Flying on an airplane is not always fun for everyone as people deal with heavy anxiety being thousands of feet in the air. There are people who feel like Xanax is the answer. The truth is that Xanax may provide temporary relief but end in a long dependence.
There will always come a time where we have to take a flight whether it is for business, family, or pleasure. The idea of being so high with nowhere to escape can be terrifying. A lot of people take Xanax which is a medication used to treat anxiety. If you are afraid of flying, you could be experiencing panic attacks, extreme fear, and feel miserable in the days leading to the flight. On Xanax, you will not experience sweaty palms and a rapid heart rate. It can even help you fall asleep during the flight so that it will feel over to you before it is time for takeoff. Doctors normally prescribe their anxiety patients with limited doses of .25mg-0.5mg.
While Xanax may be useful for flying on an airplane, it will not help you with your anxiety. It may help in the moment but you will not tackle your fear of flying if you are asleep the whole flight. If you ran out of your medication or left it at home, the anxiety will still exist if you go on an airplane again. You could develop a dependence on the drug to believe that the only way you can function on an airplane is by taking anxiety medication. Especially if part of your job requires you to be a frequent flyer. Another danger of Xanax on a plane is that people tend to take alcohol after as another way to calm down the nerves which could be deadly.
It is important to learn to deal with your fear of flying instead of relying on medication to avoid developing a dependence. Exposure therapy can be helpful to get the feeling of being on a plane and how to calm your nerves before flying on the real aircraft. It also helps to find distractions during the flight such as puzzles, coloring, watching a movie on the plane or a portable DVD player, and bringing someone to talk to on the plane. Xanax may be acceptable to take in the short-term on a flight but frequent flyers should not make it a habit.
Located in downtown Midland, The Springboard Center’s mission is to offer programs and services to treat alcohol and drug addiction treatment using an evidence based curriculum, 12 step programs, diet, nutrition, exercise, emotional, mental and spiritual development for a long recovery. For more information, please call us at 432-620-0255 as we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
