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fear of anxiety and panic on an airplane
i'm supposed to be getting on my first airplane in 4 days. i suffer from anxiety, panic attacks and i'm ocd. i guess you could also say i'm quite the hypochondriac. i'm always terrified something bad is going to happen to me, especially when i'm far away from home. i've been reading up on ways to calm anxiety, especially while on airplanes, but most of what i read involved medication, like xanax, or drinking to take the edge off. i don't do either. for the past month or so my ears have been bothering me. they itch like crazy and leak a foul smelling clear liquid, especially at night and when i wake up my ears are caked in crust. there's no pain, just mainly a burning, itching sensation that's been driving me crazy. when i do take a q-tip to my ear sometimes i'll find faint traces of blood on the ends, maybe that's just from all the scratching i've done. i've been to the doctor about this twice and he assures me i don't have an infection and the cause is simply from cleaning my ears too often. sometimes my ears feel clogged. for all i know this is something psychosomatic that i've created myself. i tend to obsess over every little sensation my body feels, but now i'm even more terrified of getting on an airplane. if i don't make this trip i'll never forgive myself, but i'm afraid of what the change in air pressure will do to my ears. my doctor told me that i didn't really need to worry about that, because it's not a middle ear problem and all my problems are outer ear, but sometimes it feels like my ears are clogged and underwater. i don't know what to do or how to convince myself that nothing will happen to me on this flight. please help before i drive myself insane.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your doctor is right...if you don't have a middle ear problem, the airplane ride will have no effect on your ears....but you need to be in therapy to get your life going on a better track in order to face your anxieties, rather than be defeated by them.
Just another miscellaneous thought but tooth pain can cause earache, etc.
If you still have issues with your ears after your trip you may like to visit your dentist.
If you still have issues with your ears after your trip you may like to visit your dentist.
It does sound as though the ear issue may be due to the anxiety and fear you are feeling regarding flying. There seems to be a very strong link there.
Your doctor seems to have assessed the situation and has offered reassurance. I would trust him and others when they say that flying won't hurt or affect your ears. If you do notice any change it will only be temporary. Some people say sucking on sweets, etc can be helpful.
I think your fear is somewhat irrational.
I think that once you are in the plane and airborne that your fear will subside somewhat. I think sometimes (most times) thinking about the event is actually more stressful than just doing it.
Meditation and prayer aren't too dissimilar. I would probably opt for the prayer option for flying. If you are already hypersensitive to things you probably don't want to be too mindful of things. Unless you focus it on your breathing and being able to relax. Maybe mindfulness of other things would help as a distractor? Distract from your fear.
Maybe others comments and your own research will help reassure you.
On some level you must know that flying won't hurt you. The risks are very minimal.
Have you focused on the positives of flying? It sounds like something exciting must be waiting for you at the end of the trip.
If you need another incentive perhaps you could reward yourself for your efforts.
If you can associate less pain with going than not going that could also help.
Not being able to forgive yourself or feeling guilty or remorseful is never very nice.
Imagine how much more confident you will feel once you do fly. It will leave you feeling a great deal of pride and accomplishment.
You can do it! Don't over think it and take one step at a time. You'll be fine!!
Hopefully the doctor will respond before your flight. He often has very useful advice.
Good luck!!
Your doctor seems to have assessed the situation and has offered reassurance. I would trust him and others when they say that flying won't hurt or affect your ears. If you do notice any change it will only be temporary. Some people say sucking on sweets, etc can be helpful.
I think your fear is somewhat irrational.
I think that once you are in the plane and airborne that your fear will subside somewhat. I think sometimes (most times) thinking about the event is actually more stressful than just doing it.
Meditation and prayer aren't too dissimilar. I would probably opt for the prayer option for flying. If you are already hypersensitive to things you probably don't want to be too mindful of things. Unless you focus it on your breathing and being able to relax. Maybe mindfulness of other things would help as a distractor? Distract from your fear.
Maybe others comments and your own research will help reassure you.
On some level you must know that flying won't hurt you. The risks are very minimal.
Have you focused on the positives of flying? It sounds like something exciting must be waiting for you at the end of the trip.
If you need another incentive perhaps you could reward yourself for your efforts.
If you can associate less pain with going than not going that could also help.
Not being able to forgive yourself or feeling guilty or remorseful is never very nice.
Imagine how much more confident you will feel once you do fly. It will leave you feeling a great deal of pride and accomplishment.
You can do it! Don't over think it and take one step at a time. You'll be fine!!
Hopefully the doctor will respond before your flight. He often has very useful advice.
Good luck!!
honestly, what i usually do to help manage my anxiety and panic attacks is a lot of reassuring myself, some meditation and some prayer, which meditation and prayer pretty much fall under the same category. the thought of taking a pill gives me anxiety.
i have done a lot of the skin picking, but this ear issue is a whole new thing for me. at the same time i don't want it to be something i'm just making up in my head. the doctor told me i was fine. that it wasn't a middle or inner ear problem and that it was all outer ear. people keep reassuring me that the change in air pressure really isn't that big of a deal, but i'm somehow convinced it's going to hurt my ears.
i have done a lot of the skin picking, but this ear issue is a whole new thing for me. at the same time i don't want it to be something i'm just making up in my head. the doctor told me i was fine. that it wasn't a middle or inner ear problem and that it was all outer ear. people keep reassuring me that the change in air pressure really isn't that big of a deal, but i'm somehow convinced it's going to hurt my ears.
I personally wouldn't recommend drinking. They possibly wouldn't let on on the plane if you did. Not that you should use being drunk as an excuse not to fly.
The expert on the compulsive behaviors expert forum use to say that skin picking was a symptom of ocd. Maybe the same goes with the ear thing. ??
I got that clogged ear stuff when admitted to the psych ward. I use hair clips to clean mine. You need to be careful though and I don't think doctors would recommend it.
I think you should speak to your doctor. I think one pill for one flight wouldn't hurt. I would seriously be looking at that as an option. I am very anti-meds too so I don't recommend it lightly. I think in your situation it would be helpful though.
What do you usually do to manage your anxiety/ panic?
The expert on the compulsive behaviors expert forum use to say that skin picking was a symptom of ocd. Maybe the same goes with the ear thing. ??
I got that clogged ear stuff when admitted to the psych ward. I use hair clips to clean mine. You need to be careful though and I don't think doctors would recommend it.
I think you should speak to your doctor. I think one pill for one flight wouldn't hurt. I would seriously be looking at that as an option. I am very anti-meds too so I don't recommend it lightly. I think in your situation it would be helpful though.
What do you usually do to manage your anxiety/ panic?
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