Fear of flying.

At the start of the year I had met two exchange students, one from Taiwan and the other from Thailand, we have become pretty close friends and hang out quite a bit.
and I was recently asked if I wanted to go to Taiwan with one of them to stay for a few months, now I would love to go, I would love to travel the world and see other cultures and places but there is one big problem, I`m terrified of planes, I hate the look of them and even the smell of them, going to the airport even brings upon anxiety.
Now I want to go and will do anything to fight this fear but it's something I'll need major counselling to overcome.
I`m not sure what brings on this fear or why I even have it, I think it's kind of stupid but I guess everyone has a fear of something. I know what doesn't help are all the news networks that show plane crashes and make it seem like they just fall from the sky, I know people who have flown there whole life and have never had a problem and say it's the most safe and beautiful way to travel.
So have you guys ever had a fear that you had to overcome, like in my situation I get to travel across the world unless I pansy out and have a panic attack on the plane.

At the start of the year I had met two exchange students, one from Taiwan and the other from Thailand, we have become pretty close friends and hang out quite a bit.
and I was recently asked if I wanted to go to Taiwan with one of them to stay for a few months, now I would love to go, I would love to travel the world and see other cultures and places but there is one big problem, I`m terrified of planes, I hate the look of them and even the smell of them, going to the airport even brings upon anxiety.
Now I want to go and will do anything to fight this fear but it's something I'll need major counselling to overcome.
I`m not sure what brings on this fear or why I even have it, I think it's kind of stupid but I guess everyone has a fear of something. I know what doesn't help are all the news networks that show plane crashes and make it seem like they just fall from the sky, I know people who have flown there whole life and have never had a problem and say it's the most safe and beautiful way to travel.
So have you guys ever had a fear that you had to overcome, like in my situation I get to travel across the world unless I pansy out and have a panic attack on the plane.

Come on dude, the only bad part of a plane is the shitty seats. Trust me, you'll be fine "if" you choose to go to Taiwan.

I was hella afraid of robbers when I was a kid...but I sucked it up (( AND NOW I AM A ROBBERRRR ))

Personally, I love it. I don't understand the fear of airplanes. But I guess that's why they're called irrational fears. Has anyone told you that you're more likely to get in a car wreck on the way to the airport, then for the plane to crash?

I used to have a fear of social activities, but two years of all guys school in a foreign country fixed that. The best way to overcome a fear is to just face it.

If you have a panic attack on the plane, you'll be labeled as a terrorist. 

So technically you win the second you get on the plane and it's off.  You can't panic out, in fear of going to jail.  Use that fear to steady yourself. 

For years I was afraid of fire.  So one day I made a bondfire and stepped into it.  The flames were warmth...it warmed my scared soul. 

Just fly and that fear be broken.  How else are you going to visit me in Japan?

You also lost a friend in a crash if I remember correctly. Counseling would be beneficial no matter what, never mind the flying. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is true, but maybe you had this fear before your friend's death. Talk is good no matter who it's with, but a professional is worth the price if you choose to go that way. Good luck and take care.

"You also lost a friend in a crash if I remember correctly. Counseling would be beneficial no matter what, never mind the flying. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is true, but maybe you had this fear before your friend's death. Talk is good no matter who it's with, but a professional is worth the price if you choose to go that way. Good luck and take care."

Can you legally consume alcohol?  If yes, then well there is your answer.  Why not toss back sleeping pills and sleep the entire trip?

Just have the panic attack and you'll be better off for it. When I flew for the first time, I nearly ripped the arm off the seat because I grabbed it so hard but after that, I was fine.

"Just have the panic attack and you'll be better off for it. When I flew for the first time, I nearly ripped the arm off the seat because I grabbed it so hard but after that, I was fine."

When you Bucketdeth said:

"Claude said:

"You also lost a friend in a crash if I remember correctly. Counseling would be beneficial no matter what, never mind the flying. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is true, but maybe you had this fear before your friend's death. Talk is good no matter who it's with, but a professional is worth the price if you choose to go that way. Good luck and take care."

Yeah I did lost a friend in a crash, it was a helicopter but all the same to me. But I have had this fear before that and it was never this bad and I`m not sure if thats what stopping but I have an appointment to see a docter and maybe he can hook me up with some pills for on the plane and get my stoned out of my tree's for the whole trip : PBut seriously I'm going to try my best to fight this fear and step on that plane like I OWN THAT SHIT.......or I'll just sit down and try and relax."

"Make sure you talk to your doctor about these fears and feelings and maybe he can direct you."

