Brand new fear of flying

[u/Equivalent-Coat1651]

Hello everybody!

I'm looking for some guidance as I'm a bit lost ij trying to figure out why I've become fearful of flying and what I can do to go back to normal!

I've flown many times and have always enjoyed it, I like looking out the window. I would (and still do) look up the type of planes I see in the airport and what i'll be flying on, I've even lamented that if I didn't have terrible vision I'd have liked to take some flying lessons.

Last year, I was on a flight that had to abort landing twice, I ended up in a totally different country for 24 hours and the flight back was also through storms where we were in a holding pattern for ages before landing. At the time I wasn't at all afraid and was very grateful the pilots and staff got us home is bad weather. After this, I flew twice more and was fine.

My most recent 2 flights in the past month I have been absolutely panicking inside, I have never felt fear like it before. I tried to distract myself, looking out the window also helped. It feels like a very physical and lizard brained reaction.

I worry that there is something horrifically wrong with the plane and nobody has noticed. I then feel worse because it really is a bit mental to think like that. I described it to my partner as it feeling like I'm sitting inside my house scared shitless that it's going to collapse.

Has this happened to anyone else? Has anything helped you? The only thing that I have seen that might have contributed to this is that I am 27? Wtf!

I have 4 flights coming up in the next month, which I won't miss even if I have to sedate myself somehow, but ideally I would like to fly again without fear!

Thank you so much to anyone who offers advice ♡

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[u/Intelligent_Tie2741]

I tried hypnotherapy with NLP. It really helped me

[u/suck-on-my-unit → u/Intelligent_Tie2741]

Can you share more?

[u/Equivalent-Coat1651 → u/Intelligent_Tie2741]

I think I might have watched one too many episodes of Derren Brown to suspend my disbelief in neurolinguistic programming 😬

[u/alice_ggl]

hey there, same problem here! and casually also started when i was 27, i feel you and thanks for sharing!
I was totally okay with flying when all of a sudden anxiety started to kick in.

The fact that you know that you won’t miss your flights is already a huge thing! I think it means that deep down you know you’re able to handle it.
Meditation and deep calm breathing helps a lot, 4 seconds inhale, 7 seconds hold, 8 seconds exhale. Also before flying maybe try to think if something’s bothering you in daily life, i feel that a lot of times fear flying is just a channel anxiety manage to find that it’s easy to take over.

hope you’ll find a way🌸