
Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
It's funny because my very first full blown panic attack was when I was about to get on a plane. What I do is get something to focus on. Like...I download a gripping book on iTunes and listen to that the entire way. Or I try to sleep (even taking meds if I have to).
The most important part is not to think about being on a plane. Once you start thinking about falling, it gets very difficult.
Really for me it wasn't the flying, it was the confined space and my fear of plane accidents that got to me....
Best of luck ok? Worse comes to worse you can take a cruise to Hawaii! That would be beautiful. :)
Now, I am taking a smaller amount of Lexapro and I flew last month. It was much worse for me than before. To help, I did take some ativan and kept a magazine to occupy my thoughts and also my husband talked with me and massaged my shoulders. It was hard...I'm not gonna lie. But the best thing to do is be prepared.
Maybe you can visit the airport before and walk around just to be familiar with it. Try focusing on your breathing...nice and slow and even. Also, you may want to talk with a flight attendant before you board and see if they can seat you in first class where it's quieter (if you can pay for it) or maybe even just for take-off (i'm most afraid during take-off). I spoke with one and they brought me water and earphones right away to help me stay calmer. I found that the anticipation was 1000 times worse than the actualy flight. I calmed down by 15 minutes into it.
All in all, it was a combination of things I used. It was still hard, and yes I thought I was going to pass out and die, but I didn't. And that's the key! I kept repeating to myself "I'll be ok, it's just uncomfortable right now." Once the drinks and snacks came and the movie was on, I was better.
You shouldn't miss out on a trip of a lifetime. Talk with you doc and see what he thinks. Write me if you need. Good luck! You'll be OK!
There are workshops that specificly help with plane aniexty. Not sure where you could find one in your area but you could goggle it.
I took two planes before I reached Chicago when I got there I decided not to take a plane back home. I took a greyhound bus instead and it took 2 days to get home but I felt safer.
The first plane I kept my eyes open and thats when I panic b/c I thought the front of the plane was coming at me. On the second plane I closed my eyes and that helped.
Take Care and know that you are not alone.