Does Xanax help with flying?

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.



People Also Ask

Flight anxiety medication
  • fluvoxamine (Faverin)
  • citalopram (Celexa)
  • escitalopram (Lexapro)
  • paroxetine (Paxil)


MORE DETAILS

Medications for flight anxiety, like SSRIs and SNRIs, can help manage symptoms in addition to other treatments, like exposure therapy and CBT. Some medications can also help you with upsetting and sudden symptoms, including episodes of panic.

MORE DETAILS

You could potentially use a longer-acting medication on a long flight, but he still advises against this. It is better to use something like a short-acting benzodiazepine like Xanax or Ativan, he said. These drugs are typically used for anxiety, but can also help with sleep.

MORE DETAILS

What Are the Best—And Safest—Sleeping Pills for Flights?
  • Ambien. Ambien—the most powerful option on this list and the only one that requires a prescription—works as a sedative-hypnotic medication that slows your brain activity to make you feel very sleepy. ...
  • Tylenol PM. ...
  • Melatonin.


MORE DETAILS

For example, deep breathing or meditation during take-off, landing or turbulence can reduce your symptoms of anxiety. You can also learn to “talk back” to negative thoughts about flying when they arise.

MORE DETAILS

Xanax, a member of the same pharmaceutical family (benzodiazepines) as diazepam, is a strong one. Take it about two to three hours before you fly, and do not mix it with alcohol. There is a risk of dependency, though, with these benzodiazepines, but only if you are taking them more than once a week.

MORE DETAILS

Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners: Pharmaceuticals, Do Not Issue Do Not Fly— from angina to weight-loss medications, including these psychiatric medications: antidepressants (certain SSRIs may be allowed – see SSRI policy) antianxiety drugs – e.g.: alprazolam (Xanax) antipsychotics.

MORE DETAILS

Flight attendants are trained in first aid – and this covers panic attacks and supporting people with anxiety on a flight. This training includes the questions they should ask someone having a panic attack and how to manage you out of one.

MORE DETAILS

Initial use of benzodiazepines, including the well-known Diazepam also known as 'Valium', was enthusiastic and they were hailed as a wonder drug.

MORE DETAILS