The Countdown Continues

[abuckeye005]

So, I am down to under a month before my flight to Phoenix. I have been listening to my iphone app, reading as many flight reports as I possibly can and also trying to look at as many plane pics as I can. I feel like it is a fear of the unkown that gets me as well.

Still very anxious and stressed though...the saga continues.

[Aurora]

You are on the right road, doing right stuff.

Trying to understand what you say about "the unknown" - I could tell you about my recent flight. Considering 2009 where I made a HUGE progress getting over my fear of flying, I hadn't flown a passenger jet since September '09 before my flight now in June '10. That's nearly a year of abscence.
Before my flight in September '09 I'd have 3 very good flights in June '09, still I cried and were very nervous before the Sept '09 flight. When I got on the plane everything setteled down and I didn't cry anymore.

So, now in June '10 I went to the airport with a TON of experience, a TON of knowledge about airplanes, I'd been talking with several pilots, I'd been on the inside of airports several times and so on.

STILL - even if I felt so much knowledge about the airplane on the ground, about all the things that went on around the airplane, on the airport - the FLIGHT was still an unknown factor. It was almost a year ago since the last time, after all! And because I knew I was going to FLY today, I was feeling uneasy. I had no practise of flying, I had only practise of being on the ground. I didn't cry, but I could feel cold-sweat, I felt restless, had to walk a lot, stretching, yawning.... Nervousness. As soon as I got on the plane and we got in the air, it calmed down. As soon as we were in cruise height - I was completely calm.

SO - yes. It's impossible to "remove" that unknown"ness" of flying before you fly a lot. Before you desensitize yourself with flying a lot. But what is possible, is to gain enough control to get on that plane. To traverse that small fence. Cause it's when you get over that fence you can remove it completely! :cool:

Good luck and keep up the good work! :hug:

[StPeteMark]

So, I am down to under a month before my flight to Phoenix. I have been listening to my iphone app, reading as many flight reports as I possibly can and also trying to look at as many plane pics as I can. I feel like it is a fear of the unkown that gets me as well. Still very anxious and stressed though...the saga continues.I flew into Phoenix yesterday afternoon; the four-hour flight was uneventful, but a little bumpy at spots due to bad weather below and the heat as you approach Phoenix (114 degrees).

I would only add to your prep is hanging out at your airport as much as you can...have lunch, observe planes in all stages on the ground and in the air, become familiar with areas, people/passenger watch - and think, there's hundreds of them doing the same thing you will be doing soon. Making the act of visiting the airport a natural routine will relieve a lot of anxiety.

The dry heat is not too bad, but you have to dress accordingly and keep hydrated.

You'll be fine; your hard work will pay off with success! :thumbsup:
.

[Kimmar]

Click on StPeteMarks siggy above where it says "Flight Videos" or something like that. (Can't see it right now.) It will take you to a bunch of youtube links that's he's made of different take offs and landings, and some inflight videos too. These are very good to watch on a full screen, imagining yourself in the seat of the plane...I used them a *lot* when I was first working on my fear of flying.

At first the videos alone would get my heart pounding, but the more I watched them and imagined myself "there" the less effect it had on me. It was a very useful tool to "fool" the mind into thinking I was actually flying! LOL

Seems silly, I know, but it helps and it's free, unlike an actual flight!

[aerobat]

So, I am down to under a month before my flight to Phoenix. I have been listening to my iphone app, reading as many flight reports as I possibly can and also trying to look at as many plane pics as I can. I feel like it is a fear of the unkown that gets me as well.

Still very anxious and stressed though...the saga continues.

Hi, Buckeye,

I apologize to you and to everyone for my scarcity, but I have had to take over classes and students for another flight instructor who is recovering from major surgery, and it will be at least another month before he can fly. And I've been swamped on the "Mayan" side of my "flyin' and Mayan" life with a huge 2012-related writing project. Great fun and a lot of decipherment head-cracking. Ah, and I am flying to Idaho on Southwest next month, which is a very special treat--a reunion I attend near McCall every five years. And it's wonderful to just be looking forward to it, without that godawful crazy-making AA that used to devour me when I had a flight booked (and then I'd cancel it :cry:).

So anyway, from my own experience having been where you are, and having the good fortune back in 1993 to be up against the wall and HAVE to get on a plane but also to have some excellent resources offered to me (Reid Wilson's Don't Panic and then an appointment with the man himself at the other end of my leap)...I can say with certainty that your fear of flying is not what you think it is! ;):tongue: Mine wasn't either, and yours sounds exactly like mine.

Please, if you haven't done it, spend lots of time at anxieties.com and explore the information and the tools. I know you're doing other things to desensitize, but I suspect that you can do more of the trickery than you have yet tried. Please check out these techniques: (1) thought-stopping; (2) postponement; (3) worry time...and then get back to us with your thoughts about them. We can help you get started using them.

Here's something your fear of flying is:
a neurochemical lie.

And when you make this fact your own, when you start having the aha! experiences that show it to you again and again (even if you backslide in between), you will make much better progress toward getting ready to fly next month. And we'll be here to help. :thumbsup:

[abuckeye005]

Thanks for all of the advice.

I have read up on "thought-stopping" and it seems pretty straight forward and easy to accomplish.

I will update with my progress.