Programs

If you've struggled with the anticipation of flying, you know first hand how torturous it can be to lead up to a flight when you're feeling fear, dread, panic, and anxiety. For some, the anticipation of the flight can be the worst part. While for others, it's one of several difficulties with fear of flying—takeoff, turbulence, cruise, etc. However, approaches to resolve anticipatory anxiety often miss the mark.

When you're feeling scared and panicked, the last thing anyone wants to hear is why they shouldn't be anxious, or that they should rationally be thinking about things differently. When you are scared, comfort, protection, reassurance, and safety is needed most. It's very hard to reason with emotions. While this may sound simple on the surface, the real complexity is that for people who struggle the most with flying anxiety, it can be difficult to really internalize reassurance and comfort when the danger and threat feels so real and imminent.

The Power Of Emotions Topples Rational Understanding

I've been noticing a recent increase in fear of flying courses offered by pilots and airlines. These courses generally try to explain why flying is safe, in the hopes that this understanding will quell a person's anxiety. Sometimes they may offer meditative or breathing exercises in the hopes that this will be enough. And, while they may have good intentions, these kinds of courses have mostly not done the trick for people (even if a select group of people have been helped by them). I've often had people come to me after trying these programs noting that they were interesting, but they still feel anxious about flying.

While pilots and airlines are experts in flying and aviation, their expertise isn't in emotional processes, trauma responses, anxiety, panic attacks, or mental health. These courses don't tend to get at the deeper flying anxiety issue. There can be a temporary relief brought on by the sense of understanding some details—which can actually be useful in the greater process—but this alone usually makes a minimal dent in the overall issue. When it comes time to fly and all of the overwhelming anxieties come charging back in, all of the knowledge and calming exercises are no longer accessible for most people and, even if accessible, generally aren't able to withstand the intense wave of emotions.

In reality, anticipatory anxiety stems from deeper emotional fears and experiences that are brought to the surface when moving towards flying. The closer you get to the flight, the less in control you feel, the more vulnerable and helpless you may feel, and the more desperate you may start to feel as the anxiety builds. It can be like you're in a completely different version of yourself that feels unrecognizable from who you usually are.

Anticipatory and Flying Anxiety Is An Internal Experience

What people who are trying to help often miss about anticipatory anxiety is that the experience all happens internally. It doesn't take place in the actual flying experience, it takes place removed from the experience—hence the anticipation. When sitting with this kind of anxiety, people can easily be flooded by their worst fears, projections, thoughts, and emotions. Everything they see and feel internally about the experience feels like is what they're going towards. If you see a plane losing control in your head, a part of you is going to feel the emotional preparation for a plane going out of control—rather than preparing internally for a typical safe flight.

It's very difficult to take in how many flights per day take off and land safely when in this fearful state. Instead, the focus becomes about the fact that there's not a one-hundred percent guarantee, that there's a catastrophe they see in their minds, or the unbearably overwhelming feelings of fear they're going to have to somehow sit and contend with for hours and hours during a flight. Feelings of agoraphobia (being trapped with no escape), and claustrophobia can also be parts of the anticipation. This doesn't only happen with thoughts, but also body sensations that can feel like panic and significant discomfort. The fact that something bad could remotely happen at all overrides any sort of reassurance. It's very hard to reason with emotions when the feeling is that the worst is going to happen.

Powerful Feelings

Anticipatory anxiety in fear of flying can make you feel like you're the one that the bad thing is going to happen to. The feeling is powerful. The mind comes up with so many possible threats, fears, what-ifs, and more. For some, the anxiety can continue into the flight—anticipating turbulence, or waiting for signs that something bad is about to happen. For others, once they are actually out of the anticipation and into the flight, they can settle down once reality can show them a different picture that the earlier thoughts.

When caught in the grip of anticipatory anxiety, there is often the sense that you're headed towards something bad, or dangerous. Something is a threat. In this state, there is no relaxing until you're able to identify the source of it—which can often mean people stay on edge looking for an issue to happen throughout the flight. It often doesn't just calm down when you don't find the actual threat. For some it might, but for many, it persists until you're able to locate an issue. This makes the experience of leading up to and during a flight feel fraught with anxiety, dread, and can even turn into panic attacks. Anticipatory anxiety and fear of flying plays out differently for everyone because the deeper source is different for everyone.

Overcoming Fear of Flying and Anticipatory Anxiety

When working with fear of flying, knowledge about planes and flying, and emotional regulation exercises (such as deep breathing) do very little to calm it. Both can be helpful as a secondary measure within the process, but once the emotions kick in they become much harder to rely on. Overcoming fear of flying involves helping the brain be able to internalize safety in the flying environment (the way you likely feel when getting into a car). Knowledge is "front of the brain". Emotions and lack of safety come from the "back of the brain". Working with the back of the brain is generally necessary in helping to calm deeper fears, and this opens the space to normalize flying.

