Going to Disney

My parents are taking my husband and I to Disneyworld.  This involves a three hour plane ride.  I am terrified of airplanes.  I usually have to take ativan before I go, but the ativan doesn't help as much anymore.  Does anyone have any coping strategies that they use on airplanes?

Also, my husband and I are going to be spending a lot of time with my parents.  My mom is bipolar too but is in denial and not on treatment.  Both of my parents smoke so they are going to be grouchy from withdrawal at the airport.  Any advice on how to keep the peace for seven days?

My whole family is in a depressed mood right now also because my brother died a year ago on Feb 28.  My parents are using his life insurance money to take us to Disney.  They want this trip to be in memory of him.  

I had been doing good, but started going in a downward spiral about a week ago.  Think it's the stress???? LOL  I am doing a little better now that I have been to my therapist and psychiatrist for a medication adjustment.  My husband is very supportive but he's also very worried about me.  I don't like to make him worry but I can't seem to help it!

Any tips will be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

[ILADVOCATE]

It depends how bad your fear of flying is. There are specific phobias around that. And some courses that help people learn how to overcome that. If its just generalized anxiety I'd say preparing ahead would be the best thing. Understanding the schedule and what will happen and the like. What to expect. I remember I had a similar occurence. And I had psychotic symptoms at the time as well. I hadn't been on a plane since the events in 2001 and was flying to Spain right after the incidents there. I got on the plane and saw the air marshalls and was frankly terrified. And to summarize it, both flights back and forth, it was one of the nicest and most uneventful plane rides I ever had.
  I'd say like myself the more you worry about what can go wrong the more anxiety you'll get. The more you plan for standard events the less you will. Start making a list of what to pack and the like and bring some snacks, enough of your prescriptions to last the trip. The more you concentrate on that the less unnerving the whole event will seem. As for family members let them cope with their own stress and issues. Its only fair.

[elitekid]

Don't worry about planes, they are the safest known way to travel :)

[therese83]

Get the parents to chew nicorette gum!
Try to laugh at the situation, sometimes that helps. I mean if your Mom is getting on your nerves, just try to take it lightly, rise above, rise above :-)

[tres1965]

I am from a family that EVERYONE goes to W.D.W. every year *sigh*..
Even my kids hate it now, of course they are now getting older.
The best advice I can give is making a 'backpack' to take along. If you have a baby/child that is perfect, you can take more stuff! But, I digress, put some wet-wipes, wash-cloths, hand sanitizer, trial size containers of, Tylenol, band-aids,q-tips, a 'shami' (awesome for drying off after those rides), etc. You get the picture? If you have a portable DVD player, hey it's the savior for air-ports, same as cd player, video games..
a HEALTHY size of Benedryl to slip your Mom *L*, & labelled MEDS!!!
Zip-lock bags are a MUST! Tres