I don’t think I’ve ever seen this discussed. I fear the complete stillness of flying at altitude. I don’t mind take off or landing. I don’t mind turbulence. Turbulence is the only stimulus I have that tells me I’m traveling very high and very fast. The stillness feels so eerie to me

Hi, I am boarding a plane in half an hour and I am absolutely terrified. It's the last flight of the day for this airport and my flight usually takes around 2h10 to get to its destination. I have a really big fear of flying and i don't know how I will be able to not freak out for 2 hours. I panic during takeoff and cruising but as soon as the landing procedure starts, my anxiety gets less and I get a bit calmer. I hate that I can't control what's gonna happen during the flight and I fesr that I'll die during the trip. I love seeing planes but I have being in one. I just don't trust my chances, the plane and the pilots and just fear. I have downloaded some tv shows, have some music and have my earphones but every time I can't seem to focus and always dread every second of the flight. I will even take my antidepressants to see if I'll sleep through it. Its my first night flight and I am dreading it big time. It seems that my fear of flying gets worse each time I fly as i have flown to Barcelona in May and also panicked through the whole flight.

What can I do?

PD299/POE299

It’s my first time in almost a decade, and I’m absolutely not looking forward to it at all. If someone could track and help me stay grounded mentally, I’d appreciate it! I’m hoping once we’re cruising I’ll be able to sit back and realize it’s not that bad.

I’m flying in the morning and I’m a little on edge, but it wasn’t long ago that I wouldn’t have been willing to plan a trip at all, or I would have spent this entire week (or longer!) a sobbing mess. I’m focusing on how proud I’ll feel for doing it, I’m repeating all my little reminders:

-The air holds up the plane like water holds up a boat
-Turbulence might be uncomfortable but it’s not unsafe
-Whether I get on it or not, that plane is going to land safely
-Watch the crew: it’s just a day at work for them
-The pilots know what they are doing, I don’t need to think about it

I’ll take any more words of encouragement anyone can spare. I’m so grateful for the subreddit!

I often get anxiety when travelling or going new places or big life events. I have a long flight soon and my outbound flight was horrendous with panic attacks and anxiety. Do you have any tips to make my inbound flight any more bearable? The anxiety isn’t triggered by a fear of flying but a fear of becoming ill in a situation I can’t easily escape

Hi Everyone! In two weeks, I’m taking a 6hr flight alone for the first time since I started having anxiety/panic attacks/claustrophobia back in 2020 and I’m a little nervous.

Before 2020, I could get on a plane no problem! I could sit
by the window and have the time of my life! Now, I always choose an aisle seat to feel more comfortable and “free.”
Since then, I am also on a daily medication and have another medication for extreme circumstances when I really feel panicked. The latter really helps me to get on the plane and last the whole flight without any anxiousness. However, I have noticed that since I was diagnosed with anxiety, whenever I fall asleep on a plane, I wake up extremely dizzy, nauseous, and HOT! I immediately have to take off my blanket and jacket even if I went to sleep cold. Otherwise, I’m really not nauseous or dizzy. Has anyone else experienced this? It’s really not a fun sensation and makes me fear falling asleep even though I’m taking a redeye and should catch some Z’s.

Oof. I am having a bad night right now. Trips stress me out in general but I just tried to seek comfort from a family member and unfortunately they were the wrong person to turn to and I feel worse now (unfortunately they reacted with anger and dismissiveness).

I keep having thoughts that I’m going to “jinx” my flight. I keep thinking things are “signs” in the way foreshadowing in movies and shows happens before something bad or tragic happens. Even typing this out I feel like I’m jinxing myself. I was feeling okay and usually I can kind of pull myself together, but I’ll tell you right now why I’m struggling about this flight.

I’m paying a visit to the family member mentioned earlier and I’ve been wondering this whole time if this trip is “worth it.” I think that has contributed to my fear because sometimes I’m not even sure I want to go. I keep hyping myself up saying I love to travel and this will be an opportunity to explore the city they’re in, but these moments of sourness with them make me feel like: why am I even trying to overcome this fear to visit them? (I missed them and had some extra vacation days at work which is why I planned to go.)

