Posted by Andrew on 29/10/2008, 10:45 pm, in reply to "Planes and Trains"

Hi Marcus Glad you got reassurance that there are others like you. I hope you can be reassured that these others have improved, often by attending a workshop. To briefly pick up on some of your points. Systematic desensitisation as a teenager did not work: I wonder if this was because there was no cognitive therapy involved. My belief and experience is that desensing can only go so far without dealing cognitively with beliefs and fears. Your therapy also lacked any input from peers; we find that the group has a strongly positive impact on a sufferers: you have only to read the feedback from workshop participants to see this. Plane cubicles not private: Sufferers behave as if the cubicle walls were transparent. However, the walls being opaque, your stepping into one has the result that you cease to exist for the people outside. The cabin crew are busy, or occupied with their lives, and would certainly find any thought about others in the toilets as boring in the extreme. Now I now it is easy to say this, but again one can get to that state of mind with cognitive therapy. Imagine doing a survey: go down the aircraft interviewing each person in turn; "Excuse me sir/madam, could you tell me your thoughts about the person in that toilet?". They would either look bemused, or would punch you in the face! Definitely no to self-cathing: well it is not a solution but it is a useful aid. The guys who have one handy in their pocket know that whatever happens, they will be able to drain off. Consequence: lack of anxiety; result, being able to pee without using it. Its a no-brainer really. And it is no more than slightly uncomfortable. 7 hour flight: well I've met guys who have survived 14 hour and 20 hour flights. Very uncomfortable, even in pain, but they survived. As to damage: I have not heard of splitting a bladder and believe that the pain would be so bad before that could happen, that some other way out would occur, even if it meant an emergency landing due to severe abdomnial pain. As for damage of some sort: minor damage cannot be ruled out, but I'm not a specialist. Medication: desmopressin suppresses production of urine: I believe it is used for bedwetting. Some have used it on flights. But the way forward is CBT. We use a CBT approach on the workshops and get results. Its never too late; our oldest this year was 85, and is delighted to be flying again. See you Andrew

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