"When you Bucketdeth said:

"Claude said:

"You also lost a friend in a crash if I remember correctly. Counseling would be beneficial no matter what, never mind the flying. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is true, but maybe you had this fear before your friend's death. Talk is good no matter who it's with, but a professional is worth the price if you choose to go that way. Good luck and take care."

Yeah I did lost a friend in a crash, it was a helicopter but all the same to me. But I have had this fear before that and it was never this bad and I`m not sure if thats what stopping but I have an appointment to see a docter and maybe he can hook me up with some pills for on the plane and get my stoned out of my tree's for the whole trip : PBut seriously I'm going to try my best to fight this fear and step on that plane like I OWN THAT SHIT.......or I'll just sit down and try and relax."

Make sure you talk to your doctor about these fears and feelings and maybe he can direct you. If you have the support, go for it and strive to take on these fears. My nephew flew for the first time and he's 22, and it was no big deal... except for the landing, but now it's hold hat for him. Anti-anxiety medication would work well in this situation, you're old enough for that I think."

"Claude said:

"Make sure you talk to your doctor about these fears and feelings and maybe he can direct you."

No, just get on a plane. Take a close friend with you, and have a good time. Take a half-hour local flight, maybe."

You just need to get this done once man. One flight and you'd have broken your fear for the rest of your life. Don't you think that's enough motivation to face your fear for a couple of hours ??!! And if your friend is with you .. all the better. Keep talking to him/her .. you'd be fine.

You're not claustrophobic are you, my wife has never flown and will not get on an elevator, so a plane is out of the question for her.

"You just need to get this done once man. One flight and you'd have broken your fear for the rest of your life. Don't you think that's enough motivation to face your fear for a couple of hours ??!! And if your friend is with you .. all the better. Keep talking to him/her .. you'd be fine.

Don't miss out on the trip dude !! I'm sure it'd be awesome. Here's hoping you raise your level to 9000 and beat your fears :)

"

Would it help if I said:

Flying is fucking AWESOME. Especially if you're going to Asia, look out over the waters and snow capped mountians... you're in a cloud, it's safe, it's peaceful, and the pretty waitress is bending over pouring you a Pepsi, and you can see down her top.

LOL @ToolWalrus :P

"You're not claustrophobic are you, my wife has never flown and will not get on an elevator, so a plane is out of the question for her."

"Would it help if I said:Flying is fucking AWESOME. Especially if you're going to Asia, look out over the waters and snow capped mountians... you're in a cloud, it's safe, it's peaceful, and the pretty waitress is bending over pouring you a Pepsi, and you can see down her top."

...I only got to fly to Japan once. It was night, we landed at 3am. We crashed in the Tokyo airport and took off the next morning. Never even got to breathe the outside air. I've got to go back eventually.

As far as irrational fears go you could do worse.  My suggestion is to take a book or a game and use it to distract you.  Something else that may help (emphasis on may) is to do a bit of reasearch on planes and find out why they stay in the air.  it could help you to know exactly what is keeping you up in the sky

On another subject does anyone find it strange that you can write this stuff on giant bomb and get decent advise.

I only give serious advise sometimes.

yeah .. I had a trip planned for Korea and Japan this summer .. but had to cancel it :( There would be so much to explore once you start flying BucketDeth."

"...I only got to fly to Japan once. It was night, we landed at 3am. We crashed in the Tokyo airport and took off the next morning. Never even got to breathe the outside air. I've got to go back eventually."

"As far as irrational fears go you could do worse.  My suggestion is to take a book or a game and use it to distract you.  Something else that may help (emphasis on may) is to do a bit of reasearch on planes and find out why they stay in the air.  it could help you to know exactly what is keeping you up in the skyOn another subject does anyone find it strange that you can write this stuff on giant bomb and get decent advise."

"I only give serious advise sometimes."

TooWalrus said:

"...I only got to fly to Japan once. It was night, we landed at 3am. We crashed in the Tokyo airport and took off the next morning. Never even got to breathe the outside air. I've got to go back eventually."

Where were you headed?"

"Bucketdeth said:

TooWalrus said:

"...I only got to fly to Japan once. It was night, we landed at 3am. We crashed in the Tokyo airport and took off the next morning. Never even got to breathe the outside air. I've got to go back eventually."

Where were you headed?"

New Zealand. I lived there for two years, when I was 14-16. Went to an all dudes school. Wore the uniform. Got with the ladies. Loved it."

"TooWalrus said:

"Bucketdeth said:

TooWalrus said:

"...I only got to fly to Japan once. It was night, we landed at 3am. We crashed in the Tokyo airport and took off the next morning. Never even got to breathe the outside air. I've got to go back eventually."

Where were you headed?"

New Zealand. I lived there for two years, when I was 14-16. Went to an all dudes school. Wore the uniform. Got with the ladies. Loved it."

