Photo credit: www.nomadicmatt.com
When I was younger, social interactions made me anxious. Speaking with strangers was a source of stress, but traveling pushed me to overcome that fear, transforming me into what is known as a “learned extrovert.” On the road, it’s a matter of sink or swim, and I wanted to swim. I had to learn to communicate with others if I didn’t want to roam the world alone.
For many, this challenge is even more daunting. Travel anxiety holds back numerous individuals. My friend Lauren, who writes Never Ending Footsteps, had severe panic attacks in her youth, seldom left her home, suffered from an eating disorder, and avoided public transportation altogether.
Now, Lauren shares in-depth narratives about her experiences with panic attacks and travel anxiety, exploring how travel offered her a way to manage these challenges. She offers insights for others so they, too, might conquer their fears and see the world.
At 16, I experienced my first panic attack. I was consumed by the belief that I was dying—drenched in sweat, with pinpricks tingling over my body, a tight chest, and a heavy sensation in my left arm making me fear a heart attack.
Panic attacks gripped my life, with occurrences reaching ten daily. They triggered an eating disorder and kept me cloistered within my home for extended periods.
I’m not alone in this experience: Approximately 18% of American adults face anxiety disorders, with around a quarter of these cases being severe. Shockingly, fewer than 40% of those affected receive treatment.
I didn’t seek professional help either. Instead, I chose to travel, hoping that the journey would mold me into a more self-assured and confident individual. After all, I reasoned, enduring a panic attack on a Thai beach had to be preferable to having one at home.
My close ones, however, objected. They believed that traveling was a grave error for someone like me, who they viewed as unable to handle the unpredictability of such an adventure. Their doubts motivated me; I needed to demonstrate my strength—to myself as well as them.
Before my journey began, my travel anxiety lessened but wasn’t eradicated. Panic attacks persisted, albeit sporadically. Yet, over the past four years of traveling, those instances have dwindled to a handful. Against the advice I received, travel has indeed helped to diminish my anxiety.
But how does one muster the courage to leave home? How can you cope with anxiety while traveling, and how can traveling contribute to alleviating that anxiety? Here’s a guide to overcoming the fear of travel:
Step #1: Addressing Pre-Travel Anxiety
Here’s how you can alleviate your anxiety and prepare for travel:
Reflect on why you want to travel – Whenever doubts arise about your trip, visualize your destination and affirm that you must experience it firsthand.
Conjure a mental image of yourself relishing life in that place, free from anxiety. Repeated positive affirmations can ease your mind, helping you realize that world travel is within your grasp.
Fast-forward a year – Contemplate the future if you forgo this trip. Could you end up regretting missed opportunities? For me, fear of future regret propelled me forward to take the plunge.
Seek a supportive community – Numerous forums exist to assist anxiety sufferers—my favorite being No More Panic. Here, you can share struggles and receive support and strategies to calm yourself. Establish connections in such a community before departure so you won’t feel isolated if anxiety hits while traveling.
Plan your initial days meticulously – Anxiety often results from feeling out of control. Counteract this by detailing the early days of your journey. Some suggestions:
- Locate maps and terminal photos from your arrival airport, mapping your route through the facility.
- Research steps to follow in case of lost luggage and document these for reference.
- Arrange private transport from the airport to your accommodation to avoid grappling with unfamiliar public options.
- Compile a list of activities and sights for your itinerary.
By concentrating on each incremental step, you’ll regain a sense of mastery over the situation, reducing apprehension over unforeseen events.
Reassure yourself of the option to return – If trial travel proves unsuitable after a few weeks, returning home is always an option. Leaving doesn’t connote failure; rather, it indicates a pursuit of new experiences that didn’t resonate.
Step #2: Navigating Anxiety During Travel
If you’re like me, the notion of having a panic attack abroad may be daunting. What if it occurred in a shared accommodation, or worse, mid-flight where escape isn’t possible? These concerns are piled upon routine traveler anxieties—getting lost, falling ill, not forming connections, or simply not enjoying it.
