flying jitters?

[snyderla]

Anyone else hate to fly? DH wants to fly down this time, something about 2hrs 25 minutes flight time compared to 20+hours driving time??? So, I have flown before, even to Orlando (& back) once in 1997. Everytime I have flown there's either been a thunderstorm (on the way back from Orlando, it was quite beautiful, but terrifying; also on the way back from Sioux Falls) or we've just had turbulance, not severe, but where the plane dropped quite a bit. I realize I am lucky to never have experienced severe turbulance or a crash landing or anything. And I know "flying is the safest form of travel, statistically." But I still get ill at the thought of it. I am just so nervous. I don't really like heights, and I fear falling or crashing. I'm not generally a basket case or anything, I just have a fear of flying...don't like it even though I've flown 7 times in my life. The trip from Orlando in the thunderstorm I swore would be my last flight. That was before I met my DH. How does anyone else deal with this? I'm thinking of asking my MD to prescribe me a little something to get me on the plane and through the flight. I was once told by a flight attendant (during the first thunderstorm) to just get myself a shot of whiskey and get on the plane! But I can't drink alcohol at all now. NONE. So that wouldn't help. I really want to get over this and fly, that gives me a lot more time at WDW, I just don't want to make myself sick over it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, please no ridicule!
I know I'm nutty!

Lori

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

I'm not a very good flyer but I attend college 20 hours from home and with the many breaks I have and the fact that I dont drive...driving was not an option. My trips to school consist of 2 flights so that makes it a little easier.
I still get nervous but since November of 2002 I have flown 7 round trips and I am flying again on Tuesday which will make it 7.5 round trips. You get used to it

 

[DocRafiki]

I have a love/hate relationship with flying. I've only been on like 5 round trips in my life, but 3 have been within the last year. I am starting to get used to it. But, I still keep telling myself I'm going to get Xanex before my next flight. (I used to take it for an anxiety disorder, and it would knock me out.) I would consider getting smashed, too, but I generally am so worn out from staying up all night packing that I'm about half passed-out anyway. So... there's my tip. Sleep deprivation is similar to being drunk! Oh, and don't get there too early, or you'll have too much time to worry. I'm usually racing the clock when I get there. It's hard to worry about crashing when you're worrying about making your flight. (I know; bad me.)

 

[SeaSpray]

I'm not thrilled with the idea of flying, either. We're going on a Disney cruise next summer and therefore have to fly, and I'm already worrying about it. When we flew in 2001 my doctor gave me a prescription for a few anti-anxiety pills. Whether they did any good or not, I don't know, but I took the pill, had a glass of wine once we got on the plane, and it was fine. LOL Also, since we have 2 sons, I don't let them know how worried I get when we fly, so I have to pretty much keep it to myself, although my DH knows how I am. LOL

Talk to your doctor, take what he prescribes, then enjoy your trip!

P.S The fact that I really loathe long car trips is a great incentive for getting myself on a plane. LOL

 

[Boston Tea Party]

Xanax and I have a very special relationship.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I hate flying! Just last week it took 22 hours on the train to get back! I told myself that next time I will get tranquilizers from the doc and fly! LOL!

 

[Dan Murphy]

I do know many here and everywhere, Lori, get a mild sedative from their docs before trips. It can help. And please, don't think you are nutty, people have fears and phobias about anything and everything, certainly flying among them. I prefer being on the ground, get a bit of jitters now and then in the air, though generally fine. I like looking out the window for phto ops, LOL. You'll do fien, and know well, you have lots of company in your feelings.

Dan

 

[DocRafiki]

Isn't it funny when you look around at other people on a plane and they all have this attitude like, "yeah, I do this every day; move it along." No one else looks nervous. My last flight was a smaller plane, and it was pretty funny because this big guy next to me was scared. Neither one of us had been on a commercial plane that small before. It was a welcome change.

 

[snyderla]

Thank you so very, very much everyone for your hints and encouragement! It helps to know I'm not alone! And I've got to tell myself how much better it is to be there in 2 1/2 hrs compared to 20! If we hadn't just made that long trip in October, I probably would still be thinking we should drive.

I am grateful to you all!
Lori

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

Originally posted by snyderla
Thank you so very, very much everyone for your hints and encouragement! It helps to know I'm not alone! And I've got to tell myself how much better it is to be there in 2 1/2 hrs compared to 20! If we hadn't just made that long trip in October, I probably would still be thinking we should drive.

I am grateful to you all!
Lori

Just think about it this way....flying meansyou get 17 1/2 more hours in disney

 

[JESW]

I also don't like to fly but that looooong car ride would be worse! Now that I have kids I need to be brave. As long as I don't sit near the window I am ok. (Seems that whenever I lean over to look out the window the plane leans that way too!)

I have found that watching the flight attendants makes me feel more comfortable. If I hear a sound or if I feel some different movement I look to see if thier facial expressions have changed. If they don't look alarmed that I won't be.

The flight down is always the hardest as I have to get used to things all over again. I find the flight back MUCH easier since I'm used to the bumps and movements on the rides and the plane isn't much different.

Yes, I've had flights with bad turbulence (hi melk, if you're reading! ) and I swore I'd never fly again, but the lure of wdw is too strong.

Ask your dr. for a mild sedative and maybe you'll sleep the entire flight.

Good luck!

Jill

 

[donaldk]

I fly regularly for a living, but I used to feel the same way you did. One of the best things I did was get myself a book that described everything that the plane was doing, from the time you are on the ground (that loud clunk is the baggage hold closing), to the taxi (why do we have to go so far?), etc. I don't remember the name of the book, but you can probably find it in the self help section of the bookstore.
Giving myself something other than my own thoughts to concentrate on was a great help. The advice about the flight attendants is great also. I use that trick. If they aren't concerned, why should I be?

Good luck,
Don

 

[crs7568]

I had a bad experience with a pretty major drop from turbulence five years ago. I am terrified to fly but I forced myself to get on a plane for Christmas to go to Vieques. Like many of the others, I got a prescription for Xanax which definitely helped. I took one pill about half an hour before boarding the plane. While I did not enjoy one minute of the flight, it is worth it to go on a fantastic vacation. I will still subject my family to the twenty hour car rides to Disney...but I am willing to fly now to places where driving just isn't an option. Of course saner people than I would probably say that twenty hours in a car IS one of those times that driving is not an option.

Take a Xanax, busy yourself with Disney planning books to help get you in the mood, and try not to worry. Turbulence terrifies me but I got a helpful analogy from someone who compared a plane in turbulence to a piece of fruit in jello. You can shake that fruit as hard as you like, but you are not going to get it to fall to the bottom of your jello cup.

You can do it!
Caryn

 

[Growin'upDisney]

I used to love to fly but started to develop a nervousness for turbulence about 5 years ago. It got really bad on a particularly bumpy flight a few years ago when I was flying by myself (DH usually lets me squezze his hand until the plane stops shaking ). This very nice man leaned over and asked "You didn't look too scared on takeoff, is it just the turbulence?" I answered yes. He then smiled and said "No plane has ever crashed specifically because of turbulence". Now, I am not sure if this is true or not, but it helped. And now when I fly I think of this nice guy and it really has seemed to help.

The past 8 months alone I have been on 4 flights and we leave for WDW in 3 weeks. So it is getting better and easier to fly the more often I fly.

Good luck and get the Xanax from Scruffy - Delswife should be able to locate him