The fear (make a search on "pre flight anxiety" and find a boatload of related topics) is ungrounded but it can strike you nonetheless, even if you mantra no-fear it can still take you.
How about this: lets have a better look at me being shitless scared and lets call this a very interesting state of being, racing heart and sweaty hands included. Just the opposite of not wanting to have it. I invite some adrenaline to be formed in my body and I take use and advantage of the opportunity that presents itself here and now (just before the take off).
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23440-stress-has-unexpected-health-benefits-sometimes/#.UdyzY79zbmI wrote:... while chronic stress can have knock-on effects that damage cellular structures, short bursts of stress can reduce such damage and protect our health in some circumstances...
Quote:...“It’s like weightlifting, where we build muscles over time,” says Aschbacher. As long as there is time to recover in between, short bursts of psychological stress “might allow us to become stronger”....
If you are a pathologic-level chronic stress sufferer you might consider a less stressful ROA than vaping. The paper said that chronic stressers should avoid an extra stress burst on top of it, because in this case there is a lack of periods without stress to "recover".
As a non chronic stresser, why should I avoid? I reckon the body knows exactly what it needs way better than my simple thoughts and wishes, just let it do it's thing and trust it.
Quote:...When the body feels stress, it releases various hormones such as adrenaline that can have important brain health benefits. Just as a cup of coffee can give you a temporary boost of energy, adrenaline increases alertness and awareness and can improve memory and cognitive functioning, "making you sharper during the period of stress," says Teitelbaum...
On occasions when the fear/stress hits me hard I do not inhale. I make a study case of my situation, to monitor myself in this state and try to remain in it on purpose, challenge it, call it out. I try to be in it as long as possible and lo and behold it cannot stay at that level, it runs out of its own fuel. When the heart rate drops finally to 1/4 of its max (that can take a while if so), then I take the pipe with a smile on the face.
In a way I don't "deal" with the pre flight anxiety but create a fitting purpose for it and integrate it into the whole. I think it is psychologically an advantage to consider each part as functional even when I don't understand it or feels ehh "odd".
There is a silver lining to the pre flight anxiety
(but not for pathologic chronic stressers it seems)
PS: GVG or alikes, all in 1 hit, it's easier on you!
There is that saying: "The only time without stress is the first time."
Not 100% true but it's telling. Occasions without a glitch of stress do happen.