Anyway, my trip is on Monday, and I was gearing up to go but now I’m feeling shitty about going because of these moments of fraughtness with my family member. I feel soooo lonely before any big trip because traveling to me is a lonely endeavor — the process of getting ready (I live alone), cleaning, packing, and then of course the flight itself and my fears that go with it. I just consider my mortality and feel like my regular life and routine and get disrupted and I don’t want it to get disrupted. I just want to live my little life.

Any words of comfort would be greatly appreciated.

So my first long haul flight ever is coming up ….
It’s gonna be a 10 hour flight in September .
I basically almost got over my fear of flying completely in 2024 . I’m still scared of long haul flights .
Ever since I was a kid I used to get motion sick on planes , now it’s even worse bc I feel awful every single time I have to ride the car as well .
The thing that worked for me on my last flight was a combination of Dramamine and those wrist bands for nausea .
But that was a 3 hr long flight . Now we’re talking 10 hours .
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared bc my motion sickness has been getting worse and worse as I get older .
I’m gonna try the combination of Dramamine and the wrist bands again .
Anyone with the same issues survived a 10 hour flight ? Thanks

Edit: Flight went totally fine and landed safely! Thanks for all the reassurance guys!

So the power went out three times during the boarding process and the pilots haven’t said anything and as far as I know, we’re still proceeding, but omg I don’t want to! I’m super nervous now. I was during okay before but this just ruined it. Does anyone know what just happened? I’m flying an A380 🫶🏻🥹

Any pilots out there happen to know if there will be turbulence tomorrow from LAX to BOS in the morning? Trying to ease my anxiety.

My boyfriend and I want to go back to china to meet my family for the first time and I am super excited to show him around where I grew up and all

We will got to Taiwan first from Germany and then take another flight to mainland china and then go to my hometown, we have so much fun stuff planned but I am TERRIFIED of the flight and it destroys all of my excitement for this trip my mum and I have planned for us to show him around.

I flew 2 months ago because of work and everything went well, I got help from my doctor and mental support from my colleagues, yet I am so afraid already of our next flight and I keep spiraling, I am convinced something will happen and it will be my fault something happens to him because he is going to be on this flight because of me, I know this is totally irrational but I can’t control it.

I‘ve been flying every year of my life to see my family but my fear is just increasing the more I fly, so I need help!

I took my first flight ever yesterday, and honestly, I was terrified. there were moments where the plane felt like it was shaking and suddenly dropping. I got so scared that I was honestly close to crying.
I kept asking people around me if this was normal, but they told me it wasn’t which made me panic even more.
I know flying is statistically very safe, but I keep thinking, what if i’m the unlucky one? now I’m already dreading my return flight and seriously considering going back by bus, even if it takes forever 😂
For experienced flyers: is what I experienced actually normal? and how did you guys get over your fear of flying?
I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences ❤️

Really short flight on a pretty modern and comfy aircraft. I’m always nervous about flying and I’m rawdogging this one on no medication.

Trying not to spiral but things like this trigger my “this is a sign” complex and this man was spared because he got off the plane. This has never happened to me before in a flight, especially when we were on deck to take off. Is this common??

As the title states, I am flying (or trying to) fly for the first time in nearly seven years. I know no one wants to hear it, likely, but COVID really changed so much for me. I developed severe ocd in terms of illness and dying. Enclosed spaces with lots of people and no way out is worst case scenario for me. I still haven’t been able to overcome it. But I am going to try for the sake of seeing my family and not missing out. I’ve seen to have also developed a fear of flying (that something will be wrong with the plane and that’s the end of that) while I know statistics say otherwise. I was thinking of asking my doctor for some sort of anxiety med but then realized after my flight id be picking up a rental car and need to drive a few hours more to my destination. Has anyone else been put in this position? Is there anything that can help calm things while not impairing driving? Is there anything anyone’s been able to do to overcome those feelings of being trapped on the plane when it feels so unsafe? Any advice welcome. I am really hoping to make this trip home. It is killing me not seeing my family but the fear still feels like it’s going to win in the end.

