I had a panic attack one time in a plane, it was probably 15-20 years ago.

I stated hyperventilating, felt like I couldn't breathe. There was a nurse close enough to notice and asked the FA for oxygen and some ice in a towel for my head, and cold water. After a few minutes I settled down, was rather embarrassed, profusely thanked the nurse and the FA.

I went to the doctor when I got back home and described what happened, he told me it was a panic attack. It has never happened again.

I was on a flight from Cork to Edinburgh a month or two ago and someone had a full on, thought he was having a heart attack panic attack during an extremely rough landing (It was on an atr 72-600 that was just getting thrown around in the wind). I've been (and was at that time) dealing with panic attacks, but I was able to keep it under control.

A couple things that have helped me a lot, and helped me then.
-I had some attavan on me. I didn't need to take it, but knowing I have it is really helpful for me (though part of it has to do with my fear of the attack escalatin). You may want to see your doctor about getting some.
-As I've learned more about panic attacks, that knowledge has helped me in turning them down. Once you start having a panic attack, you immediately start scanning your body for more symptoms. The thing is, everything is weird under scrutiny.
-Breathe through your mouth, into your stomach. Inhale 4 seconds, hold, exhale 4 seconds, hold, repeat.
-Finally, an inspirational ted talk. Chris Hadfield goes blind in space.

Breathing into a paper bag can help, too. It counteracts the effects of hyperventilating.

rmeltz, thanks for sharing your story that had to be a frightening experience. How the did the flight crew and airport staff treat you. Were they understanding? Any issues from the airline like adding you to their internal no-fly list?

Of course you're a wimp: your office used to be an M1 when it should have been a real tank like a Challenger. ;) :)

More to the point, ain't psychology & irrational fears fun?! *Especially* when you know they're irrational. :D Apparently it's not unusual for it to happen as people age. I had it happen for a while in my mid-40's. Always during take off from wheels up until we got to ~10,000 feet. (Weirdly enough, if anything did happen then I calmed straight back down as if it was somehow reassuring) Nice wee chat with a shrink who taught me some tools to deal with it that have worked ever since.



St John's Wort won't do jack except as a placebo. :) If it's low grade mild panic and otherwise manageable, see a doctor if you just want something to take the edge off for flying overall. If it's something that is annoying or actually interfering in flying then see a shrink or counsellor for some Cog Behaviour techniques or whatever else they recommend for dealing.

I don't get an anxiety attack, but in the minutes from the gate to starting the apu/engines I'm ACUTELY aware that there's no air getting in, or the only air getting in is warm. Bothers the hell out of me.

I had a panic attack once in my life and now that I know what it was (or I think I do) I would probably deal with it better if it ever happened again, but I know exactly why it happened and I dealt with it...though I dealt with it in a manner you couldn't on a plane which is why I won't bother with details haha