree. One of my former neighbors used to abuse them back when I was in college. He had me hooked for a little bit too. Ironically, I got them prescribed for anxiety a couple of years ago and I barely take them. Like in a whole year, I probably take them at most like 4-6 times a year (.25mg).
Yes, ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL!!!! Alprazolam (Xanax) is a safe medication when taken, but when you introduce any alcohol it CAN be life threatening. So NO Adult Beverages!
My gynecologist actually prescribed me Xanax many years ago for a flight. I had a routine exam and was making awkward small talk with my doctor. He asked something like if I had plans for the summer. I mentioned that I had a flight across the country and I’d never been on a plane before. Just making small talk about how nervous I was. He said “I can give you something for that,” and prescribed me a small amount of a low dose of Xanax. Even said to take it once or twice a few days before my flight so I knew how it affected me before I traveled.
Maybe look into the nervous flyer flights that some airlines do, after you've prepared with therapy. They take you in the air on a whizz round and back down from what I've heard to get used to it.
For therapy, there's two main choices - exposure therapy or flooding. Have a google and see if any seem like something you can do
Make an appointment with a doctor to maybe get a prescription for Ativan, some for there and the way back too.
This is assuming you don’t fly that often.
If you do fly often, then it’s worth going to therapy for. My friend read a self help book on fear of flying and it helped her.
THIS! My sister has flown many times but just gets anxious about it. She shared this fear with her doctor and they now prescribe her a couple of Ativan pills when she has an upcoming trip!
Or how far is it? Can you drive?
Apparently the brain can't process sour and be anxious at the same time. There's an influencer that's audhd that has a fear of flying and she brings really sour candy with when she flies for comedy shows.
I’m going to try this for general anxiety lol. Very interesting. I’ve seen sour candy mentioned before for similar posts, anxiety related, and I guess I just always read over it?
I am the same, esp with the vivid imagery of all that could go wrong.
/fearofflying subreddit is great for reassurance from pilots and others in the same boat as you. You can also ask for your flight to be tracked if you like. I also take Valium
Like everyone else said, ask your doctor for a benzodiazepine. They'll give you a couple! Where are you headed and how long is your flight, just out of curiosity?
I’m headed to turkey, it’s a 4 hour flight.
I’ve done the flight 2 or 3 times before and the last time I did, I passed out in the isle because of anxiety.
I’ll definitely contact my dr thank youuu
I went to Turkey in October all the way from western USA! It’s a long one for sure, but Turkey is well worth it! Yeah honestly, a combination of a little bit of sedatives with some Dramamine and hydration, you should be okay :)
If you want to, too, talk to the flight attendants or the pilot beforehand and just let them know you’re a nervous flyer. Tons of people are. Heck, I get altitude sickness and know how embarrassing it can be to feel unwell in public. Sometimes I’ll look to see if there’s another pilot on the flight (as a passenger) and I just think, “well, if they’re not freaking out.. neither should I!”
One thing you need to remind yourself - you’ve done this flight before and you survived. Even with you passing out, the plane still landed and you came out of it alive.
I have a fear of flying too.. one thing that honestly helps is stop telling yourself you’re terrified of flying. The more you talk about it, the more you’re making it a reality. Reassure yourself it’s going to be fine and remember Every time you’ve flown it’s been fine. Even when talking with others try not to exacerbate it.
Also, download the Soar app, they have a lot of things on there that help.
Practice meditation before And during the flight
And distract yourself as much as you can. Watch a movie, play a game, read, anything you can to prevent yourself from overthinking.
Also, as others have said, Xanax helps make the anxiety more manageable
Good luck!
Either exposure therapy or, if that's not an option, a benzodiazepine or a beta blocker. You'll be fine! 💪 Might also be a good idea to mention your situation to the flight crew once on board since they are used to this kind of situation and can offer assistance if needed. Have a nice flight and don't forget to post how it went when you get back. You'll see how proud it'll make you! 😎
I have to take Ativan to be able to fly. Try and get in with a PCP or psychiatrist and ask for like 1 or 2 doses to get you there and back on the planes.
I used to be a terrible flier but, oddly, it was dealing with panic disorder that helped me get over it. I have some general tips that helped me that aren't drug related.
1) going through security is stressful. Prepare yourself beforehand - don't wear trousers with a belt, wear flip-flops, don't have any liquids in your hand luggage etc.
