We are not able to prescribe Diazepam for patients who wish to use this for a fear of flying.
Medication isn’t usually recommended for treating flight anxiety. There are more effective ways to manage or overcome a fear of flying in the longer term – without the side effects that can come from taking sedative medications.
Why Diazepam isn’t recommended to help with fear of flying
- Diazepam is a sedative, this means it can make you feel sleepy and drowsy, it can also lead to a feeling of confusion which could impair your ability to respond to a real emergency situation.
- Sedative medication can make you fall asleep, reducing your movement and increasing the risk of developing a blood clot – also known as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
- For some patients, taking sedative medication can negatively impact their mood.
- National prescribing guidelines do not allow for the use of benzodiazepines (such as Diazepam) in cases of fear or phobia.
Understanding why you have a fear of flying, what triggers this anxiety and how to overcome it can really help
There is lots of advice and helpful information from the NHS and on the Patient.info website about how to help manage phobias, including information about courses you can take to help you overcome your fear of flying and flight anxiety.