Saturday, November 04, 2006

Freaked out!!

Flying freaks me out


airplane disasters on the news & terrorism have made flying an experience I dread everyday! .. my lifestyle and work requires me to travel almost twice a month.. but everytime I start organizing a trip..either for work or leasure.. I tend to lose focus on the purpose of the trip itself and put all my energy on whether or not I will survive it this time! sounds odd for some people ..I know! but many may relate to those feelings...

this started out when I was young and my aunte used to make it her favorite hobby to freak me out from flying and high-rised buildings, to her..at that time..it was pure entertainment to see the horror on my face when she tells me while we're in mid air on the way to the U.S and back .."guess what.. we're going to crash sooner or later" and I can't really blame her.. I had the goofiest expressions when she said that.. plus how would she know that this could scar me for life! anyways.. my situation didn't get worse over the years and I sorta numbed it by time

..until the day in the year 2000.. in the State.. was winter season and I had to take a flight from one state to another... There was a storm and it was a small plane... it was a very bumpy ride and we were almost going to crash..I was traveling alone .. and I was terrified from all that drama... the guy next to me was crying!! I'm serious he was praying and crying... I felt my entire body shaking and I blacked out for a few minutes. when I came to, my life literally flashed before my eyes. I could picture my body in the rubble of the crash!

Over time my mild anxiety turned into exaggerated fear and that fear had a name ..Aviophobia.. fear of flying and planes! , the news, the terrorist's attacks, planes crashing .. all I could think about before I board a plane is that is this going to be it? what about the plane? .. is this an old aging plane? is it safe? is the pilot sane? is he drunk? are there maniacs on board that will kidnap our plane..?? my brain draws scenario of what could happen..ridiculous scenarios.. ideas that make no sense .. I lose focus and I become numb again... I pop a pill..or two.. just to able to deal with it! how silly and ludicrous my imagination is !! and it's just annoying and exhausting ...I'm using up all my energy ..over what??? seriously..

So I resorted to therapy.. I started taking courses to cope with this dreadful condition... my concern with safety has gotten out of control!

I'm much better now.. I'm more calm when I fly.. I'm still taking those sessions..

I feel better about planes and heights... it's a learning process.. and I'm doing my best.

15 comments:

me said...

shoooooooooooooooooot gun :)

great way of dealing with ur fear,,,,attending these courses is the best thing u can do

well done ;)

Unknown said...

1- with alldue respect to your aunt what she did is nasty
2-do not watch National Geo ch on tusedays

Unknown said...

1- with all due respect to your aunt what she did is nasty
2- do not watch national Geo ch on Tuesdays

Dakhtour said...

In the beginning i was like u but i found the solution later... It's either u watch a movie/show or sleep?! :)

Bs lal7en at9arwa3 men el ma6abat el hawa2eya :)

3abeer said...

me,

Thank you for your kind words darling :)
I don't have any choice.. I don't want to live in fear..those courses are making a huge change in my life.



mosan mosan,

1- I know...but she didn't know any better :(
it's was amusing for her at the time.

2- the problem is.. I can't help it..I can't avoid watching.. I get nosey when it's about airplanes..weird I know.



zizotime,

I tried that..it didn't work for me.. (a) I can't sleep with terror (b) even watching something can't get my head from spinning and throughts creep up on me.. but now with the things they taught me in the course I'm gradually getting better...

thanks for the tips :)

3abeer said...

bb,

Nwarat el blog.. don't be a stranger :)

Phobia is exaggerated fear...couldn't help it.. but I'm trying to control it now..
..if you figure out my job let me know :P

3abeer said...

oh... you poor thing..
you get motion sickness..that's bad :(
do you get it when you drive as well? or only when you're riding with someone?

In my case it's fear, plain old fear.. ana jabanah :P

SaRo0Na said...

i hate planes too!
but el7amdulilla, i dont have to travel twice a month!

3abeer said...

a.r.rahmaan.fan,

I've seen french kiss..and yes we have alot incommon myself and the character Meg Ryan played.
are you telling me I shoudl get a boyfriend and he should cheat on me and I should know about it during my flight.. in order for me to be distratced during flying? :P:P
naaaaaaaaah.. I'll pass *kidding*



saroona,

welcome to my humble blog :)

I don't have a choice...but thank God there were no traveling plans during Ramadan :) so I took some time off that.

Mohammad Al-Yousifi said...

chek my blog on

23-8-2005
24-8-2005
12-12-2005

:)

3abeer said...

7ather :)

will do.

Dr.Lost said...

i hate plans.. i always worry about them crashing as well.. do3a2 and quraan help a lot :)

3abeer said...

dr.lost,

I found out a whole lot of people suffer from the same thig.. they fear planes.. but no one talks about it !

Dr.Lost said...

coz they're chicken ;p

3abeer said...

dr lost,

which one is it ??...Chicken cause they fear planes? or chicken cause they don't talk about it ?