Wow that must have been a beautiful place, isn't that where they shot Lord Of The Rings? or am I being stupid."

"Bucketdeth said:

"TooWalrus said:

"Bucketdeth said:

TooWalrus said:

"...I only got to fly to Japan once. It was night, we landed at 3am. We crashed in the Tokyo airport and took off the next morning. Never even got to breathe the outside air. I've got to go back eventually."

Where were you headed?"

New Zealand. I lived there for two years, when I was 14-16. Went to an all dudes school. Wore the uniform. Got with the ladies. Loved it."

Wow that must have been a beautiful place, isn't that where they shot Lord Of The Rings? or am I being stupid."

Nah it totally is. There's this Hobbiton bus tour, you drive through these hills to the middle of fuckin nowhere, then you see these holes in the hills. They are the hobbit holes. You can walk right up to Bilbo's house, check out that giant party tree (it's still got streamers in it) and all that good stuff. I've got a book with directions to all of the filming locations, it's pretty cool."

No thats where they mostly shot LOTRs. You should know that the chance of a plane crashing today is 1 in a million or something ridiculous like that. It does make me worried that my life is in the hands of a computer and not so much a human (auto-pilot is always engaged on big airplanes,  the actual human pilot does very little flying really).

I dont trust computers, or AI. They malfunction and fuck up, plus they will never be able to make split second decisions as fast and logical as humans can.
I havent flown in a plane for a long time. I was only 6-7 when i first went on one and i enjoyed it from what i remember.

Just fly man. Fuck all that consouling shit, its a waste of money. Just take a deep breath and relax. Take some perks before you go on or smoke a joint or something, hahaha.

And if you crash, you crash. But if i knew the plane was going down i would probably open the door and jump. Because i would have fun for a couple of seconds flying through the air.

Hey destro, have you checked that Flutter thread lately? I'll bump it if you haven't seen it.

"Hey destro, have you checked that Flutter thread lately? I'll bump it if you haven't seen it."

I understand your fear, I actually got to go on a plain trip from Georgia to New York for the first time a few years back.I was terrified of the flight, but flying in that plane with the sun setting was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.Don't be afraid of what might happen, but sit back and enjoy the view from your window, because its a wonderful sight.

Take some sleeping pills, and a good 8 or so hours of that flight will disappear...your wallet might too, but at least no panic attack.

"I understand your fear, I actually got to go on a plain trip from Georgia to New York for the first time a few years back.I was terrified of the flight, but flying in that plane with the sun setting was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.Don't be afraid of what might happen, but sit back and enjoy the view from your window, because its a wonderful sight."

"Take some sleeping pills, and a good 8 or so hours of that flight will disappear...your wallet might too, but at least no panic attack. "

There has been a lot of shit on TV about planes crashing lately but they are extremely safe, the drive to the airport is much more dangerous.

"There has been a lot of shit on TV about planes crashing lately but they are extremely safe, the drive to the airport is much more dangerous."

Just bring your DS or PSP and distract yourself with that the entire time.

I have flown dozens of times and I enjoy it. Sometimes when going on vacations I look forward to the plane ride more than the actual vacation. The only part that is stressful for me is the take off and landing.

The only advice I could give is try not sitting by the window (that's my favorite spot though) and take a game or book with you. If you can take your mind off the flight it will go faster than you think. Most of the time a plane ride seems smoother than a car ride so you might be able to trick yourself into thinking your sitting in a crowded room rather than on an airplane. Or maybe you could just take an mp3 player with 16+ hours of heavy music and just crank it up and bang your head all the way there. Neck would be sore though.

I am a great big pussy when it comes to spiders and I am never getting over that fear. You can't make me. I also have a pretty ridicilous fear of big amounts of people. I have anxiety attacks while going through crowded depatment stores. I don't know why.

I have a bit of a fear of planes but it's nothing overly serious.

I have avoided vacations before though simply due to my dislike of airplanes so maybe it is a more serious issue than I think... I've never had a panic attack on a plane but I dread the thought of going on planes and generally feel extremely nervous when the plane is not 100% stable.

You just kinda have to bite the bullet and deal with it... I know that isn't the best advice but I try to look at it like we're all going to die some day anyway so what's the point of living your life in fear and never experiencing anything?  Especially when the odds of something actually going wrong are extremely slim.  The media overplays everything.

My whole family is scared of flying, but I do not seem to be. I think that you should just go, becuase once you get in the air you will feel fine. And the 'accidents' are not very common, but I will not deny they do happen. But somtimes you just have to get over your fears, like I did with spiders (I got over it by letting one crawl all over me...it was horrible but I am not as scared anymore).