A good way to beat turbulence

[latexscooter]

I have to travel a bit for work and no matter how often I fly I am always miserable in anticipation of turbulence. Earlier this week I was on a bumpy flight and I closed my eyes and white knuckled the arm rest and waited to plummet to the Earth. Just when I was ready to lose it completely and take everyone with me I switched my thoughts to Disney and our upcoming trip. That helped take the edge off but didn't take care of it all.

Then I started thinking about what I was feeling...how I was being jostled about and (felt like) rounding corners...and then it came to me. With my eyes closed it felt like I was on Kilimanjaro Safari. From then on the ride was a piece of cake. Every time the turbulence started I'd picture myself in the bumpy truck and recall the tourguides voice and picture the ride in my head. It worked marvels for calming me down.

Now I can't say it'll work for severe turbulence and obviously if you're a newbie who has never been. But it may work for some.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'll have to remember that! I'm not a big fan of the potholes in the sky either. Usually I will bring a book and try to read my way thru them. Thanks for the idea!

 

[MdmMim]

I do the same thing! I pretend I'm on Space Mtn!

 

[tmt martins]

We take a DVD player and if they announce it will be a rough ride I put in one of my trip DVD's and it has most of the rides on it so it gives you that ride effect while we're watching.

 

[isyt]

I think that other passengers are tired of sitting next to me with the look of fear I have from take off to landing. I know I will be thinking of this post on my next flight and trying really hard to think of Disney. Good for you on making it work!!!

 

[momsgoofy]

Well, I'll be! You took me back to the very first time I flew...I was 12 and alone, my parents were sending me to visit my older sister for the summer. I remember that first take off....thought it felt just like the first hill of a rollercoaster. I've flown too many times to remember since and I always think of a rollercoaster when we take off, descend and hit some bumps! (Unless I'm flying at night and see many other plane lights...then I think of the Die Hard movie...EEK! Guess I'll just have to focus more on the good things....when I was a kid getting allergy shots every week I'd turn away and say "Christmas...Christmas...Christmas"...now I think I'll say..."Disney...Disney...Disney".

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

"Flying without Fear" by Duane Brown is a great book. I bought it last year after I flew. (I freaked out because the pilot announced that the 3 hour trip would have severe turbulence if we flew at 35,000 so he was going to fly at 10,000 feet instead) I made myself so tense and scared that I had a severe headache for 2 days after our flight. I said never again and bought his book.

It helped me calm down this flight. He discusses each and every part of the flight (all the noises, sensations, smells etc).

He also discusses using coping techniques to handle your fears- I'm sure he'd love yours!! I love yours- thats what made me cope so well this trip because I was going to Disney!!

 

[klfrech]

Here's another tip: my husband bought me an IPOD for my bday. Other than perhaps exercising, I never thought I'd get much use out of it. Well, took it with me on a trip last weekend (hate, hate, hate turbulence), cranked up my tunes (its filled with some oldies I haven't heard in a long time) and just sat back and enjoyed the music. Ten 4 minutes songs and I'm 40 minutes into the flight. It helped me a great deal!

 

[snowbunny]

I try to think of a rollercoaster too...sometimes it helps (when I can keep the plane scene from Fight Club out of my brain).

 

[wdwdreamin]

Unless it's really bad, turbulence doesn't bother me too much. There's so many potholes here in Western New York, that I'm used to it!

 

[CAP Aircrew]

I'm probably in the minority here but I like a good bumpy flight.