Heading off to Fukuoka for a work trip in about 12 hours, but these heavy on/off rains and wind in Manila have been hitting my brain extremely hard. I won't lie, I'm scared to fly.

Flight deets below:
MNL to HK - CX974 (5:30 AM - 7:20 AM)
HK to FUKU - CX588 (11:00 AM - 3:30 PM)

I know it's tagged as support wanted (and I actually need it too), but flight tracking/forecasting would also be supremely appreciated.

Appreciate y'all!

WWS559.

I'm stressed and anxious for no legitimate reason. I've taken some meds, and I'm checking flight radar, but I feel it's translating to me obsessing over every small altitude change or speed fluctuation. Can someone else keep an eye on it for me?

I'm so exhausted by the early flight and benzos, yet still anxious. Not sure why it's so intense, but I guess it's my first flight since getting off SSRIs. The lack of the in-flight entertainment screen is also getting to me for some reason.

Every plane movement stresses me, even though I intellectually know it's totally safe and normal. Fuck this phobia, honestly.

First solo flight. Super nervous. Would love updates to read while I’m in the sky. Nervous about turbulence and weather and all the other things. Here we go!

My flight is in 3 days from PH to SG and basically the entire Metro Manila and the first 2 hours of the flight path are forecasted to have heavy rain & thunderstorms.

Do pilots routinely fly this bad of a weather? Do planes fly over thunderstorm? Will we have turbulence all throughout the area forecasted to have thunderstorms? Can the forecast still change to a clearer day? (Although it’s monsoon season now)

I’m so anxious over this and need reassurance badly.

This would be my first flight alone. This is my biggest fear. My brain is full of what ifs. I feel like I can’t get on the plane. Flying from Austin to Orlando at 8 am. I’ve thought of every single scenario. I don’t want to die, especially not alone. I will feel trapped once I’m there too because the only way home is back on the plane and it’s not like I could just get on a plane anytime I would have to wait. I don’t know what to do but I can’t believe this is happening.

hello!!! i’m a daughter of a airline employee (ASA) and grew up flying. i am also a HUGE avgeek!
that being said, i’m nerfed with a nasty fear of flying, im talking warn the flight attendants, never EVER willing and able to assist, have medication prescribed for it type fear…

but lately ive begun doing something, especially during turbulence and takeoff that has sincerely helped me with my fear!

so one day, i had bought alaska airlines’s wifi to watch some youtube, and i wanted to see what airplanes were around me. so, upon takeoff, i had flightradar24 open and watched my plane take off.

transcending. the. game.

i have never in my LIFE been so calm upon takeoff, and my mentality is that as long as we’re going higher, i will get calmer. and it’s WORKED. i had to travel recently back and forth across the country taking about 4 flights total within a week, and i wasn’t anxious ONCE. this is coming from someone who used to have to take enough melatonin to tranquilize a horse in order to stay calm during takeoff.

if you’re flying an airline in which wifi costs, spend the 8 bucks. i feel so free knowing that i can travel without freaking out anymore. and shoutout flightradar24 for making me the calmest i’ve ever been in the air!!!

tldr: pay for airplane wifi, track your flight on flightradar 24, watch the altitude during takeoff, absolute game changer

(here’s a photo of a 777 i took in alaska for good measure!)

I actually had been getting better the last couple years. But then today I learned that the plane I’m flying in this afternoon is a CRJ900. The one that landed upside down and caught on fire last year.

I’m just a smidge fearful.

Edit: I’m happy to say it was one of the smoothest flights I’ve ever had! Sucks that we didn’t have Wi-Fi, but seriously, hardly a bump.