I've come to the conclusion that I can control my anxiety. There were several years in my life when I din't know how to fight it. I must admit that cognitive behavioral therapy which I found in the sister site of this (panic center) has helped me a lot! My biggest anxiety fears was to get into a plane because of claustrophobic feeling. I was afraid of not controlling my panic. Claustrophobic feeling made my hands tingling. I was very afraid of my hands tingling. Some years I lived with a thought that I can die of this tingling because it's heart or blood pressure or smth like that. The first step for my recovery was that a psychiatrist told me I cannot die of this. The next step was a book on how to cope with fears, anxiety and panic and the third step was cognitive behavioral therapy in the sister site of this. I was able to step in a plane and to fly! First of all, I had a very short flight- only 40 min with medication (Cipralex). Then I had a flight of 1 hour with medication (Alprazolam) and finally I had my third flight without any medication for 1 hour and 30 min. Before the third flight I wanted to take medication but somehow I felt so strong that I decided to do an experiment without any medication. It was OK. On coming back I was a bit more worried and my hands were tingling in an airport. What to do? I realised I have no way back because I have to go home. I sat in the plane with my hands tingling and although it was 1 hour and 30 min flight I told myself- you are on a long, long flight, from Europe to America (lol) and you will have to endure this. And as I was thinking that way, my hands stopped to tingle.
Somehow, but cognitive behavioral therapy has helped me to move forward and not to avoid flying by plane.
