Fear of Flying. How My Fear Started

Well here I am and I thought I would start with a brief post on me and where this fear of flying started.

I had jetted off for my holidays all my life and always loved it - looked out the window, enjoyed the sensations, even looked forward to coming home because I was able to go on a plane again. It just didn't bother me in the slightest. But one year I went on holiday with a girl who had a fear. Because she was so petrified and was saying things that I had never thought about, I could feel it kinda rubbing off on me! My mind was going into over drive. These awful thoughts about flying and these feelings I was having, I had never had or experienced before and they where just coming in from nowhere.

The following year I went on a holiday and could feel that angst creeping in again. I did it, although I was uncomfortable on the flight and strangely kept my fingers in my ears so I couldn't hear the noises. Something I hadn't done before. I also noticed that I was watching the cabin crew constantly, just in case I saw them looking as if something abnormal was going on.

When I was 24 (I'm 30 now), I went to go on holiday with some friends. During the run up to the trip, I could feel these feelings and hear these thoughts again. I started to think that something awful would happen if I got on the plane or I would embarrass myself by crying, screaming even and just generally making a fool of myself. No one wants a panic attack, so I felt I didn't want to put myself in a position where I could have one. This time I got as far as the check in desk and wouldn't go any further. I'd just built it up and my ''fear of flying'' had got a hold! The girls went off without me and I went home. But the relief I felt at not having to do it was immense!

As your here reading this, I'm sure you feel or have felt at some point the same as me. My next post will be of how I started to try to overcome this and hopefully you too can get to where I am today.

Fay