Airline Flight and Fear of Cramped Quarters
Claustrophobia. Are you fearful of the cramped, tiny seats that restrict your every movement you try and make? Anything different a plane, large or small, that didn't occur before contributes to anxiety. Anxiety, if not dealt with turns to fear.
A psychiatrist is a physician trained to treat psychological swings in behavior that blossom into fear. Try a psychiatrist to help you deal with your fear of physically "closed in" situations. The technical word to describe these feelings is claustrophobia.
In addition to helping you recognize why you feel the way you do the psychiatrist can immediately give you a prescription for drugs to combat your anxiety. Do not follow this advice if you are the pilot of the plane.
Drugs that quell anxiety belong to a Group called Benzodiazepines. Generic names like xanax, valiun and klonopin have sedating effects for several hours that enable some folks to fend off anxiety until airborne.
What kind of steps can you take to alleviate anxiety factors before and during a flight? Noise-canceling head phones and an iPod can prevent airplane noise substantially. They psychologically make you forget your on an airplane.
Seat types and choices make the space you occupy bigger and less confining. Aisle seats, extra legroom seats and seats at the front of the plane help minimize claustrophobia. In some cases the position of the seat that makes it easier to find combats anxiety.
when I was more active in flying in small planes the closing of the one and only door created immediate discomfort with some passengers. Claustrophobia hits when you least expect it to affect you.
Practice breathing. Watch your breathing rate. Breathe slowly. This is like the "Fright, Fight and Frolic" response of the Sympathetic Branch of the Autonomic Nervous System. Triggered by an increase in breathing rate prepares you for a session with anxiety.
Before actually flying, pick out the aircraft you want to fly on for your trip. Big is better for people with known claustrophobia. Leave plenty of time for ticketing, security check, boarding and possibly time for a snack, if that calms you down. If you have drugs to calm you down take them an hour before your boarding time. This gives them time to start working. A bottle of water is good to buy and bring on board. Thirst (dry mouth) can trigger a panic attack. Boarding a plane later has the effect of not being in a plane a long time before actual takeoff. Long time equates with anxiety.
These "Tips" pertain more to Commercial planes than private planes. Some apply to both type of planes.
Seat types and choices make the space you occupy bigger and less confining. Aisle seats, extra legroom seats and seats at the front of the plane help minimize claustrophobia. In some cases the position of the seat that makes it easier to find combats anxiety.
when I was more active in flying in small planes the closing of the one and only door created immediate discomfort with some passengers. Claustrophobia hits when you least expect it to affect you.
Practice breathing. Watch your breathing rate. Breathe slowly. This is like the "Fright, Fight and Frolic" response of the Sympathetic Branch of the Autonomic Nervous System. Triggered by an increase in breathing rate prepares you for a session with anxiety.
Before actually flying, pick out the aircraft you want to fly on for your trip. Big is better for people with known claustrophobia. Leave plenty of time for ticketing, security check, boarding and possibly time for a snack, if that calms you down. If you have drugs to calm you down take them an hour before your boarding time. This gives them time to start working. A bottle of water is good to buy and bring on board. Thirst (dry mouth) can trigger a panic attack. Boarding a plane later has the effect of not being in a plane a long time before actual takeoff. Long time equates with anxiety.
These "Tips" pertain more to Commercial planes than private planes. Some apply to both type of planes.
