I’m an extremely anxious flyer and looking for any tips

Do you have any thing like Ativan? A low dose of that might help. Or if it’s a long haul flight, I’ve taken 1 Ambien. Really helped. Aisle seat, towards the middle or front. Listening to soft music. If possible, let the Flight Attendants know. I’ve been a Flight Attendant for 35 years so I hope this will help. Any other questions, feel free to ask. Oh, and bring good earplugs. I use the silicone putty ones from Mack’s. Very moldable.

@truly520. I've been an anxious flyer for over 30 years. It's much better than when this phobia started because I worked with a therapist. The first thing I do when I board the flight is let the first person I see - usually a flight attendant - know that I'm very anxious about flying. There is something important about not trying to keep this to myself and letting others know how I feel. I generally get empathy from the flight personnel who also come and check on me if they can. I book an aisle seat and if I feel the person next to me might be OK with my anxiety I tell them. One time a woman next to me offered to hold my hand which I thought was very sweet. I've learned belly breathing exercises that I practice at home throughout the year so that these work for me when I need them. I listen to music on the plane through my headphones or ear buds and I look at photos that I find soothing.

Have you worked with a mental health professional on flight anxiety?

Thank you. I have worked with a therapist and yet the thought of being trapped in a plane for 6 hours gives me huge anxiety. I’m traveling for Christmas for the first time in 30 years. I will alert the flight attendant. Good advice! Thanks!

@truly520 I should add the following. I'm such an anxious flyer that I have Xanax on hand to take before boarding a plane. My primary care physician will provide a prescription with a limited number of pills (10 pills, I think). I don't need to take these much any more but I will say that this medication greatly helped me to start flying again. I was first prescribed Xanax by my psychiatrist over 30 yeas ago and the meds got me on a plane to go home and visit my family. Like you, I was and on some occasions still feel very anxious at being trapped on a plane.

Thanks. I don’t want to take anything I’ve never taken before. In case I don’t react well.

I am an anxious flyer. 1. gotta get to aurport 2 hours early. 2. missed planes missed connections. 3. lost luggage 3. crowds of people 4. where's my boarding pass, identification, luggage receipt? 5. TSA 😫 no belt, no shoes, pants falling down, pat down/wand search, tear my carry-on apart to take my nail clippers 6. plane has tiny seats, tiny toilet (waiting lines) , sneezing and coughing passengers kicking the back if my seat, screaming kids - locked in with stupid TV and blue chips for hours. and why does Bernoulli's principle keep 40 tons in the air at 600 mph?
No wonder I need to be unconcious to fly..

@truly520 When my psychiatrist first prescribed Xanax he told me how much to take and to try it at home at least two times before even thinking of trying it on a plane. This was a very good suggestion and let me know that I could take this medication if I wanted to do that.

@shmerdloff Actually with all you described I figure that lots of other travelers have "caught up with me". I was already an anxious flyer well before the current regulations were in place in the U.S.

Thank you all. I made it through the long flight with only a few moments of panic! It helped that the flight was at night so I was tired!

Likewise, ever since was asleep and I woke up and looked out of the window before I properly remembered I was on a plane.
As others have said, share your feelings with others on the plane who seem like they are not bothered by it, primarily the flight attendant. Probably best not to share with someone who is looking petrified