HELP! Anxiety regarding airplanes!

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I have a family trip planned from Toronto, Ontario, Canada to Houston, Texas, USA and I will be stuck on an airplane for at the very least, five or six hours. The fact that I'm an Aspie isn't punishment enough by the anxiety gods, but I also haven't been on a plane in about eight years. I know there's probably nothing to worry about, but I need advice!

This would be a lot easier if I could find my Ipod...

Help??

By the way, said trip is on August 22nd...

~ Z ~

(It's pronounced ZED!)

Remember that air travel is safer than driving! It's convenient, quick, and much less labor intensive, too!

I've been flying since the '60s, so it doesn't bother me. The feeling of looking out the window, and the acceleration, watching the ground pull away, and everything grow small, always made me feel powerful in some way (well, nobody said I was normal.. Otherwise, it's like riding the bus. Most people feel a little cramped, so they'll stay out of your face for the most part.

I think the only thing that's different since 9/11 is that the security is worse (to go through). I haven't flown since about 2000, so I haven't been through it. Just wear clean socks..

As sgrannel stated, flying is safer than driving. I quite enjoy it. If you are sensitive to sound, you might need something to block the sound of the engines. It is a pain to get on the plane (make sure you have basically nothing in the carry-on... ie, nail clippers, bottles of liquids or gels over 100mL including, but not limited to, shampoo and waterbottles pre security, anything that might remotely be considered sharp) but once past security you just sit back and relax. Usually the flight attendants are quite nice as long as you are. Hopefully you'll get an in-flight movie, but I would bring some type of self entertainment just in case. Other than that... much better than being in a car for days.

Find the iPod, take books if you like to read, portable dvd players are good too, if you like that kind of thing. puzzles, games etc are always good.

If none of that works, let your Doc know of your anxiety, and they can write you a script for one of many meds that are short term meds that will help your anxiety.

I personally hate flying (have a severe phobia of heights/falling). I was formerly married to a military member and we were stationed in Hawaii, so going home required flights. Nothing but meds works for me, but the list above was what they told me to try. Also, gum is a godsend while on a plane. You might also want to take something comforting and small on the plane with you. If I ever have to fly again, I will have something I can use with one of my stims. If you have any stims that require an object of sorts, then that would be something I would pack first.

What are your specific worries? I had two when I went to fly this past February for the first time in 14 years. The first is that it scares the s**t out of me to be in a tin can six miles in the air. The second is the forced proximity to irritating seatmates.
I did OK on both. There was some turbulence and white-knuckle moments, but I kept my game face on and got used to it, and on the return flight the view of the countryside (western US) was simply spectacular. Seatmates were tolerably thin, quiet, and unobtrusive, and on the return flight I lucked out and had an empty seat next to me.
I don't know what to recommend, not knowing your specific hangups. If it's just the jitters I described, I would say go ahead, try to enjoy the plus side.
As an aside to all those people saying how much safer flying is than driving: we know, we know. All of us who are afraid of flying know about the safety record. And that's not what scares us. What scares us is IF something goes wrong in the air, it's about 100,000 times more terrifying to die that way than in a car crash, even if car crashes are 100,000 times more common.

Having been on 1,0000000 flights I would strongly advise headphones. Music produces the most effective calming effect and takes your mind off of the experience. They even have noise canceling headphones, and they do work.

For the physical experience of being on a plane it is kind of like a very light message chair, or riding in a car because of the movement. For this I would recommend that you bring pillows/blanket from home.

If you dont like the experience of looking out the window, you could sit in an aisle seat (they can be crowded though).

Also, if you are mortally afraid of flying then try to talk/read/pass the time (kind of obvious)

Airplane flight is actually ten times safer than taking a car.

oh yeah and welcome to Texas

Rescue remedy, and lots of it!! Take it 5 or 6 times a day, every day, for the two or three weeks leading up to the flight. Get the liquid stuff and just take a few drops on your tongue, hold it there five-ten seconds, then swallow, and leave 20mins either side of taking it where you don't eat or drink at all. It works a charm for all sorts of anxiety, I use it before flying (not that I get anxious about flying, it's all the security and running around trying to be on time that stresses me out!), before the dentist, before exams, anything I know is coming up that could make me anxious. It's great, it leaves you really calm and in control.

As for on the plane itself, talk to other people if you can, even if it's just small-talk during the take off to distract you from the take off and landing. Take-off and landing are apparently the riskiest parts of flying, but flying itself is so much safer than driving. Think of all the millions of people who fly every single day - the millions of flights, of planes in the air at any given time, the hours of experience the pilots accumulate, the years people have been flying for (about 100 now!). As scary and vulnerable as you feel being that high up, it's much safer than driving a car. Bring music if you can, watch a film if they have them on the flight (or if you've got a big ipod with video capacity), read a trashy magazine (I know I can never focus on a real book, but trashy hollywood gossip makes the time fly, as much as I usually despise it - flying is the only time I buy them actually!).

And enjoy the view, more than anything!! Window seats make for great viewing and spectacular views over scenery you never usually get to see, though if you're someone who goes to the toilet a lot you may prefer an aisle seat (more legroom as you can stretch into the aisles, and you don't have to climb over people to go to the loo all the time). And bring hand sanitiser gel in a small container less than 100ml!! Those toilets are filthy... antibacterial wipes are even better, touch as little as you can in the toilets there, the suction flush sprays the errr 'contents' everywhere!!

It helps to be near-suicidal. Every safe landing is a let-down.

Other than that, you might try:
- researching what plane you'll be on, the airline's safety records, the pilot union's statistics
- reserving a seat in the spot least likely to be critically affected by smaller accidents
- beefing up on emergency procedures

I've heard that some people:
- alert the airline ahead of time to a medical condition (check this out ahead of time; you don't want to unnecessarily be barred from the flight or incur extra costs)
- alert the flight personnel to anxiety issues

HTH, Z pronounced Zed!

The actual plane trip doesn't bother me, infact I've enjoyed the turbulance while traveling through thunderstorms in the summertime. It's the trip through scrutiny...err...security that gives me the anxiety. I know that more care is needed since 9/11, but I hate having to take off my shoes (thanks Richard Reed), having my carryons raided and toiletries taken, and also the couple of times they've gone as far as to make me take my hearing aids out of my ears to examine them.
In the past I've always preferred driving during my vacationtime due to the ability to be on MY own schedule, but in the last couple of years I decided to fly instead due to our high gas prices. When I book far enough ahead for trips to adjacent states, I often find flights priced about the same amount as I would spend in gas money, so I choose flying to give me extra time at my destinations.
My best advice to someone who is apprehensive about flying would be to try "flipmode's" suggestion of headphones. I know some who have fear of flying that say they help. I think the idea of requesting "aisle" seats makes sense also. I always request aisle seats because I prefer not stepping over pepole over having window views.

This might be of interest:

Anna's inflight safety page


Maybe there's a list somewhere of music for flying. Do find your iPod!

Cool idea, there.
Here's a few suggestions of songs to load in your music device pryor to your air travel:

"Just a Song Before I Go" by Crosby, Stills, and Nash,
"Flying on the Ground is Wrong", by Buffalo Springfield,
"Next Plane to London" by Rose Garden,
"Jet Airliner" by Steve Miller,
"Trains, Boats, and Planes" by Dionne Warwick,

Feel free to add to the list...

xanax. tell your doctor how nervous you are about the trip, and he'll give you some (or valium or something similar) to get you there and back.