Nervous Flier

[mintymow]

Has anyone any suggestions to help a nervous flier. A drink before is not an option, and I don't think helps, in some cases at least. Thanks for any ideas.

[eash]

Try some Bach Rescue Remedy or Kalms.

[LoftyLottie]

See your GP and get a prescription for Diazapam. They will only give a prescription for a low dose and just a few tabs and it will not cause any problems.

[andy-hughes]

I'd agree with Lofty on this.

A dose as low as 5mg taken an hour before you fly, and you will quite probably sleep through the flight. You will certainly be so relaxed you won't worry about a thing.

[elcee45]

I am a nervous flier and some years back read in a magazine to wrap some leaves of the herb basil in a hankie and sniff them before and during the journey, it works for me, it has a very calming effect. Try it before resorting to medication. I use it every time I fly and is readily available in most countries for the journey home.

[saxy_jag]

A drink beforehand is never a wise option.

I guess it depends on how your fear is actually focused. Bloke I used to know was OK just as long as he couldn't see the ground below. Hence he'd fly at night whenever possible and avoid window seats.

[jkkerr]

I went to my GP before a 7.5 hour flight last summer - hoping for diazapam/valium or similar.

He prescribed beta-blockers which I didn't think were much help, aside from making me woozy - so I slept a but but kept waking up every hour or so and feeling disappointed that there was still so long to go!

[Paul22118]

Mintymow, this might not help you but let me briefly relate something that happened to me many years ago.
We we all boarding a flight to, I think, Morrocco. In front of me was a woman that was clearly getting wound up. She was sweating like a pig, she was saying to the man she was with that she couldn't go through with 'this', she was clearly panicking.

We were right at the point of taxi when the cockpit door opened and the captain came strutting up the aisle and said firmly but quite sincerely that if this lady did not calm down we would have to abort the taxi, lose our slot and she would be removed with her luggage. He was prepared to do this but this would almost certainly involve a very very long delay.

The as a clincher he said 'Madam I have flown jet fighters for the RAF in battle conditions and I am a senior captain in this airline (BA) I have many many thousands of hours of flying and I don't intend to crash today just for you! What's more I am going out tonight to celebrate my daughters 21st birthday.'

The entire plane applauded and the woman sat down and never said another word all the way to North Africa. Maybe it was a show, maybe he had done it before. But boy did it work and that is of course only because it is logic.

If you don't want to fly because you do not like the sensation fine, I am sure you are not alone. But if you are scared - it defies sense.

Hope you complete the flight and move on.