Originally Posted by oldsoul112249

There's a natural antianxiety at the Health Food stores called Bach's Rescue Remedy. I have used it with success. There are many forms. If you search it on Amazon there are LOTS of great reviews so you can get an idea about it. If you decide to take the Xanax be honest with yourself why you're taking it, your motives. Everyone will have their opinion but the final choice is yours. I hear in AA "what people think of me is none of my business." Ignore what is said. You know the truth. You may not even need the whole dose...just a small amount. Whatever you do enjoy your flights and have a great time when you get there

Originally Posted by Windancer

I truly wouldn't consider it a relapse at all. I would be careful and only take what you think you need (under your doctor's supervision of course) but it wouldn't be a relapse at all. I'd suggest putting that worry to rest as you are dealing with your flight fear at the moment and surely that is enough fear

Is the therapist helping? One thing that has helped me with anxiety is imagining that I am floating through it. Also, when I feel intense rising panic, trying my best to turn it into excitement has worked wonders. Terror and excitement are actually quite similar in how they feel in many ways so it's a fairly easy switch for the body if you practice it to turn fear into excitement.

I wish you all the best! I hope you do face your fears and take your trips. I hope the anticipatory anxiety is worse than it actually will be.

Originally Posted by oldsoul112249

There's a natural antianxiety at the Health Food stores called Bach's Rescue Remedy.

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Anti-anxiety medication to reduce flight anxiety backfires. The temporary — and generally inadequate — relief gained comes with a high long-term cost. Anti-anxiety medications prevent anxious fliers from getting used to flying. They increase the anxious flier's sensitivity to the plane’s noises and motions. They impact the person’s memory and ability to learn. They cause psychomotor impairment. And, they are addictive. According to research at the Stanford University School of Medicine, though the person taking anti-anxiety medication may feel more relaxed psychologically, there is increased arousal physiologically. “Alprazolam increases physiological activation under acute stress conditions and hinders therapeutic effects of exposure in flying phobia.” In this research study, 28 anxious fliers took two flights. On the first flight, half received alprazolam (generic Xanax) and half received a placebo. Those taking alprazolam reported significantly reduced levels of anxiety compared with those taking a placebo during the first flight. However, their heart rate (114 bpm) and breathing rate (22.7 breaths/min) were much higher than in the group that had taken a placebo. As an alternative to medication, many misinformed mental health professionals recommending breathing exercises. They are not effective other than as a distraction, and when turbulence begins, distraction ends. Stress hormones are released by the feeling that the plane is falling that make it impossible to keep the flight out of the mind. I've spent thirty-five years developing methods that do work, and have put what I've learned in a book titled "SOAR: The Breakthrough Treatment for Fear of Flying." In interested, you can read a sample of the book on Amazon.

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Anti-anxiety medication to reduce flight anxiety backfires. The temporary — and generally inadequate — relief gained comes with a high long-term cost. Anti-anxiety medications prevent anxious fliers from getting used to flying. They increase the anxious flier's sensitivity to the plane’s noises and motions. They impact the person’s memory and ability to learn. They cause psychomotor impairment. And, they are addictive.

According to research at the Stanford University School of Medicine, though the person taking anti-anxiety medication may feel more relaxed psychologically, there is increased arousal physiologically. “Alprazolam increases physiological activation under acute stress conditions and hinders therapeutic effects of exposure in flying phobia.”

In this research study, 28 anxious fliers took two flights. On the first flight, half received alprazolam (generic Xanax) and half received a placebo.

Those taking alprazolam reported significantly reduced levels of anxiety compared with those taking a placebo during the first flight. However, their heart rate (114 bpm) and breathing rate (22.7 breaths/min) were much higher than in the group that had taken a placebo.

As an alternative to medication, many misinformed mental health professionals recommending breathing exercises. They are not effective other than as a distraction, and when turbulence begins, distraction ends. Stress hormones are released by the feeling that the plane is falling that make it impossible to keep the flight out of the mind.

I've spent thirty-five years developing methods that do work, and have put what I've learned in a book titled "SOAR: The Breakthrough Treatment for Fear of Flying." In interested, you can read a sample of the book on Amazon.

Originally Posted by French123

Thank you for the reply. I actually did buy bachs rescue remedy last week. I was hoping it would help but I did not get any relief from it. It also tastes like whiskey so seems a little weird to be using.