Long-haul flight ahead

Several months ago, in a moment of weakness and denial , I agreed to fly to Australia with my husband. When I realized a couple of weeks ago that our trip was coming up in less than a month, I started to work myself up. I was okay during the day but several times while sleeping, I woke with a start imagining I was on the plane and having symptoms. I told myself I was worried about a sore back from being confined in an uncomfortable seat for 15 hours, but in fact, my imagination was on fire.

At one point in my life and for no particular reason, I decided I would never fly again.  After a few cross-country train trips,  and the realization that I wanted to visit Europe at least once and didn’t have time to take a cargo boat, I read a lot of books and listened to numerous self-help tapes of the “overcome your fear of flying” kind and managed to start flying and actually enjoyed it. Then, for various reasons outside my control, I started fearing it again–especially Clear Air Turbulence and landing. However, I could manage.

After a particularly sleepless episode (someone please explain to me why fearful temper is always more intense at night?), I decided, planned and acted (1) to go to my doctor for a back-up prescription and (2) to write out a spotting sheet to replace insecure thoughts with secure ones, so I could read if I woke up in the middle of the night again and at any time, just to prepare myself.

Here’s a sample from my spotting sheet, adapted from the words of Dr. Low.

Probabilities not possibilities. There are hundreds if not thousands of safe long flights every day.

What we fear is our own sensations/thoughts/symptoms. “Spot the symptom as what it is: The harmless expression of a nervous imbalance.”

“Thoughts, impulses, muscles–three things that can be controlled.”

“Use muscle control: Command/calm the muscles to be still. The resoluteness of the muscles will overcome the defeatist babble of the brain.”

“Comfort is a want not a need. The will to bear discomfort.”

“Drop exceptional responsibility for the Outer Environment.” My job as a passenger is to be group-minded, calm, and trust all the people who actually are responsible.

Finally, and it can’t be said enough, Endorse! Endorse for the effort, not just the results.

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