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Airplane anxiety flying tommorow please help

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Secrets5, Sep 23, 2018.

  1. Secrets5

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    Hello

    I have anxiety about being touched. How do I deal with this if someone is overweight and "sitting in my seat" and their body is touching me, also how do I deal with flight attendance if they touch me on the shoulder or arm like I've seen them do on the flight?

    My response would be to double dose on the anti depressents (anti - anxiety and ocd) I have (I say double not over as I am technically able to take more if the psychiatrist told me to work up to it - but he hasn't) or to hit myself until the feeling of the touch goes away. But I risk being made to leave the flight that way, esp. For the latter.

    I am really worried people only say "stop fat shaming" if they sit in your seat or suck it up but I really wish people would understand the anxiety surrounding being touched. Seriously. In fact it would be nice if the fat person or flight attendant was just sympathetic to the anxiety and didn't touch me or put a guard between us but no then I'm a horrible person.
     
  2. Destin

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    The flight attendants aren't going to touch you. The person sitting next to you almost definitely will regardless of whether they're fat or not. Airline seats are made too small for even average people to fit in these days, so you're still going to have to be pressed up against the other person and the guard between doesn't help much.

    Just try to stay calm and realize it only lasts a few hours, and everyone else on the plane is equally uncomfortable too. Don't start hitting yourself, that's one of the easiest ways to get thrown off a plane.
     
  3. Totesgaybrah

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    I have anxiety when flying as well, I’m traveling right now and before my flight I took two capsules of holy basil and I had almost no anxiety this time.
    It’s natural and in my experience it works really well.
     
  4. Totesgaybrah

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    Also nobody touched me while on the plane.
     
  5. Chierro

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    I will say that I absolutely hate flying, terrible fear of it, but I’ve never really been touched. My mom is slightly overweight and on my most recent flights I sat next to her and didn’t feel she was touching me, that could’ve also just been the plane, though.

    If you do feel like someone is touching you, though, if it’s possible for them to adjust in your seat, you can politely ask. Most people will be understanding, especially since, as Destin said, most everyone else is also uncomfortable.

    If you are able to take an extra dosage of your medication, that probably wouldn’t be a terrible idea (however, I’m no doctor).
     
  6. InbornGame

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  7. InbornGame

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    Ok... trying again (apparently I have clumsy fingers today)

    I don’t know that I would just take more of your anti-depressant, even if it technically wouldn’t be an “overdose”. Most of these types of medications take time (generally measured in weeks) for changes in dose to produce noticeable effects, but changing the dose may leave you with side effects that can make you even more uncomfortable on the plane (nausea or diarrhea, for example, depending on the type of medication). Similarly, many herbal remedies (not sure specifically about the holy basil suggested above) can interact with some types of antidepressants. Honestly, as unhelpful as it is to you right now, anything you take for just-in-time relief of your anxiety should probably come from your psychiatrist.

    I think your best bet for tomorrow would be to try as hard as you can to remain calm, and politely ask/explain to people if something in particular is bothering you. I think the flight attendants and the people sitting around you will likely do all they reasonably can to avoid making you uncomfortable.