Me too! Quite irrational I know but fish really creep me out and I won't in water if there is a remote chance that there are any

I don't think your husband's approach will work. Some years ago I just 'stopped' being able to sign my name publicly...sound bizzare, but I would wait in a queue in a bank and start hyperventilating, and fainted a couple of times, even writing this now I can feel my heart beating faster. I got help and went for hypnosis and it helped enormously, it was stress, both my parents had just died. I'd never had problems of that nature before. It still comes back if I'm at a low ebb, but rarely. Do get a bit of help, you'll feel much more in control.

Speaking as someone with fairly substantial anxiety issues ( or at least I did have ), your partner is probably the worst person to try and " help" you through them

Ben and I sometimes had to sit totally apart on aero planes because literally nothing he did was right , if he ignored me then I saw him as being heartless . If he tried to comfort me then he was saying all the wrong things.

What you need is professional help and your partner to support you in seeking and acting on that help

While well intended I don't think potentially abandoning you is helpful. As you say it's just making you more anxious !

I wish you every success in overcoming this fear, it cZn be truly liberating when you do.

Zoe, I put my cousin's old racing plane in my avatar, (can't upload attachments from my phone). He was an Aviator, and understanding him I understand why people want to fly. He flew just about everything all over the world.

Yeah it's totally addictive. Even when the lessons scared the living hell out of me and my only achievement was not hyperventilating. Through all the times I though I'd never get it and it seemed like too much for a human to do at once . I was counting down the days til my next lesson!
I've still got a lot to master if I ever Want to get my ppl but I actually reckon I might be able to do it !

Zoe, where are you doing lessons? In Toronto? I want to start ppl lessons here, I will start again in Spring, I did 30 odd hours in France for my ppl...I too don't like flying generally.

I'm flying from city airport on the island
PM me if you want details
My instructor is amazing !

Of course you can do it Zoe. Don't ever give up ! Go for your PPL. I'm one that still can't get enough air time, either fixed wing, which I've been doing for over 40 years, or balloon. One of the reasons that I'm here in Arizona in the winter is because weather wise you can fly almost every day. The only limitation is ponying up for the fuel. It is truly addictive.

So you going to buy your own plane then?





Or are you going to go big like John Travolta, with your house having its own runway



http://www.thedailytruffle.com/2004/...-house-runway/

Damn! I was sitting here all smug, thinking that there was absolutely nothing I could think of that I could answer. I wasn't even mildly bothered by anything people had listed so far...until now............

If you've been following the government surplus thread, there's an executive jet for sale for about $900k. Not the fanciest I've ever seen, but it has cup-holders.

Millie F & Zoe - thanks for the advice, I just keep putting it off but I know I need to deal with it. It's something I've wanted to be able to do for a long time, it's weird that I just overthink it to the point of being utterly terrified.

Maybe hypnotherapy is worth a go

Try looking into CBT. I think its generally accepted as a legitimate psychological therapy for phobias ( treating , not causing!)

Either way good luck!

When driving accross a bridge I have to have my windows wound down, no matter how cold it is. If that bridge collapses and I fall into water I want to be able to get out of the car.

Electric windows will work underwater, and you wont be able to open the door against the waterpressure until the cabin is full and the pressure equalised anyway, so you are freezing your nads for no good reason