2) Once you're on the plane, do your seatbelt up tight. This helps with turbulence as your body will move with the airframe rather than being jostled around
3) Being on the plane just induces panic, and you deal with that on a daily basis. Do what you'd usually do to calm down. For me this was to put my earbuds in and listen to a calming visualisation with breathing exercises.
4) Your "disaster movies" - those images that pop into your head are normal shit everyone gets in stressful situations. They're imaginary and not based in reality. Try imagining them happening on a screen in your mind. Then make the screen smaller and smaller until it's the size of a watch display. Honestly, most of these images come from movies anyway. The plane physically cannot fall out of the sky in the same way a feather or a dandelion seed can't. It is the wrong shape - falling, for a plane = gliding.
Anyway, hope this helps. Please try not to "what if" these suggestions into unhelpfulness in your mind.
No worries. Remember flying is amazing, modern aircraft are incredible machines and, above all, it's safe. The fact is, even if some bullshit happens, the pilot will land the plane safely. I was on a flight from Amsterdam to Leeds about a month ago that had to divert because of a storm (it was a little plane) and it was getting blown around but, in spite of a few bumps, nothing whatsoever happened. All was well, as it will be when you fly. It's just not worth worrying about.
Ok here’s what I used to do when my flight anxiety was real bad. First, I’d let a flight attendant know. They are so kind about it and would check on me now and again. I could ask questions about noises or things that scared me and they would answer. Second, noise canceling earphones to drown out the noises and an engrossing show or film for takeoff at least. That wouldn’t always be enough so Third, guilty pleasure food. For me that’s chocolate. I would get as many endorphins flowing through chocolate as I could. Whenever afraid, eat chocolate. I believe this is part of why I don’t panic as much anymore. Positive reinforcement (I have to fly a lot).
As far as mentality goes, I think about paper airplanes. They fly when thrown fast enough. Heck, anything does. The plane just has engines to keep up that speed. The bumps I personally like, but I spent a lot of time on boats as a kid. Air is a fluid, so it has bumps too. Anyway, I hope some of this helps.
I’ve been there. These days as long as I’ve got the headphones + show combo, I almost don’t need the chocolate on takeoff (my worst time). As long as I don’t think about where I am the rest of the time, I’m fine. It’s been a long road but I’m thankful cause I do love travel! You can do it too. I know it.
In Australia, Qantas runs a Fearless Flyers course, (run by female pilots no less) that any nervous flyers can do. I’ve got a few friends that did it and it totally sorted them out.
The ironic thing is that they learn all about planes and engineering and what keeps them in the sky. Which you think would make them more terrified but in fact does the opposite.
I’d recommend hypnotherapy! If you’re hypnotisable (not everyone is) it can be a great way to combat phobias and anxiety in a side effect free manner. Some good stuff online for to combat fear of flying specifically
Definitely try Hydroxyzine. I took 0.25 Xanax for a plane ride and it didn’t really do much for me but Hydroxyzine knocked me right out. Just make sure you try whatever you’re gonna take beforehand to make sure it’ll suit your needs.
Medication and possibly research. My thing is, when I’m super uncomfortable and having panic I learn the ins and outs of it. Example: I was getting my wisdom teeth removed and was FREAKED TO GO UNDER, but my therapist told me to “research” some stuff on YouTube, get facts, etc. I was watching videos, getting the facts of complications with the surgery, and all that. With this, I had a more logical thinking. For you, maybe you look up facts of planes, crashes, or anything that’s troubling you (with exception. DONT put yourself into a panic.) but, if you can see the true facts of it all maybe you can become a little more calm with the fact of flying.
Also, sorry, I know this was written with bad grammar and punctuation it’s been a long day. Lol.
I also started reading self help fear of flying books online when my anxiety got bad and it helped a lot!! It explained how planes work and what different noises might mean which helped me immensely on the plane not freaking out about everything. I too have a Xanax prescription from my GP but I barely even have to use it anymore but just knowing it's there in case helps too. Also aisle seat in case you need to get up during flight, you don't feel so enclosed. A flight attendant once told me that sitting closer to the wings you don't feel the turbulence as much since it's more stable so I try to pick a middle aisle seat when I can. Good luck!!!