I still experience occasional panic attacks when traveling, but numerous strategies can help mitigate travel-related anxiety:
Establish a routine – Travel often disrupts habitual structure, which can elevate anxiety for some. Create a routine—however small—to regain a sense of stability and predictability.
Perhaps begin your day with a morning run. Although the setting may vary, the act of repetition instills a comforting consistency. Alternatively, set mealtimes or plan a weekly “treat day” for relaxation activities, maintaining familiar habits in diverse locales.
Suspend reliance on intuition – Traditional advice encourages following your instincts for safety. Yet, anxiety-prone instincts often spur constant unease. Ingore those nagging fears, encourage yourself to lean into new experiences despite initial discomfort, enabling you to enjoy traveling more fully.
Budget for tough times – Travelers often economize, opting for cheaper options. However, repeatedly passing on comfort for thrift may harm mental well-being. Keep funds earmarked for self-care if needed, to preserve peace of mind.
In Laos, I faced a cascade of misfortunes: contaminated food, squalid lodgings, and death witnessed firsthand. I opted to spend on recovery—a comfort-stay at a top-rated hotel, indulging in meals and rest—to restore my confidence.
Although rare, extraordinary bad luck may strike. If it does, consider treating yourself to a serene environment and take time to recharge.
Caution against overshooting this recovery period is prudent. Once reverting to a comfort-only cocoon, it may challenge extricating oneself to resume exploration. Allow yourself a brief respite, then take small steps into stimulating activities.
Embrace missteps as learning opportunities – When facing travel complications, what feels like misfortune can ultimately foster resilience.
Anxiety can magnify irrational fears about worst-case scenarios. Experiencing—and overcoming—these extremes in reality strengthens confidence, revealing personal fortitude amidst difficulty.
Challenge your comfort zone –Repeated exposure to anxieties is more effective in mitigating them than avoidance. Tasking yourself with confronting discomfort builds tolerance. Travel provides ample chances!
Navigating public transit in an unfamiliar city or mingling with locals may initially feel daunting. Prioritize daily steps beyond known limits.
If everything seems daunting, research what to expect—the internet offers vast knowledge and tips for nearly any experience. Learning strategies in advance fosters self-assuredness and capability.
Breathing exercises or physical distractions (like a rubber band to flick) can also assist in stepping into uncomfortable, yet rewarding, territory.
Sidestep known triggers – Components of travel often exacerbate anxiety. For instance, alcohol aggravates my symptoms, so I usually avoid it while traveling. Prioritize identifying your triggers and minimize exposure during trips.
Avoid experience comparisons – Contrasting oneself with idyllic portrayals of others’ travel may exacerbate insecurity, suggesting you’re the only one struggling.
Remember that people seldom share tribulations publicly. Avoid measuring your journey against curated, often rose-colored narratives. Everyone faces challenges, often unseen by the wider world.
Step #3: Turning Travel Anxiety Into Positivity
Discussing my anxiety openly online was transformative. Initially, I hid this facet out of concern it might mark me as a poor traveler or unappreciative of the chance to explore.
To my surprise, sharing my story resonated. Readers conveyed their own experiences of traveling with anxiety. Hundreds reached out with tales of succeeding abroad despite anxiety, along with aspiring travelers hampered by nerves.
My narrative, exploring how misadventures tempered my anxiety, intrigued a publisher, resulting in my book, How Not to Travel the World. It offers insights on venturing beyond comfort, managing setbacks, and falling for the journey itself.
***
Five years ago, I cautiously crafted a dream itinerary for worldwide exploration. I doubted my courage to follow through and was paralyzed by fear of travel.
Today, I find myself in Madrid, four years into my adventure, having gathered 60 countries’ stamps in my passport and experiencing only two panic attacks in a year.
Travel has uniquely aided my anxiety management, despite occasionally inducing fear. It challenges, liberates, and soothes me, significantly benefiting my mental health.
Now, it’s difficult to imagine scenarios outside my comfort zone, further proving that even with debilitating anxiety, exploring the world is possible.
Source
www.nomadicmatt.com