#fearofflying #Agoraphobia #Claustrophobia #Anticipatoryanxiety #Anxiety #Phobia #PanicAttacks #MentalHealth

Here’s my story.

I am 17 years old, and I have broken over 50 bones in my lifetime.

That sentence usually stops people in their tracks. They picture accidents, recklessness, or extreme sports. But for me, fractures were never a result of risk-taking. They were the result of living in a body with osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare genetic condition that causes bones to break easily.

Some of my earliest memories are tied to hospitals—bright lights, the smell of antiseptic, casts that were bigger than my arms, and learning how to be brave before I fully understood what fear was. While other kids learned independence through scraped knees, I learned it through surgeries, mobility aids, and adapting my environment just to participate in everyday life.

OI shaped my childhood in ways both visible and invisible. I missed school for medical appointments and recovery. I learned how to advocate for myself at a young age—explaining my condition to teachers, peers, and even medical professionals who had never treated someone with OI before. I learned that pain doesn’t always look dramatic, and that strength doesn’t always look physical.

For a long time, people assumed my story was about limitation. What I have learned is that it is actually about resilience, creativity, and voice.

Living with a rare disease taught me that representation matters. Growing up, I rarely saw people who looked like me, moved like me, or lived like me in books, media, or leadership spaces. That absence stayed with me. It pushed me to tell my own story—not for sympathy, but for understanding.

I eventually became an author, writing children’s books centered on disability, inclusion, and difference. My goal was simple but deeply personal: to make sure disabled kids could see themselves as main characters, not side notes. Through these books, I’ve been able to raise awareness about rare diseases and start conversations that extend far beyond my own diagnosis.

My advocacy has also taken me into policy spaces. I have shared my lived experience to help explain why programs like Medicaid are not optional for people with disabilities—they are lifelines. Access to healthcare, mobility equipment, physical therapy, and specialists determines whether someone with a rare disease can attend school, pursue a career, or live independently. These are not abstract policies to me; they shape my daily reality.

Beyond policy and writing, I am deeply committed to service. I’ve co-founded and led clubs dedicated to supporting children in local hospitals, creating moments of joy and connection for kids navigating medical challenges of their own. I know firsthand how isolating illness can be, especially at a young age, and I believe community can be a powerful form of healing.

Today, I don’t define myself by the number of bones I’ve broken—but I don’t hide that number either. It is part of my story. It represents survival, adaptation, and the countless times I chose to keep going even when my body made things harder.

Being part of the rare disease community has taught me that our stories carry weight. When we share them, we educate, we humanize policy, and we remind the world that rarity does not mean insignificance.

I am still writing my story. And I share it in the hope that someone else—especially a young person with a rare condition—might see themselves reflected and feel less alone.#

Are you or do you know a current Medical Student or Psychology Graduate Student who might be interested in the field of neuroimmunology and MS? Please share this hands on experience with your networks! Please visit here for additional information on the program and how to apply: [https://lnkd.in/eKWRyaDY](https://lnkd.in/eKWRyaDY).

#MultipleSclerosis

Understanding Mental Health and Addiction: Rising Above the Cycle

Mental health and addiction don’t exist in separate worlds—they are deeply intertwined, often feeding off one another in ways that are misunderstood, stigmatized, and oversimplified. Research shows that individuals living with mental health challenges are significantly more likely to experience substance use disorders, and the reverse is equally true (SAMHSA, 2023; NIDA, 2024).

But behind the research are real people—people trying to survive pain, trauma, loss, and untreated wounds.

Understanding this connection is not about blame. It’s about compassion, awareness, and creating pathways to healing.

When Mental Health and Addiction Collide

Many individuals live with both a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder at the same time—a reality known as dual diagnosis.

Conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder frequently coexist with addiction, making recovery more complex but not impossible (NIDA, 2024; SAMHSA, 2023).

Treating one without the other often leaves people stuck in a cycle of relapse and shame.This phenomenon, complicates treatment and requires an integrated approach that addresses both conditions simultaneously.

Self-Medication Isn’t Weakness—It’s Survival

For many, substances become a way to numb overwhelming emotions, silence intrusive thoughts, or escape unresolved trauma. This pattern, described by the self-medication hypothesis, explains how substance use often begins as an attempt to cope rather than a desire to self-destruct (Khantzian, 1997). Over time, however, the very thing used to survive becomes another source of suffering (CCSA, 2022) and worsens underlying mental health issues.

