When I first started researching and using CBD oil, I was looking for pain relief. I read that it helps with anxiety, but I didn't take much notice because I don't suffer from anxiety, or so I thought...
I do have a mild fear of flying. It used to be pretty bad, but it's gradually getting better.
Are fear and anxiety the same thing?
According to Psychology Today, "fear is anxiety that is attached to a specific thing or circumstance." So my fear of flying is anxiety attached to flying, which means something that helps anxiety, could help me control my fear. I didn't realise that before my recent flight though.
My Flying Anxiety/Fear
I had a bad experience on a plane 20 years ago and my most vivid memory of that is the sound of the kids screaming.
I guess I should be over it by now, but bad turbulence or crying children (on a plane) triggers something in me. I'm okay with crying children in most situations, but on a plane, the sound turns me into a stressed out panicking mess.
There was a time when I would panic as soon as I got to the airport, or sometimes even before. My way to deal with the panic was to drink alcohol until I calmed down. Not the healthiest way to deal with it, but it worked. I can get on a plane sober now, but I try not to.
I drink before and during the flight in the hope that, if there is a crying baby or bad turbulence, the alcohol will keep me calm. I don't wait for the trigger, because it takes time for alcohol to get into your blood and you can't always get it immediately on a plane anyway (especially during turbulence).
I'm aware that that's not the healthiest way to deal with it, but it's not like I fly every day.
My recent long-haul flight
A couple of weeks ago, I had to fly from the UK to America. 10 hours in a uncomfortable plane seat was guaranteed to hurt my back (Osteoarthritis) and ankle (recovering from a recent break), so I took CBD oil. I took 3 drops of Holistic Herb Premium CBD Oil (4.2mg) as and when I felt in pain.
I stuck to my usual drinking routine at the airport, because it hadn't occurred to me not to because CBD might help.
On the plane, waiting to take off, I noticed that I was more relaxed than I usually am that close to taking off. Yes, I had had alcohol, but I wasn't drunk and alcohol before flying is common practice for me, but I've never felt that relaxed before.
Whilst in the air, I didn't experience any bad turbulence or screaming kids, which would be the real test of how well CBD works on my flying anxiety, but I did experience some minor turbulence and it didn't bother me at all. Usually only bad turbulence makes me panic, but minor turbulence is stressful.
I didn't immediately associate my new relaxed flying experience with CBD. I thought maybe I was finally getting over it. Unfortunately, I ran out of CBD oil while I was away, and my return flight was a whole other experience; Back to being my usual scared stressed self.
The difference between how I felt on both flights has given me faith that CBD could help control my fear of flying.
I did drink alcohol while in the air, out of habit, but I drank a lot less than I usually do, on the outbound flight, when I was taking CBD as well.
Next week, I have to do a short haul flight (2 hours), so I am going to take CBD oil and attempt to fly without drinking alcohol for the first time in years.
I will blog about it when I get back, so watch this space...
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