What is the best medication to take for fear of flying?


What is the best medication to take for fear of flying?

Flight anxiety medication
  • fluvoxamine (Faverin)
  • citalopram (Celexa)
  • escitalopram (Lexapro)
  • paroxetine (Paxil)


Why is fear of flying so common?

Increased exposure to media that show plane crashes or other incidents may also play a role. ² Most commonly, people fear flying because they feel that they have no control over the situation and their safety. The longer a person avoids flying, the more this fear may increase.


How do you treat severe fear of flying?

Exposure therapy: This type of therapy gradually exposes you to places, thoughts or situations that relate to air travel. You may visit an airport and watch planes arrive and depart. Virtual reality tools, such as computer simulations of flights, can also help you overcome your fear of flying.


What medication is used for nervous flyers?

Initial use of benzodiazepines, including the well-known Diazepam also known as 'Valium', was enthusiastic and they were hailed as a wonder drug.


When is the best time to take a Xanax before a flight?

Xanax, a member of the same pharmaceutical family (benzodiazepines) as diazepam, is a strong one. Take it about two to three hours before you fly, and do not mix it with alcohol. There is a risk of dependency, though, with these benzodiazepines, but only if you are taking them more than once a week.


How do you fly with severe anxiety?

For example, deep breathing or meditation during take-off, landing or turbulence can reduce your symptoms of anxiety. You can also learn to “talk back” to negative thoughts about flying when they arise.


What helps nerves before flying?

If you're stressed about an upcoming flight, consider using one or more of the following calming techniques:
  • Fight fear with knowledge: ...
  • Practice breathing exercises: ...
  • Refocus your attention: ...
  • Strike up a conversation: ...
  • Drink lots of water:


Do anxiety pills help with fear of flying?

Medications for flight anxiety, like SSRIs and SNRIs, can help manage symptoms in addition to other treatments, like exposure therapy and CBT. Some medications can also help you with upsetting and sudden symptoms, including episodes of panic.


How would you handle a very anxious passenger who is afraid of flying?

Stay calm and be supportive.
Don't take your passenger's attitude personally. It's not that they don't trust you. Human beings aren't designed to fly, so it's only natural for our minds and bodies to get nervous! But most importantly, don't let a nervous passenger distract you from being a good pilot.


Is fear of flying anxiety disorder?

She told the group what worried her. “I am afraid of dying.” Fear of flying, or aviophobia, is an anxiety disorder.


Is Ativan better than Xanax for flight anxiety?

Official answer. Ativan and Xanax are both benzodiazepines used for the treatment of anxiety, and both are equally effective for this use. The differences are: Xanax has a quicker onset of effect, but a shorter duration of action (4 to 6 hours) compared with Ativan's 8 hours.


What is the best sedative for flying?

What Are the Best—And Safest—Sleeping Pills for Flights?
  • Ambien. Ambien—the most powerful option on this list and the only one that requires a prescription—works as a sedative-hypnotic medication that slows your brain activity to make you feel very sleepy. ...
  • Tylenol PM. ...
  • Melatonin.


How can I calm my anxiety when flying?

Try holding your breath and then breathing deeply, or better still, force yourself to breathe out for as long as you can and then take a long, deep breath. Seif and Farchione both recommended taking deep breaths, since this triggers the calming response and can help to prevent hyperventilation.


Is Xanax good for fear of flying?

While Xanax may be useful for flying on an airplane, it will not help you with your anxiety. It may help in the moment but you will not tackle your fear of flying if you are asleep the whole flight. If you ran out of your medication or left it at home, the anxiety will still exist if you go on an airplane again.


Why am I suddenly scared of flying?

There is no specific cause of aerophobia, as the fear usually originates from a combination of factors. The fear of heights can be genetically inherited, or the fear of flying may be modeled to kids by their parents. Increased exposure to media that show plane crashes or other incidents may also play a role.