Trauma Changes Everything

Trauma—especially when experienced early in life—significantly increases the risk of both mental illness and addiction. Adverse childhood experiences, chronic stress, and unsafe environments shape how the brain copes with pain and regulation (PHAC, 2023; WHO, 18 2023). Healing requires acknowledging these roots, not ignoring them.

Factors such as trauma, genetic predisposition, and environmental influences can contribute to the development of both mental health disorders and addiction. Understanding these risk factors can help in designing prevention strategies and early interventions.

Creating Spaces Where Healing Is Possible

Awareness Breaks the Silence.
Education and open conversations reduce stigma and invite people out of isolation. When mental health and addiction are spoken about honestly, people are more likely to seek help and less likely to suffer in silence (WHO, 2023; MHCC, 2022).

Creating a supportive environment

1. Awareness and Education: Promoting mental health awareness can reduce stigma and encourage individuals to seek help. Education for friends, family, and the broader community can create a supportive network for those in need.

2. Access to Resources: Ensuring access to mental health services and addiction treatment is crucial. This includes therapy, support groups, and rehabilitation programs tailored to the needs of individuals with dual diagnoses.

3. Holistic Approaches: Recovery from mental health and addiction often involves a combination of therapies, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), medication, mindfulness practices, and lifestyle changes. Encouraging holistic approaches can lead to more sustainable outcomes.

Access to Care Saves Lives

Integrated, trauma-informed treatment—care that addresses both mental health and substance use together—leads to better outcomes and long-term recovery (SAMHSA, 2023; NICE, 2016). Healing should not depend on privilege or luck; it should be accessible, compassionate, and continuous.

Healing Is Holistic

Recovery is not just about stopping a behavior—it’s about rebuilding a life. Evidence supports combining therapy (such as CBT), medication when appropriate, mindfulness, peer support, and lifestyle changes to create sustainable recovery (Miller & Rollnick, 2013; NICE, 2016).

Empathy Is Not Optional

For Those Walking Beside Others

Integrated Care Matters.
Professionals who collaborate across disciplines—mental health, addiction, medical, and social supports—help reduce relapse and foster stability (NIDA, 2024).

At Rise Above Your Norm, we believe recovery isn’t about becoming someone else—it’s about reclaiming who you were always meant to be, beyond survival.

Mental health and addiction are interconnected issues that affect millions of people worldwide. The complex relationship between the two can significantly impact individuals and their families. By fostering awareness and understanding, we can create better outcomes for those experiencing these challenges.

Strategies for Professionals in the Field

1. Integrated Treatment Plans: Healthcare providers should develop integrated treatment plans that address both mental health and substance use issues. This includes collaboration among psychiatrists, addiction specialists, therapists, and healthcare providers.

2. Empathy and Communication: Building a trusting relationship with clients is essential. Practitioners should practice empathy, active listening, and open communication to create a safe space for individuals to share their experiences.

3. Ongoing Support: Recovery is a lifelong journey. Providing ongoing support through follow-up care, community resources, and continued therapy can help prevent relapse and promote long-term stability.

Healing happens in safe relationships. Trauma-informed, empathetic care builds trust and allows individuals to feel seen rather than judged (MHCC, 2022).

Recovery Is a Journey, Not a Finish Line

Recovery is ongoing, non-linear, and deeply personal. Continued support and community connection are essential to long-term wellbeing (Anthony, 1993).

Recovery is possible—not because the journey is easy, but because people are resilient when given the right support. When we move away from shame and toward understanding, when we treat mental health and addiction as interconnected rather than separate failures, we create space for real healing.

Conclusion

Working with mental health and addiction requires a compassionate, integrated approach that recognizes the complexity of these issues. By fostering awareness, providing access to resources, and creating supportive environments, we can help individuals navigate their paths to recovery. It is vital to remember that recovery is possible, and with the right support, individuals can lead fulfilling lives.

BigmommaJ
#MentalHealth #Addiction

Tomorrow's Ask an MS Expert can help: "Enhancing Sleep Health," 1-8-26 at 12-12:30 p.m. ET

Sleep is crucial for people with MS dealing with fatigue, spasticity or cognitive changes. Learn about the 4 domains of sleep health and the science behind good sleep from Katie Siengsukon, professor of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science and Athletic Training at the Kansas University Medical Center.

Streaming on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch. www.nationalmssociety.org/how-you-can-help/get-involved/cale...

This program originally aired on May 8, 2025. All programs are recorded and available at the MS Society's YouTube channel.

#sleep #MultipleSclerosis #MightyTogether #newlydiagnosed #Disability #Caregiving #autoimmune