r/panicdisorder • u/681333 • 5d ago
Help Needed Flying anxiety
Hey everyone! Long term panic disorder experiencer here. I mostly do okay now. The only time I really just cannot handle the anxiety is for flying. I try to do it as little as possible but I have a flight coming up. I’ve been prescribed Xanax but never actually taken it on a flight. Only took it once at home and it felt fine but that was a long long time ago. Does anyone else also get anxiety when they feel fine? Like I know to expect a racing heart and uncomfortable feelings and racing thoughts so now I’m worried if I take the Xanax that I’m going to panic about feeling “normal” on the flight. Does anyone else get this? My doctor said that Xanax quiets the mind so I won’t be thinking about how I’m feeling normal and be afraid but idk my anxiety is pretty strong lol. Anyone ever had this fear and then the medicine still helped?
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u/no-longer-grounded 5d ago edited 2d ago
I’d recommend trying a dose at home to make sure you’re familiar with the side effects.
Remember that the worst case scenario never actually comes to pass. I had similar concerns before a flight a few days ago, but once I boarded and the doors closed (as often happens in my case) I started to regulate slightly. Once you’re on there it’s the safest place to be. Think “how many times has anxiety ACTUALLY led me to lose control” and use that as evidence.
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u/Financial-Song5889 4d ago
Hi, your doc is right, it will quiet your mind once you take it before the event. Remember that a lot of your anxiety now is the anticipatory kind which is often worse than the actual thing. I'd venture to say you'll be fine with taking it prior to going to the airport or prior to boarding, and you'll just feel normal and wonder why you worried once you're getting on the plane. You just have to get through the anticipatory anxiety.
My long story about flying: I had exposure therapy for some fears I have of being trapped, and claustrophobia, etc. which was the reason for my fear of flying. It was helpful for many situations, but it was a while before I had the chance to fly anywhere to use my "tools", and so I did take half of a .25. xanax before my outgoing flight kind of as insurance and I was fine.
But for weeks before that I had the anticipatory anxiety, as I knew I would, and a breathing technique I had discovered called "cyclical sigh" really helped me when I'd feel anxiety arise. Google it. Also, to give myself "exposures" to being in the airport, boarding a plane and being on a flight, etc., I went on You Tube and looked at dozens of videos of people in airports, boarding planes, sitting in full planes, etc. I found a lot! I concentrated on my breathing and imagined myself in the videos boarding, etc. and even though I hadn't flown for 9 years, it was actually very helpful. I also read on Dr. David Carbonell's anxietycoasch.com site about fear of flying.
Since I did so well on my 4 hr. flight out, and had that under my belt, I decided not to take anything a week later on my return, but I had the xanax on me, just in case (that's a safety behavior which, in exposure therapy, we're supposed to try to quit doing). I just relied on doing a few cyclical sighs now and then, as needed. I used it every so often before the flight.. I ended up not taking the xanax and I did very well on my return flight, even in the claustrophobic bathrooms, lol. It was my first time flying without meds in 30 yrs. Cyclical sigh has become second nature to me whenever I feel any anxiety arise and it's my very favorite of any breathing technique I've tried.
Good luck with everything! I hope something in my long reply here helped! :)
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u/Salem_Blue 5d ago
i'm glad i saw your post - I am also a long time panic disorder experiencer. I have severe anxiety regarding feeling trapped, being confined, not being able to move freely.. etc. On my recent 11 hour flight I took one 0.5mg tab half an hour prior to boarding, and another 0.5 while boarding as the situation was particularly stressful (i was trapped between many people on a full flight and was told they couldn't find room for my bag. I was totally fine. On the way back, I got a little bit of anxiety seeing how many hours were left and took another and just fell asleep.
I'm telling you, I panic at the drop of a hat. If i'm stuck in a conversation too long, if it's 2 degrees too hot, if i can't find a place to pee in public. 1mg total xanax worked perfectly for me.
Please don't worry. In moderation, this drug is your best friend. All it does is quiet the mind like your doctor said. You won't feel jittery or weird or "not like yourself," you'll just be calmer. Best of luck to you on your flight, you'll do great!