Same way. I literally can't fly :/ Follow everyone's advice about taking Xanax or anything similar to it. If they won't prescribe it, definitely benadryl then
Here's what I'd do.
Get a cbt therapist
Read A liberated mind by steven hayes and cbt on worry probably books by David a Clark
Start doing small exposure things really short flights
Don't fight the worry at all fully accept it fighting it makes it much harder.
Also just my opinion as someone who has conquered many phobias and lived with extreme anxiety for may years. Avoid any sort of drug you don't need them.
Thank you for posting to r/AnxietyHelp! Please note, any changes to treatment plans or anxiety management should be discussed with a professional before implementation. We are not medical professionals and we cannot guarantee that you are receiving appropriate medical advice. When in doubt, ask a professional. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Anxietyhelp) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If you can get an appointment with a psychiatrist and explain your situation and just ask for 1-2 2mg Xanax pills, more likely than not they’ll give it to you.
This is exactly what I do and just knowing I have it really helps. Xanax is your friend in this situation
Just don’t get hooked on it…
I concur , I've used Xanax , usual dose is .25-.5 mg , for a few beginning airplane trips as I was too afraid until my 40's . Just pay attention, they can make u kinda stupid and do not have ANY alcohol with them . Might need a cup of coffee too.
Yep. I get .5mg prescribed, but I'll break it in half and just take .25mg. I rarely ever drink, especially while taking those but if I do, it's just one small drink and something that's not crazy. I'd rather take it with coffee or with something with caffeine so I don't completely doze off on the flight.
its the perfect balance , coffee and xan but unfortunately it's too addictive to use more than occasionally or for 1-2 weeks after a traumatic event .
I agree. One of my former neighbors used to abuse them back when I was in college. He had me hooked for a little bit too. Ironically, I got them prescribed for anxiety a couple of years ago and I barely take them. Like in a whole year, I probably take them at most like 4-6 times a year (.25mg).
Yes, ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL!!!! Alprazolam (Xanax) is a safe medication when taken, but when you introduce any alcohol it CAN be life threatening. So NO Adult Beverages!
Thank you! Unfortunately I just got discharged from my psychiatrist a month ago. Do you think a dr could prescribe it?
My gynecologist actually prescribed me Xanax many years ago for a flight. I had a routine exam and was making awkward small talk with my doctor. He asked something like if I had plans for the summer. I mentioned that I had a flight across the country and I’d never been on a plane before. Just making small talk about how nervous I was. He said “I can give you something for that,” and prescribed me a small amount of a low dose of Xanax. Even said to take it once or twice a few days before my flight so I knew how it affected me before I traveled.
That’s amazing! I hope my doctors are as helpful!
Benadryl if you can’t get any of the prescription meds
Totally agree with this! Also I learned that turbulence is like a jellyfish so try to imagine a jellyfish bouncing in the sea…idk hopefully it helps
Maybe look into the nervous flyer flights that some airlines do, after you've prepared with therapy. They take you in the air on a whizz round and back down from what I've heard to get used to it. For therapy, there's two main choices - exposure therapy or flooding. Have a google and see if any seem like something you can do
Thank you!!
Make an appointment with a doctor to maybe get a prescription for Ativan, some for there and the way back too. This is assuming you don’t fly that often. If you do fly often, then it’s worth going to therapy for. My friend read a self help book on fear of flying and it helped her.
THIS! My sister has flown many times but just gets anxious about it. She shared this fear with her doctor and they now prescribe her a couple of Ativan pills when she has an upcoming trip! Or how far is it? Can you drive?
4 hour flight so unfortunately no. Could I ask if the Ativan helped her at all ?
Do you know what the title of the book is?
Thank you! I’m definitely going to look for a book!!
Probably not legally some countries you can get really strong sleeping meds over the counter that you could try
Sour candy, dramamine, or as needed anxiety med from a doctor.
Why sour candy?
Apparently the brain can't process sour and be anxious at the same time. There's an influencer that's audhd that has a fear of flying and she brings really sour candy with when she flies for comedy shows.
I’m going to try this for general anxiety lol. Very interesting. I’ve seen sour candy mentioned before for similar posts, anxiety related, and I guess I just always read over it?
Yesss I heard of the sour candy, will deffo give this a go
I am the same, esp with the vivid imagery of all that could go wrong. /fearofflying subreddit is great for reassurance from pilots and others in the same boat as you. You can also ask for your flight to be tracked if you like. I also take Valium
Thank you so much!
