MapleDragon

OK, here's the situation. I have been living in Canada now for almost a year but have been travelling back and fore visiting my partner 8 months prior to that. My partner has NEVER been to the UK, and as much as I would love for him to visit my homeland Wales, I Cannot for the life of me get him on a plane.

I know that it all sounds very selfish of him, really, that not the case. I know deep down in his heart he wants to go... he just cant. his fears of heights and flying get the better of him.

I was wondering if there is anyone out there who can please please help... by suggesting a drug, therepy...anything that theyve tried and has worked for them.

I'm not talking a mild case of 'wobbly knees' here, its pretty scary stuff for him . I miss Wales and my family, but I'm sick of lonely travels.

Elvira

I heard that British Airways run courses for people like that. Maybe Air Canada does too?

hot wasabi peas

While I'm not phobic of flying, years ago I had to deal with a couple of phobias that were beginning to affect my life - and it sounds like your partner's fears are affecting his life. I got professional help - ie, I went to a psychologist who specialized in treating phobias and it helped me enourmously. In fact, what I learned about how to deal with phobias has been incredibly useful to me in dealing with just 'normal' fears in everyday life. The silver lining thing.

I don't want to come off as saying your partner may need professional help, more that he might benefit from seeing his fear of flying as a problem that will probably require more than wishful thinking for it to go away or become manageable. Whether this can be accomplished on his own via self-help books about fear of flying (or general fears/phobias) or like Elvira suggested, a fear of flying course or professioanl help or whatever is up to him I guess but IME, phobias just don't go away... one has to chase them out of your psyche and beat the crap out of them in a very proactive manner.

Facing a phobia is the scariest thing to do, it's also very rewarding.

If you want any book titles, let me know... being a bit of scaredy cat, I've read many! :scared:

britishvixen21

Its funny that this post ended up here vecause it was only last week that i was reading an article in the Toronto Metro regarding this and a gentleman who offers courses and even a victory flight, I found it on the web for you, i only hope its covered in your area as im not sure where you are.

http://www.metronews.ca/travel/detail.asp?id=12375

hope the link works.

Frank'n Sense

Hi MapleDragon,
in another lifetime I was a therapist and had a lot of success with phobias by teaching my clients a technique call EFT. This is really simple to learn, is a bit weird, so you have to be open minded.

You can get the basics from the web site www.emofree.com - there is a free manual to download.

If you want to email me offline I can maybe add my own experience to this.

Frank

Wookie Wayne

He could try sailing?

MapleDragon

he could, although it takes a LONG time to sail across and a lot of money.

Thanks to everyone for their help. I've passed on all your suggestions.

Still no closer to going to Wales though. lol Maybe flying will be his new years resolution. I wish

annie3-4

Hypnotherapy or NLP I have worked in psychiatry for 20 odd years and have used both to v.good effect with deeply ingrained phobias. also EFT and quantum touch if youve heard of these

Grah

never understand the fear of hights relationship when flying. you catch a bus then you can catch a plane.

Practise looking out of the window when going over a bridge.

As my daughter said at the tender age of three on her 1st flight to florida when a woman had panic attack when we hit turberlance.

"What's the problem if the plane falls out of the sky we'll be dead and in heaven. I'll be able to nanny then."

out of the mouths of babes