Phobias are serious, serious fears. You don't just "get over it" in one day.
The fear of flying is especially manic.
Heck...even the "normal" person gets scared during turbulence. The more a phobic does what they are scared of, it lessens. That's a bit difficult for flying phobics.
I was at the Great Mall in MN with my sister and niece. My niece was about 12. I had no clue that she was phobic of elevators. We forced her to go on them. OMG she was so manic it broke my heart and I just held her.
I had two phobias: Driving and roller coasters. ( the non-alcoholic roller coasters) I got over both of them quite successfully.
The roller coaster one stemmed from a horrible dream I had as a child. The driving one stemmed from childhood also. The brakes in my Ma's car went out at the worst time brakes could go out.
Like, CoochiCoo, I've held hands with the person sitting next to me during turbulence.
My heart goes out to you cuz I truly understand these fears and how they make you feel.
I really like the idea of listening to something on a headset. Perhaps something inspirational or a story that you have to concentrate on.
I want to encourage you to go forward and get past this, but that is up to what you know what you can or can't handle.
I will offer this to you:
Concurring a phobia is a wonderful feeling that will never leave you.

concurring?
Gawd: conquering

Katie-

You know what's odd? I never fear flying even though I have BP. Never. Weird enough, like your niece, I have a phobia of elevators. Can't STAND being crowded amongst people. Maybe hers is afraid of it dropping... I have a boundary rule for myself... 3 feet away from me. Weird but I had to do it to feel comfortable... I know... WEIRD!

Check this out! They were giving airline statistics for safety today, and US Airplanes (in general) have carried 1.5 billion people this year without a crash. That's 1/4 of the world population with no fatalities. I'm telling ya, your car is a lot more dangerous (and I hope that doesn't scare you away from driving). Get a really good book and start reading it before you get on the plane. That way, you're addicted to the plot before you fly. That always works for me.

Every single time I have a dream of myself in an elevator, the thing is going down and I am floating up.
Every single time!
Waddup with that?
My Grandma has this strange phobia of escalators....I think she was scared of her shoe getting stuck and falling. I guess that's not so strange....but she made us walk a lot of stairs. She didn't like elevators either.

My phobias come and go.... Can't make sense of it but I have learned to live with it. None of you would never know when I feel that way Well maybe my friends,,, I'm not a freak,,, Just have a disorder.

We all have fears, Julz.
Everybody on this earth has fears.
The great news is that we don't have to walk thru them alone.
Amen!

i'm a bit calmer now..don't know what i'd do without ds..like having group therapy whenever you need it..thanks

Your doc can help, and if you are on treatment that stuff makes you very anxious anyway. I know I am 6 months into tx myself and am clear. Take care.You also don't have to do what you don't want to do. I use to have the fear of flying and I always drank, now I can face my fears a little at a time, I worked on myself through the 12 steps and I no longer have those fears.

i just wanted to say thankyou and a big hug to all of you who were so supportive when i was going thru so much fear of flying..i made it to san diego with no problems exept for a long layover in tenn. but all went well..glad i faced that horrible fear. bless you all and thanks again

I used to be a flight attendant, and I can tell you with total confidence that you will be fine. I never would have taken a job that I felt was risking my life. I have more issues driving to my job every day now!
Its not unusal to feel apprehensive about flying because you don't feel like you have control of the situation once that door closes and you're in the air. Its much to do with the lack of control at that point, but be assured, you are safe, and the people who are getting you to your destination want to get there as safely as you do, and they are trained to make sure that happens!
Think happy thoughts about where you're going and what you want to do when you get there! Have a great trip!

We need to face our fears and overcome them.No an eazy thing to do , but there is no eazyer softer way.

Kathy that's awesome! Good for you, didn't know ya had it in ya did ya? :) That's great to hear. Glad you had a safe trip.

i'm a flight attendant by trade. more than 23 years. i have been in an air crash in mexico and made many emergency landings. i flew when flight 800-twa- exploded over nyc and that was my flight on a different day.

finally, i flew the day of 9/11. we had mereged with american so i lost 2 planes and many friends. what it comes down to is "powerlessness" which we learn in the program. when it is your time, my friend, you won't be abe to have a list of 100 safety messagers to not go to the great beyond. it is what it is.

look a it this way. the accident just happened. i believe there is a statistical improbability in another one anytime soon.

you will live through this fear and how empowered you'll be at the other end. i promise.