Topic: HELP......MY WIFE IS SCARED OF FLYING

[Disney Forever]

I paid for my airline tickets about 2 months ago for me, DW, and 2 DS (knowing my wife was a little scared to fly after Sept 11). Now she tells me she is getting heart palpatations just thinking about flying (we are going in August).

What can I do, the tickets are paid for, I dont want to drive and the train is very expensive.

PLEASE HELP!!!!

Nathan

 

[pennyplanner]

Dear Nathan,

I too am a white knuckle flyer and that was before September 11. If your wife has a trusted general practitioner, she can request a small amount of anxiety reducing medicine. (enough to get her through the pre-flight and air time) It does not interfere with your ability to function, it will simply eliminate your anxiety.

--penny

 

[LucyStorm]

I too am a white knuckle flyer. Strangely enough, I am better after September 11. I feel more secure with all the security and checks. There are some great books written by pilots and psychologists for fear of flying. Most people with fear of flying have the fear of heights or of giving up the control.

Best of luck to you and dear wife. If I find the titles to those books, I'll post them.

 

[SandraC]

I sympathize with you and your dw. I never feared flying, before or after 9/11 but I have occasionally experienced a little discomfort in closed spaces. The feeling goes away. Sometimes the anticipation of an event is worse than the event!

We just returned from WDW three weeks ago and the flights were fine. I have been on too many planes to count and my father, who is the most experienced flyer I know, has been on hundreds of planes. My BIL flies every Monday to a job and back home Friday night, so he flies twice a week for the past 20 years. So that totals 100's of flights between 3 people and no accidents or incidents BUT.....we have all had CAR ACCIDENTS! I think people are more likely to get injured or die in cars than planes. I don't know how much comfort that will help your dw, but it's a start.

If you think of the thousands of people who successfully flew to WDW you and your dw might feel better.

If she talks about her fears, it might help. It's a completely understandable fear. GOOD LUCK! Sandra

 

[Chuck S]

Valium

 

[Erin12303]

or Xanax.

I need meds to fly....they get me thru it.

 

[KarenB]

I sound just like your DW and what I do is sit here and think about how many people have flown just in this past hour alone, and every thing is OK!!!!

Hope this helps a little!!! Would she consider getting on these boards and reading some positive posts and suggestions about flying?????

Karen

 

[pathubia]

I think that everyone is anxious about flying these days, my dr. prescribes me a mild dose of xanax when I am flying. It is a huge help, it doesnt knock me out and it really helps to take the edge off.

Patty

 

[RuthAnne123]

My neice is the same way and almost cancelled a vacation to Las Vegas because of her fear.

She spoke to her doctor and he DID give her a small prescription for a sedative.

She said it really helped her! It can't hurt to ask, especially if she is so afraid she might be miserable.

Try it !

Rooth

 

[cindala]

Disney Forever,
Looking at your post and where you are from, (a stone's throw from me) 9/11 was right in our faces. We have more targets in this area, and since the incidents happened here, our fears are that much more real.

We are flying out of LGA in a few weeks, and we are all afraid. I do believe that the security in the NYC airports is tighter than elsewhere though, and having done drive to WDW 5 years, that is dangerous too! Many times we felt ourselves nodding off, and saw others weaving through the lanes of I95.

I am going to ask my Dr. for a mild sedative, something just to relieve the anxiety for us. Also, remind your wife that it is only a 2 hour flight (actually 2 hours and 8 minutes), and bring alot of magazines, puzzles and books to occupy her. Good luck!

 

[singitalto]

Here are some fear of flying websites that might help: fear of flying 2nd fear of flying site

Just looking at the stats helped me.
I am a white knuckled flyer and nothing takes away the fear totally (unless you knock me out before I get on the flight and wake me up when we land)
She just has to weight all the options. 2 hours is a short time, especially compared to 20 hours.

I find prayer helps too.

 

[cindala]

singitalto,
Thanks for the link! I read through some of the information, and it was very interesting. I sent a copy to both of my DD's and my DH too!