Anxiety flying and train (wildfires)

[calmandstrong]

Hi
I have anxiety about flying but I do it sometimes. I usually take lorazepam. This time I took the train with my two young kids across the US and it was pretty great. I did have some anxiety come up about wildfires but it was not bad. Now we have to go back and I had more anxiety come up about the potential of fires as we would be going through mountains and already Montana has a red flag warning for wildfires because of weather conditions. It’d be in August and the weather outlook also shows no rain in the next 12 days. I know that either way we will be ok. Somehow flying sounds easier and so so much quicker. The train ride is 3 nights! I am also traveling solo with two little kids. Would love any input. I am really leaning towards flying instead. It’d be a 5 hr plane ride. Alaska Air. I mainly hate takeoff and turbulence. Sometimes the lorazepam dose I take .25 mg also doesn’t really seem to do much. Thanks

 

[Cuchculan]

5 hours or 3 nights? Sounds like a no brainer. But I have done the whole train and ferry thing to the UK instead of flying. Flying would have taken 1/2 hour. I went the 19 hour route because of my anxiety. Just felt more at ease on trains and the ferry. But it would be all about if you can handle the flight? If you can I would take that option. Get it over with quicker. But I would understand if you wanted to take the other option too because of your anxiety. I just hate planes. Sitting there in the one spot for hours. Not something I am very good at. But I am not you. Think come the time of things, you will do what is right for you. What feels right. You will know. We always do.

 

[calmandstrong]

Hi. Thanks for responding! I can do it I just don’t like the feeling of take off and turbulence. But I have flown a fair amount. Last time was in Jan 2018, trans Atlantic two flights. I don’t mind sitting there once we are up in the air. I distract myself. I am thinking that with being responsible for my little kids it might actually distract me! Also what motivates me is I am also scared of being on the train across the NW mountains in the dry summer, because of the unpredictability of wildfires. Many long stretches there is no cell phone service at all for many hours. If I take a flight it also makes me feel like I will get stronger because of it. And I won’t always have the luxury of train, like when we have to go visit family overseas. I love the train and the calmness it brings me. Feeling the time and distance between places. But that calmness is less when going through the cascades and Montana mountains in August when there is heat and dry conditions with no cell reception.

 

[Cuchculan]

I think you have answered your own question. Sounds like a plane it is. All things you mention are in favour of a plane. Except the taken off part. But everything else is saying ' Plane '. Just read your own words back. We can do that at times. All but answer our own posts. It is good when it happens.

 

[calmandstrong]

Thank you Cuchculan. I agree. It seems like I am looking for encouragement to a decision that is already made! Sometimes I feel too tired to be anxious. Like it is just too tiring. I’d rather not be anxious. That’s was happened on the train over. I just had too much to do and be responsible for I somehow decided I would not focus on the fear/anxiety.

 

[Cuchculan]

Well take a bow. You are doing great. I am sure you will do just as good on the flight. You know the answer. Now go and do it. Then you can come back and tell us all about it. Might even help others with your own methods. They read your words and they can learn a little something.