Finally someone who gets it! It is about being trapped!

thank you for normalizing taking a med if needed. flights, dentist, surgery, a one time thing. it's not a failure.

This is quite literally what I wanted to ask about!! It's not that I'm afraid to fly, but rather that I'm concerned about having a panic attack (and, in the worst case, developing agoraphobia) while on the flight / away from home! This is in spite of the fact that I've mostly recovered from agoraphobia and can now go pretty far from my home with little issue

Incredible, it's as though this was made for me. Thank you as always, Drew! I feel seen and less alone.
I read your book often but I've never heard someone talk about fear of flying the way you have in this podcast episode.
Due to a family situation I am flying between the North and South Island (New Zealand) often, its only a 60 minute flight but it's just awful.
I hate flying because I can't get off, the claustrophobic feeling is killer, no fresh air or being able to step outside and the feeling of being stuck makes my mind and heart race.
The feeling of impending doom, racing thoughts, sweaty palms, beating heart and nausea because I feel trapped is sooo triggering.
I never used to be scared of flying until 2020 when I had one of my worst panic attacks on a plane.

I got fear of flying but luckily my copilot does not.

Thanks for making this video.

When I'm on a plane, every part of me seizes up from the very start. I still remember a flight to Rome. It was probably one of the worst days of my life. I was ill in the airport and also shuddering due to anxiety. Felt terrible. Then I was on the plane for 2 hours in the dark in a storm. I didn't once move, just stared at a photo of an artwork and then started writing a story about it, but not in an enjoyable way. I wrote almost whatever came to my mind and didn't even let my brain have a moment's rest. I kept thinking and writing because silence -- even in my own mind -- meant that the plane would fall out of the sky. I remember writing pages and then when the plane was about to land I thought I was going to die, so I wrote this emotional message at the end of my story. When the plane landed it was physically painful to move my limbs. I had to spend ages in a warm bath that night when I got back.

There have been other times on planes where I don't want anyone to speak to me because it creates a sense of chaos. I need absolute stillness. I try to listen to music to calm myself, but if something strange happens in the plane, I immediately turn it off to try and gain some semblance of control.

Honestly, I detest planes. I have nightmares about them a lot. My heart rate increases when I hear the sounds of the engine starting up -- and that's before take off and the unbearable tension of being in the air for hours.

I have a flight in August.

I’ve been having panic attacks for some time before my calendar suddenly became packed with some solo business trips abroad, this for sure added to my anxiety, and before the first work trip I had all sorts of thoughts like what if I had a panic attack? how would I handle a flight being trapped on a plane surrounded by strangers. And then while boarding I saw a bunch of priests who were boarding the same plane as me, and there was an old priest who was visibly quite anxious and I offered him my aisle seat and then I thought that with this amount of church people on the plane I’m definitely safe😂 Not that I believed it but the fact that I could be anxious and still act as usual helped me to relax and enjoy the flight😊

Im glad to know that im not the only one who has this issue.

I had a panic attack while on a plane. It is about control. I can’t get off the plane. I can’t run. My worst panic is on planes. God I would love to travel again.

Now I really like to fly. After watching this one.
My longest traveled time was 14 hours to Dubai. I got anxious and trapped feel and got off from the flight at the last minute of take off.

I get the most nervous when people are getting on the plane,

Thanks, dude. Flying overseas next week. Thanks for your help and support, always. This is gold. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow!! This was so helpful. Thank you. I am still trying to recover but I have an upcoming flight in a few days and dreading it. Not easy because  I am still agoraphobic (especially long distances) but I am looking at it as an exposure exercise. The longest flight I did was two hours and now I am facing a 5 hour flight!

Thank you

I don’t fear flying it’s when they turn off the air waiting to take off for 20 minutes to hour ir coming to the gate waiting n pilot turns off the air❤panic shows up body chills n then I say turn on the air panic sets in❤ it’s awful feeling n I was told to bring mint essential oil rub in my hands cup it n breathe

i have been flying since i was 5 years old. have been in 2 minor emergencies on a plane nothing serious just some mechanical issues. its been over 2 decades of me flying multiple times a year and i have developed anxiety mainly from watching air crash investigation and the news. its not that im afraid because ill do it but my anxiety starts doing the most 🥴

Appreciate the video. It's very unfortunate that american airlines seem to not want to acknowledge this issue, or spend any time/money on it. They would no doubt gain many customers if they would have some fearful flying programs. Several European airlines have programs.  I think a lot of people would be willing to pay for this type of thing. They could do a session where you sit in the cabin.. then maybe the next time you taxi.. then the next time they go up make a turn and come right back down. It's not rocket science.. and this would bring some kind of gradual exposure to flying.

I never fly in my life an a suffering from clostaphobic but will be leaving on😮 pilgrimage in week  may God     protect me

There it is right here. I have yet to fly down south to visit my family in Chile. Havent been in 10 years. Had my first major panic attack 8 years ago.
I feel I've made major progress in my recovery - however this is the fear: to relapse on a dang airplane 💥
Anxiety can really take a major dump on your life. I used to love flying, turbulence was always fun for me (yup! Can you believe that?! I felt like a cowgirl up in the sky Yeehaw!).
Now.... not good. 😔🙏💚

But what if you're scared of the side effects of meds.. I'm just as terrified of taking meds as i am of feeling anxiety and panic.. especially being trapped on a plane. 😵‍💫