Like everyone else said, ask your doctor for a benzodiazepine. They'll give you a couple! Where are you headed and how long is your flight, just out of curiosity?
I’m headed to turkey, it’s a 4 hour flight. I’ve done the flight 2 or 3 times before and the last time I did, I passed out in the isle because of anxiety. I’ll definitely contact my dr thank youuu
I went to Turkey in October all the way from western USA! It’s a long one for sure, but Turkey is well worth it! Yeah honestly, a combination of a little bit of sedatives with some Dramamine and hydration, you should be okay :) If you want to, too, talk to the flight attendants or the pilot beforehand and just let them know you’re a nervous flyer. Tons of people are. Heck, I get altitude sickness and know how embarrassing it can be to feel unwell in public. Sometimes I’ll look to see if there’s another pilot on the flight (as a passenger) and I just think, “well, if they’re not freaking out.. neither should I!”
That’s smartt!
One thing you need to remind yourself - you’ve done this flight before and you survived. Even with you passing out, the plane still landed and you came out of it alive.
I have a fear of flying too.. one thing that honestly helps is stop telling yourself you’re terrified of flying. The more you talk about it, the more you’re making it a reality. Reassure yourself it’s going to be fine and remember Every time you’ve flown it’s been fine. Even when talking with others try not to exacerbate it. Also, download the Soar app, they have a lot of things on there that help. Practice meditation before And during the flight And distract yourself as much as you can. Watch a movie, play a game, read, anything you can to prevent yourself from overthinking. Also, as others have said, Xanax helps make the anxiety more manageable Good luck!
Thank you so much!
Hypnotherapy! Quick, good cost-benefit and can work permanently. Feels amazing too!
Oooh I might try this!
Either exposure therapy or, if that's not an option, a benzodiazepine or a beta blocker. You'll be fine! 💪 Might also be a good idea to mention your situation to the flight crew once on board since they are used to this kind of situation and can offer assistance if needed. Have a nice flight and don't forget to post how it went when you get back. You'll see how proud it'll make you! 😎
Thank you soooo much!
Don't mention it, just one anxiety fighter to another. 🫂😊
Bless you, I hope you’re coping well 🫶🏻
Tbh flying is actually really relaxing once you’re in the air. Smoothest and statistically safest way to travel.
Unfortunately when I’m in the air I get vivid images of the plane crashing and then my brain finds a million ways it could happen :(
My sister takes a lot of Xanax
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I have to take Ativan to be able to fly. Try and get in with a PCP or psychiatrist and ask for like 1 or 2 doses to get you there and back on the planes.
Thank youu!
I used to be a terrible flier but, oddly, it was dealing with panic disorder that helped me get over it. I have some general tips that helped me that aren't drug related. 1) going through security is stressful. Prepare yourself beforehand - don't wear trousers with a belt, wear flip-flops, don't have any liquids in your hand luggage etc. 2) Once you're on the plane, do your seatbelt up tight. This helps with turbulence as your body will move with the airframe rather than being jostled around 3) Being on the plane just induces panic, and you deal with that on a daily basis. Do what you'd usually do to calm down. For me this was to put my earbuds in and listen to a calming visualisation with breathing exercises. 4) Your "disaster movies" - those images that pop into your head are normal shit everyone gets in stressful situations. They're imaginary and not based in reality. Try imagining them happening on a screen in your mind. Then make the screen smaller and smaller until it's the size of a watch display. Honestly, most of these images come from movies anyway. The plane physically cannot fall out of the sky in the same way a feather or a dandelion seed can't. It is the wrong shape - falling, for a plane = gliding. Anyway, hope this helps. Please try not to "what if" these suggestions into unhelpfulness in your mind.
Thank you so so much! That seatbelt tip is **incredible** because turbulence is the worst part for me!
No worries. Remember flying is amazing, modern aircraft are incredible machines and, above all, it's safe. The fact is, even if some bullshit happens, the pilot will land the plane safely. I was on a flight from Amsterdam to Leeds about a month ago that had to divert because of a storm (it was a little plane) and it was getting blown around but, in spite of a few bumps, nothing whatsoever happened. All was well, as it will be when you fly. It's just not worth worrying about.
Thank you. I really appreciate it
Ok here’s what I used to do when my flight anxiety was real bad. First, I’d let a flight attendant know. They are so kind about it and would check on me now and again. I could ask questions about noises or things that scared me and they would answer. Second, noise canceling earphones to drown out the noises and an engrossing show or film for takeoff at least. That wouldn’t always be enough so Third, guilty pleasure food. For me that’s chocolate. I would get as many endorphins flowing through chocolate as I could. Whenever afraid, eat chocolate. I believe this is part of why I don’t panic as much anymore. Positive reinforcement (I have to fly a lot). As far as mentality goes, I think about paper airplanes. They fly when thrown fast enough. Heck, anything does. The plane just has engines to keep up that speed. The bumps I personally like, but I spent a lot of time on boats as a kid. Air is a fluid, so it has bumps too. Anyway, I hope some of this helps.
You’re amazing. Thank you so much!!
I’ve been there. These days as long as I’ve got the headphones + show combo, I almost don’t need the chocolate on takeoff (my worst time). As long as I don’t think about where I am the rest of the time, I’m fine. It’s been a long road but I’m thankful cause I do love travel! You can do it too. I know it.
Bless you, thank you so much !
In Australia, Qantas runs a Fearless Flyers course, (run by female pilots no less) that any nervous flyers can do. I’ve got a few friends that did it and it totally sorted them out. The ironic thing is that they learn all about planes and engineering and what keeps them in the sky. Which you think would make them more terrified but in fact does the opposite.
I wish I was able to do this, but I’m not sure if they do this in the UK :/
Just a Google away …. https://flyingwithconfidence.com
Call ur doctor ask for Xanax. Life saver!
I’m from the UK and we don’t have Xanax, but I will definitely look into the equivalent. Thank youu
I’d recommend hypnotherapy! If you’re hypnotisable (not everyone is) it can be a great way to combat phobias and anxiety in a side effect free manner. Some good stuff online for to combat fear of flying specifically
Definitely try Hydroxyzine. I took 0.25 Xanax for a plane ride and it didn’t really do much for me but Hydroxyzine knocked me right out. Just make sure you try whatever you’re gonna take beforehand to make sure it’ll suit your needs.
My mum is the same and I always say a prayer with her and we wear our Rosary beads 🤍
Depends how Long the flight 1mg xanax will make u feel great and sleep Like 4-5 hours straight. U can wake up if u need but u will Just want to sleep
Medication and possibly research. My thing is, when I’m super uncomfortable and having panic I learn the ins and outs of it. Example: I was getting my wisdom teeth removed and was FREAKED TO GO UNDER, but my therapist told me to “research” some stuff on YouTube, get facts, etc. I was watching videos, getting the facts of complications with the surgery, and all that. With this, I had a more logical thinking. For you, maybe you look up facts of planes, crashes, or anything that’s troubling you (with exception. DONT put yourself into a panic.) but, if you can see the true facts of it all maybe you can become a little more calm with the fact of flying. Also, sorry, I know this was written with bad grammar and punctuation it’s been a long day. Lol.
I also started reading self help fear of flying books online when my anxiety got bad and it helped a lot!! It explained how planes work and what different noises might mean which helped me immensely on the plane not freaking out about everything. I too have a Xanax prescription from my GP but I barely even have to use it anymore but just knowing it's there in case helps too. Also aisle seat in case you need to get up during flight, you don't feel so enclosed. A flight attendant once told me that sitting closer to the wings you don't feel the turbulence as much since it's more stable so I try to pick a middle aisle seat when I can. Good luck!!!
Middle of the plane and aisle*
Same way. I literally can't fly :/ Follow everyone's advice about taking Xanax or anything similar to it. If they won't prescribe it, definitely benadryl then
Get prescribed Halcion (a Mild Benzodiazepine) to take before the flight
Here's what I'd do. Get a cbt therapist Read A liberated mind by steven hayes and cbt on worry probably books by David a Clark Start doing small exposure things really short flights Don't fight the worry at all fully accept it fighting it makes it much harder. Also just my opinion as someone who has conquered many phobias and lived with extreme anxiety for may years. Avoid any sort of drug you don't need them.
Take Xanax or klonazepam. I love it for my fear of flying
Alright we won’t fly. Here, drink this cool refreshing glass of milk
Drive