Holiday Anxiety

Going with your folks should make you feel reassured. Obviously they would never let anything happen to you.

Try and examine what you are fearing and the root cause will be having a panic attack on the plane. If that happened what would really happen...nothing as it is only feelings and symptoms you experience and no actual harm. Same as if you throw up, it wont hurt you, sure these things may be upsetting but nothing will actually hurt you and you will not be in any real danger.

Flight attendants are trained to deal with passengers whatever state they are in, millions of people have fear of flying or panic attacks and i am sure they will know how to handle anything. One of the passengers could be a doctor or a nurse.

See your holiday for what it is. A chance to escape your daily struggles, feel reassured your folks are there and try to relax at some level. I find a distraction is always a good idea, games, music or a book. The important thing is you know why all of this is happening and that help is available, its only a matter of time.

Please visit my website for more helpful info and links: www.becomeyourself.org

I hope everything goes ok.

Darren's right, the flight attendants are pretty used to this kind of thing. It can be a good thing to let the attendants know that you feel a bit worried, and ask if they will come and help you if you need. Just having the reassurance that help is at hand will help you relax - because you will know you have something to fall back on.

Have a good holiday!

Kathleen

thanks for the replies

Darren - I'm not worried about anything happening. I know what it all comes down to - being sick. Today my mum coughed at the dinnertable and I ran away from the table upstairs and had a panic attack. I am beginning to think I'm a bit of an emetophobe!! It might not hurt me but to me it just seems like the worst thing that could ever happen to me, it's crazy I know.

I know that for some reason, I feel as though if I go on this holiday I will die or not come back. I don't know why but I know that somewhere deep down it feels like I'll never "survive". I'm also worrying about jetlag and if that screws with my body. Can jetlag make you throw up???

Holidays to me are just so unappealing. Maybe it's cause I'm 16 I don't know... I just never enjoy them, they're such a chore to me. Why should I put myself through this pain for something that I never wanted to do in the first place?

Distraction is a powerful technique for me but most of my distractions will be absent on a plane. Computer, mobile phone etc. And I don't like my parents talking me down etc, it makes me more panicky that they see it.

kfedouloff - Do you really think it is a good idea to tell a flight attendant that you get panicky? What would they do if you did in fact have a panic attack? I couldn't bring myself to call them just to calm me down but if they noticed and wanted to help and knew what was going on im cool with that lol.

Hi junglemonkey,

You might benefit from theFear of Flying Download.

Good luck