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First flying with Autism

Thejollygiant
over 4 years ago

I'm due to fly for the first time in a few days but Have already seen a lack of appetitie as my anxiety is on one with all this stress.

I'm wondering how everyone has coped with Anxiety and how you have found your first flight.

Is there any tips for first time flyers which I haven't covered yet.

I have done the following
Airport Familation Visit
Destination Research
Packing early
Sorting out music
Preparing Lavendar Oil resucue

But i'm still struggling with stress of this pre flight stage and I'm getting the autism stress pains which is not good

Parents
  • over 4 years ago

    I always get very anxious when I travel (I end up feeling really nauseous most of the time and can't eat for the entire day until I get to my destination) even when I've planned really well and am familiar with the place I'm going to. I don't mind flying, though I'm not a fan of take off and landing, but I think for me it's the uncertainty aspect of it, that no matter how well I've got everything planned out and know what I'm doing, there's still a chance everything won't go to plan and something will go wrong (even though rationally I know nothing that bad can happen).

    I've just kind of accepted that travelling is going to be stressful for me tbh and just have to factor that in to my travel plans, so I make sure I have sufficient recovery time for example (I ruled out a trip earlier this year because it was so far away, and only 4 days long and I knew by the time I'd 'come down' from my anxiety it'd start ramping up again for travelling home!). I was quite proud of myself last year because I managed to take a four day trip alone to somewhere I hadn't been before (I do travel alone frequently, but usually I'm either returning home or someone is picking me up at the airport and I'm spending time with family, so it was really my first entirely solo trip abroad) but I knew it was going to be stressful, so I made sure to keep everything quite manageable and not try and do too much.

    I find it very helpful to get to the airport very early and go straight through security to departures as that's the most stressful part for me, worrying that I'm going to be late and have to rush through everything. I always feel rather better once that's over with even if I don't entirely relax until I arrive at my end point. Other than that, I just try and think reassuring thoughts (not that my anxiety is rational) that Everything Is Fine, and to have an airport plan that is chilled out (get a coffee, try and eat and if not get some snacks and a drink for the plane, find a quiet corner to sit and read a book). 

Reply
  • over 4 years ago

    I always get very anxious when I travel (I end up feeling really nauseous most of the time and can't eat for the entire day until I get to my destination) even when I've planned really well and am familiar with the place I'm going to. I don't mind flying, though I'm not a fan of take off and landing, but I think for me it's the uncertainty aspect of it, that no matter how well I've got everything planned out and know what I'm doing, there's still a chance everything won't go to plan and something will go wrong (even though rationally I know nothing that bad can happen).

    I've just kind of accepted that travelling is going to be stressful for me tbh and just have to factor that in to my travel plans, so I make sure I have sufficient recovery time for example (I ruled out a trip earlier this year because it was so far away, and only 4 days long and I knew by the time I'd 'come down' from my anxiety it'd start ramping up again for travelling home!). I was quite proud of myself last year because I managed to take a four day trip alone to somewhere I hadn't been before (I do travel alone frequently, but usually I'm either returning home or someone is picking me up at the airport and I'm spending time with family, so it was really my first entirely solo trip abroad) but I knew it was going to be stressful, so I made sure to keep everything quite manageable and not try and do too much.

    I find it very helpful to get to the airport very early and go straight through security to departures as that's the most stressful part for me, worrying that I'm going to be late and have to rush through everything. I always feel rather better once that's over with even if I don't entirely relax until I arrive at my end point. Other than that, I just try and think reassuring thoughts (not that my anxiety is rational) that Everything Is Fine, and to have an airport plan that is chilled out (get a coffee, try and eat and if not get some snacks and a drink for the plane, find a quiet corner to sit and read a book). 

Children