We are often asked to prescribe sedative drugs, such as Diazepam, for fear of flying. Stapenhill Medical Centre does not prescribe such sedatives for fear of flying. This policy decision has been made by the GP Partners and is adhered to by all prescribers working in the practice. There are several good reasons why prescribing of drugs such as Diazepam is not safe or recommended.
In the UK Diazepam is a controlled drug. The prescribing guidelines doctors must follow say that to treat short term ‘mild’ anxiety is inappropriate. They are only to be used short term for a ‘crisis in generalised anxiety’. But if you are having such a crisis, you are not likely to be fit to fly. Fear of flying in isolation is not a generalised anxiety disorder.
Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and slows your reaction times. If there is an emergency during the flight it may affect your ability to concentrate, follow instructions and react to the situation. This could have serious safety consequences not only for you but for others.
Taking Diazepam may also make you agitated and aggressive. These medicines can also cause disinhibition and lead to abnormal behaviours. This could not only affect your safety but also the safety of other passengers.
The sedative effects of these drugs can affect breathing and cause low oxygen levels, which could be life threatening, especially with the lower circulating oxygen levels on an aeroplane, in people with breathing problems or when combined with alcohol.
Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep; however, this is not a natural sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep, and this can increase your risk of developing a blood clot in your leg or lung. Blood clots are dangerous and can be fatal.
We recognise that fear of flying is real and frightening, and we don’t underestimate the impact it can have. We recommend tackling this properly by using self-help resources or considering one of the ‘Fear of Flying’ course run by many airlines. We do not recommend any specific course, but you may find the following links useful.