Going forward, Whitby Health Partnership have taken the decision to no longer prescribe sedative medication for fear of flying due to new prescribing guidance and safety concerns. This decision has been made by the GP Partners and is adhered to by all prescribers working in the practice. The reasons for this can be found below:
Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed. If there is an emergency during the flight it may impair your ability to concentrate, follow instructions and react to the situation. This could have serious safety consequences for you and those around you.
Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, however when you do sleep it is an unnatural non-REM sleep. This means you will not move around as much as during natural sleep. This can cause you to be at increased risk of developing a blood clot (DVT) in the leg or even the lung. Blood clots are very dangerous and can even prove fatal. This risk is even greater if your flight is greater than four hours.
Whilst most people find Benzodiazepines like Diazepam sedating, a small number suffer paradoxical agitation and aggression. They can also cause disinhibition and lead you to behave in a way that you would not normally. This could impact on your safety as well as that of other passengers and could also get you into trouble with the law.
According to the prescribing guidelines doctors follow (BNF), Benzodiazepines are contraindicated (not allowed) in phobia. Our prescribers would be taking a significant legal risk by prescribing against these guidelines. They are only licensed short term for a crisis in generalised anxiety. If this is the case, you should be getting proper care and support for your mental health and not going on a flight.
Diazepam and similar drugs are illegal in a number of countries. They may be confiscated or you may find yourself in trouble with the police.
Diazepam stays in your system for quite a while. If your job requires you to submit to random drug testing you may fail this having taken diazepam.
Given the above, we will no longer be prescribing Benzodiazepines for flight anxiety or Zopiclone for flight insomnia.
We appreciate that fear of flying is very real and very frightening. A much better approach is to tackle this properly with a Fear of Flying course run by the airlines and we have listed a number of these below.
Easy Jet – www.fearlessflyer.easyjet.com
British Airways – www.flyingwithconfidence.com
Virgin – www.flyingwithoutfear.co.uk
Research shows that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) can be helpful for more severe cases. The person identifies what they actually fear and then learns different ways of overcoming it.
Patients who still wish to take Benzodiazepines for flight anxiety are advised to consult with a private GP or travel clinic.