Well, it seems you are on the right path to dealing with your fear of flying. Definately concentrate on the safety statistics because you are indeed safer in a plane than you are in a car, especially on a long trip like that were a lot of people on the road will have been driving for days and suffering from some degree of fatigue. These are people I do NOT want to be on the road with!
Secondly, I also second the use of SOMETHING to help calm your nerves while flying. Indeed, Xanax (that's how you spell it by the way) works wonders, especially when you only take it every now and then for high anxiety situations. If you want something a little milder, you may want to ask for Tranzene. It is in the same class of drugs as Xanax but slightly milder. Most people don't feel any side effects from these except for feeling sleepy, which is a good thing when you are flying! For me, it s like having 2-3 glasses of wine. It is that kind of relaxed time for a nap kind of feeling. I do suggest taking one before you leave your house for the airport (if you live within an hour from the airport) to give it time to take effect. And it is usually fine to take another right before your flight if you are still feeling quite anxious. (Which you probably won't.) Of course, discuss this with your Dr. because only he or she knows what is right for you and what dosage to presecribe.
If you want to go the natural route, there are herbal supplements that can help thought most of them need time to build up in your system to work effectively. St. John's Wort is great but needs about 2 weeks before you start feeling it's effects. There is a great herbal supplement out there called Seredyn that works right away, within an hour of taking it and is very effective. I believe they have a website at
www.seredyn.com
And finally, I'm no Dr. but I do have a degree in Psychology and I believe in behavioral therapy. In your case, I would suggest visualizations to help you deal with your fear of flying.
This is how you do it: First, imagine a place or situation that you find totally relaxing. It could be real or fictional as long as it is a place or situation that brings a smile to your face and relaxes you when you think of it. (For me, I think of a desserted beach at sunset with the sound of waves slowly brushing up against the shore.) Think about this place for at least 5 minutes. Truly imagine you are there. What do you hear? What do you feel? What do you see? Are there any smells? Try to imagine all your senses immersed in this place. Once again, for me, I feel the warm sand beneath me. I hear the seagulls and the waves. I can smell the ocean spray in the air and feel a warm breeze on my skin. This helps to make this a very real place for you. We'll call this your "happy place". It is a place you should think of and focus on whenever you feel anxious or scared.
Next, take a pretend trip in your mind. Find a quite place in your home and dedicate at least 10 minutes to this activity. You should be sitting in a comfortable chair or lying in bed while propped up with pillows. Whichever is most relaxing for you. Next, imagine that it is the day of your trip. Everything is packed and ready to go and you are leaving your home in plenty of time to get to the airport on time. Go through everything you would normally do while at the airport. Imagine yourself checking your luggage in, getting your boarding pass and arriving at the gate. Then boarding the plane and finding a seat for yourself. Imagine the excitement you'll feel at knowing that you'll soon be at the happiest place on Earth. Then imagine yourself relaxed and calm as the plane gently takes off and then the view from the plane window with big, billowy, puffy white clouds and how very peaceful it looks from up here. How gorgeous and serene it is. Next, before you know, it is time to land and be on your way to start your much deserved vacation. Imagine yourself at the airport in Orlando and how very happy you are to be here and how proud you feel of yourself for getting here and having a great time doing so.
All of the above scenarios are just an idea, you can imagine it any way you wish. The point is that whatever you imagine should be pleasant thoughts and imagery. If at any point during the visualization you feel anxious, go to the happy place that you have created for yourself and spend a few minutes back there, breathing deeply and sloooowly and enjoying the relaxation you feel when you are there, only returning to the trip visualization if you feel comfortable. If you do this every night until the day of your trip you will feel much more prepared to take the trip because in essence, your mind has been getting used to it for days by taking the pretend flight. (Trust me, it works!)
This is a common method used in desensitizing (making less sensitive) people who have some sort of fear or anxiety.
Try these methods and I'm sure you will have a great time. Just remember, you are going to do something FUN and enjoy your vacation!:wave:
