2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC, an Internet Brands company. Heres the deal:You probably will get homesick at least once. We all need anxiety to function. Mayo Clinic Staff. A healthcare professional can help you figure out if there are underlying causes for your symptoms, offer suggestions to manage, or refer you to a mental health professional if needed. Earthing. What causes anxiety about travel? Psychotherapy, a treatment option for anxiety, can help you can identify your triggers and work through them before traveling. Extroverts being extroverted, tend to have a large enough circle of friends and acquaintances around them to find a travel buddy. Speaking of distractions, these can be some of the most effective ways to fill those anxiety-fraught moments while either in transit or on the trip itself. This helps to shift the focus from your fears to whats going on in your body. These can all be things to try and help manage a generalized sense of anxiety, to be more in the moment.. Now, that doesnt mean you wanted to cope with your worst case scenario, or that coping with it was amazing; it only means you coped and it didnt kill you. However, as someone whos done quite a bit of Mexico solo travel, I know theres a lot to be said for intuition. Here are the 10 best teas for stress in 2022. Am I unable to drive a car due to my fears? Research your questions and concerns. Simply spray twice under your tongue. A mental health professional can offer personalized coping skills and help during your time of need. When Does Anxiety Become an Anxiety Disorder? Many things can play a role in how you feel when it comes to travel. Gottschalk MG, et al. Below are some strategies you can try to help your deal with your phobia when you need to travel. Besides the fact that always assuming the worst case scenario sucks the fun right out of life, its also actually false. If you had imagined your worst case scenario lost phone before meeting them, the way you imagined handling it happening would be different. For some people, the thought of leaving home causes anxiety. In fact, fear is a normal biological reaction to situations that could potentially be harmful, such as accidents, fires, or violence. In the case of being homesick during travel, youre longing to be home because you dont have it in that moment. When you intentionally avoid something that makes you anxious, it tells your mind and body that the fear is justified. Sound deep? Airplane travel affects our bodies in a variety of ways, but if you have a phobia that impacts your ability to even think about getting on a plane, it might be out of the question for you. If travel anxiety is negatively affecting your life, these tips that can help you cope. Even veteran solo travelers (like me!) If you feel unsafe, you are unsafe. catastrophizing: to view or talk about (an event or situation) as worse than it actually is, or as if it were a catastrophe. Whether you or someone around you is experiencing anxiety before travel, don't downplay the validity of the fears. In the meantime, here are 13 strategies you can try to help calm or quiet your. Often trying to push away the feelings of anxiety can make it worse. However, when you were home, you were longing what you didnt have travel. So, whats got you feeling all in a tizzy? drinking a cup of hot tea or coffee. One of the ways I stayed safe as a solo female traveler is by trusting my intuition completely. Breathing deeply and relaxing your muscles can also help. One possible treatment known as exposure therapy could help. The thing with a worst case scenario is, its hard to formulate a sound plan for it before it happens. Plus, four ASMR YouTubers, With decades of data from studying real couples, Dr. John Gottman's predictors of divorce are 93% accurate. We avoid using tertiary references. Apps, podcasts, YouTube channels we've compiled the 9 best online guided meditation options. Here Are 13 Ways to Cope, Anxiety, PTSD and Depression Can Increase Heart Attack Risk in People Under 40. If youre proactive and take positive steps to manage your anxiety, you can help reduce the severity of your symptoms and make them easier to deal with. Keep a map or guidebook in your bag or on your phone, Buy travel or health insurance before you leave, Before you leave, research places you can get health services if you need them, Plan for people or services to cover your responsibilities at home while away. Whether youre a solo female traveler, traveling in a couple or a group, travelers are always easier targets, especially for petty theft like pickpocketing. Your answer could be any of the following: To learn what your unique triggers are, Fogelson recommends journaling or chatting with trusted friends or a therapist. Psych Central does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Enjoying a favorite activity as you travel can reduce the symptoms of anxiety. 2023 Psych Central, a Healthline Media Company. This type of phobia tends to develop during adulthood. The idea of flying miles above the ground, The details of your accommodations once you arrive, The discomfort of being in an unfamiliar place, including not knowing the language or people in the area, How to get to places you need to visit, like supermarkets or shopping malls, Not having enough money to last through the trip. For example, social phobias occur when someone feels that speaking in front of or interacting with other people is dangerous, even though such situations wont actually physically harm you. If you do in fact lose your phone, you have to believe youre resourceful enough to figure out a solution. I credit solo female travel with changing my life so much that I made a solo female travel blog and podcast to help inspire other women. Travel Tips How to Get Over Your Fear of Flying With 13 Tips From Pilots, Therapists, and Flight Attendants Conquer your fear of flying with these 13 expert tips. After years of solo travel, and meeting many other solo female travelers, I heard stories like this way too many times I had a bad feeling, but I did it anyway, and then, [the bad thing] happened. Im sure youve heard stories like this, or even lived out this same scenario. As tempting as it is to avoid travel altogether, doing so will ultimately make your fear of travel worse in the long run. There are two types of medications that are commonly prescribed for anxiety: benzodiazepines and antidepressants. Anxiety disorders: A review of current literature. Do you ever feel uncomfortable when youre away from home? To be honest, this probably sucks a lot less than a lost phone.Head to the U.S. governments website for more info on the complete lost or stolen passport procedure, and check out the tips below. Latch on to triggers that set you off. Anxiety, adrenaline and an increase in energy drives us to perform better and, in most cases, focus more. Hire a house sitter or ask a friend you trust to stay at your place to help take care of your affairs while youre away. Whether you're traveling during a period of calm or leaving town to get a change of scenery during an episode, you can enjoy your vacation and return. Hodophobia causes significant anxiety symptoms. Based on this, the best solo travel tip out there is to remain hyper aware of our surroundings when traveling. Bandelow B, et al. On your third blissful day together, you lose your phone in a park.Well, this person is going to make sure youre OK, likely going above and beyond to make sure youre safely on your way to getting a new phone. Heres the thing about solo travel that Ive found after years of traveling alone: The vast majority of other solo female travelers Ive met have been introverts. They could blow us off, or not want to talk to us, or something worse, and rejection sucks. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Learn more about symptoms of anxiety disorders, how to reduce anxiety naturally, and when to seek professional. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. The first step to overcoming this anxiety is to acknowledge that whatever you're feeling is valid. Bars are easy places to meet people, but you could also go to a restaurant or coffee shop and sit at the bar, rather than a private table. Create a checklist, reflect on your needs and ask for help when unexpected delays occur. This will help you understand your triggers and gain control. This anxiety can prevent you from enjoying new places, seeing new things, or even visiting loved ones who live far away. While anxiety symptoms are different for everyone, if your anxiety relates to travel, when you travel or think about traveling you may experience: If these symptoms become overwhelming enough, they can trigger a panic attack. Travel anxiety can make planning a trip challenging. A podcast about the risks and rewards of traveling with schizophrenia. If you truly want to take your first trip alone as a woman, ask someone whos done it and avoid the advice of those who havent. Self-care while on vacation might look like: Listen to your body and the discomfort that its experiencing, and offer enough kindness and care to find what might allow you to feel less anxious in this unknown space, says Schafer. Traveling can also trigger anxiety because of a previously bad travel experience. Having a panic attack in public, especially when alone and unprepared, can be scary. There are several types of anxiety disorders, and while each may share some symptoms, they each have their own unique causes, triggers, and effects. What if I get homesick or feel lonely? While not an officially diagnosed mental health condition, for certain people, anxiety about traveling can become serious, stopping them from going on a vacation or enjoying any aspect of traveling. get solo travel anxiety from time to time. Im Shelley, and I have living in and doing solo travel in Mexico since April 2018! Spritz yourself with calming spray Buy Now on Amazon I keep Bach Rescue Remedy in my daypack so that it is on hand in stressful situations. You can also learn ways to cope with symptoms. Theres no wrong way to travel. Have a friend you can contact in an emergency. Did you turn off all the lights? If someone is giving off creepy vibes, get away from them ASAP; dont worry about a kind or politically correct exit, just get away. How do I know? If youre running late, notify the people youre meeting up with so theyre aware of whats happening and put firm, healthy boundaries in place. But when does typical anxiousness become an anxiety disorder? Theres really no way around this fact, so best to be honest with yourself. "Maybe take some time . Packing clothes can be left until the week of the trip, but there are certain things to think about ahead of time. If your worst case scenario is violence or physical harm, that is of course, a different story than a cell phone. To combat that uncertainty, its good to go into your vacation with a minimal plan: What are the most important things you want to see, do and experience? But for a significant portion of people, that life seems woefully out of reach thanks to anxiety. To date, I've been to 19 states, and now I'm here to help travelers just like you plan your bucket list Mexico trip. Some people also feel disconnected from their body or surroundings, or a sense of impending doom. Fear itself isnt always a bad thing. 2023 Travel Mexico Solo | Privacy Policy | Disclosure Policy | Terms & Conditions. If you see another solo person in a museum, at a famous site, popular attraction, or other places frequented by travelers, theres a good chance they are a fellow solo traveler. If something feels off, or sketchy, or unsafe, LEAVE. I called my mom at 3 a.m. from a dorm room in Paris so I could feel comfort in hearing her voice. Locke AB, et al. Solo Travel Tip: Do some internet networking in Facebook groups and travel forums before you even take your trip! Leaving the house, kids, or pets alone can cause extreme anxiety. Dont lose sight of that. What if you arent comfortable approaching strangers? skipping certain activities . Research shows that mindful meditation can help to significantly reduce anxiety symptoms. Think about it: By this point in your trip, you could have made a travel BFF, or become buddies with your neighbor or the barista at the coffee shop downstairs and all of these people will likely go out of their way to help you. Caffeine is a stimulant that can make anxiety symptoms worse, so its a good idea to limit coffee, tea, and energy drinks the day youre traveling. Its important to identify the cause of your anxiety so you can address it, says California-based psychotherapist Julia Simone Fogelson, LCSW. ASMR: Why Certain Sounds Soothe Your Mind, 4 Relationship Behaviors That Often Lead to Divorce, being away from your family, friends, or pets, reading reviews on your hotel or car rental, researching the destination as much as possible, asking people who have traveled there before, schedule transportation to and from airports, setting positive intentions for your trip, taking deep breaths when you feel stressed, eating a favorite snack or comforting meal, skipping certain activities to prioritize rest, distracting yourself by listening to music. A doctor or psychiatrist can also prescribe medication to ease your symptoms. Murphy M, et al. Dr. Jamie Long, a licensed clinical psychologist, offers seven easy steps when trying to mitigate travel anxiety by tending to your body: While traveling, its also important to be thoughtful about food choices. When you leave your home, you kinda sign up for homesickness, since you cant really feel homesick at home. When we dont have a mental picture of how things will look or play out, we often tend to assume the worst. All rights reserved. She recommends that instead of dwelling on the one negative instance, focus on all the many, many instances that were positive. Getting sick while traveling. Thibaut F. (2017). Knowing what to expect on a trip through researching what to expect reduces the risk of unknowns or surprises.. Travel Anxiety & The Fear of Travel Learn how to overcome travel anxiety and the fear of travel from someone who is allergic to EVERYTHING and could't fly fo.. All rights reserved. And while that may be great for them, there seems to be a complete disregard for the people out there who arent going anywhere because they have anxiety. For me, this solo travel is only for extroverts myth is my absolute favorite to bust, because from my experience, its been just the opposite. If you need support, call a person you genuinely trust and wont amp up your panic, someone whos reassuring and who might offer solutions but wont catastrophize with you, says Dr. Potter. If traveling causes anxiety for you, there are ways you can manage it. Having a panic attack in public, especially when alone and unprepared, can be scary. For women who have traveled solo, we know its empowering, liberating, exciting, and so much more. Try an acceptance-based approach instead, which includes: 5. If you dont receive a formal diagnosis but still want to resolve your issues with travel anxieties, you might still benefit from some of these treatment options. This type of fear is known as a phobia. Give them a heads up and say, Im not going to be arriving on time, but I will let you know what the new arrival time will be when Im done figuring it out.. To plan ahead before you leave home or continue your trip, you might try: Schafer recommends planning ahead of time so theres less chance for confusion or fear of the unknown to occur on your trip. Your intuition is always talking to you all you have to do now, is start listening and following its good advice. However, the only way to get comfortable with something is to practice doing it. Coping With COVID-19: 6 Tips to Protect Your Mental Health When Youre Sick, How to Deal When It Feels Like Youre the Only One Still Wearing a Mask, Need Help Overcoming Social Anxiety? Then, start researching them. Ask a friend, loved one, or co-worker to accompany you when you travel. Step #1: Dealing with anxiety before you travel Here's how to calm your mind, get over your anxiety, and get yourself out on the road: Photo credit: Annie Spratt. Over time, your therapist will accompany you on short trips to help you live with your fears rather than avoid them. eating a favorite snack or comforting meal. The key difference is that hodophobia presents more severe reactions and interferes with your daily life. Teach yourself relaxation techniques and do them before and during your trips. Being outside your comfort zone. Before your trip, it may be helpful to write down all the positive experiences you hope to get from traveling. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Processed food can make anxiety symptoms worse, including during times of travel. There are many things you can do help enjoy traveling. My feeling of safety, or the statistic . Psychiatric consequences of stress after a vehicle accident. Here are five, Anxiety comes in many forms, from manageable to very disruptive. And if you only look at the big picture of your entire trip and leave too many of your activities up to chance, you might feel paralyzed by indecision when it comes time to deciding what to do while youre on vacation. Policy. Want to put your mind all the way at ease about a lost passport or phone? For many people, travel anxiety comes from the physical act of being on a plane. They may also include outside influences such as low blood sugar, caffeine, or stress. Or you might arrive at the airport, an appointment, or other commitment just in time. 6 Tips From an Expert, 5 Signs That You Might Be a Perfectionist and How To Find Balance, Dowagers Hump: What It Is and How To Get Rid of It. After youve registered, the U.S. Embassy or Consulate can contact you in the event of an emergency, including natural disasters, civil unrest, etc. Clinical psychologist Dawn Potter, PsyD, shares ways to ground yourself in the moment and seize control before your anxiety gets out of hand. Anxiety triggers are things that lead to an increase in your anxiety symptoms. One of the most significant sources of financial anxiety is the fear of not having enough money. You may find that focusing on your breath and your, Identifying your triggers can take some time and self-reflection. STEP can also put you in touch with your family and friends back home in the event of an emergency while abroad. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. I was a nervous wreck. In todays social media-driven world, its nearly impossible to go more than 30 minutes without being oversaturated with images of gorgeous people in gorgeous places doing seemingly gorgeous things. Bandelow B, et al. In one study, 65 percent of people who had been in a major car accident developed travel anxiety. They both increase heart rate and breathing, for example. These expert-backed tips for coping with travel anxiety may help: While travel anxiety can be challenging to deal with, traveling can offer wonderful benefits, too. This fear might be triggered by: Air. DOI: How to overcome fear and anxiety. I also spray it on my pillow at night and the calming smell lulls me to sleep. If you have hodophobia, your fears of travel may be so severe that they interfere with your daily life. But knowing how to safely navigate them can help. If your anxiety is causing more than mild stress, if its interfering with your ability to enjoy travel or interfering with your desire to travel and its preventing you from doing it, thats something you want to talk to your doctor about.. I did a 10 day silent meditation retreat on the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico, and one of the things I learned by not speaking and only listening was just how many thoughts we have per day. A good rule of thumb is to at least familiarize yourself with the customs of the place youre traveling to. Towards a model of travel fear. 10 Tips on How to Embrace Solo Travel, 111 Solo Travel Quotes About Traveling Alone that Will Inspire You, How to Travel Alone for the First Time: 10 Useful Tips, Eating Alone While Traveling: How to Overcome Your Fear, 6 Epic Solo Travel Photography Tips + 5 FREE Presets. DOI: Naidoo U. Learn the difference between Valium and Xanax, which may be right for you, and what to talk with your doctor about. They may include someone from the past who had a major impact on your life, such as a mentor in your youth. It uses 5 natural flower essences to provide quick comfort and reassurance. Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by an excessive or irrational fear of an object or experience. As a longtime solo female traveler, Im going to let you in on one more little secret: 2. They may give you comfort and partially distract you from your fears. This fear might be triggered by: You can have these feelings even when you know air travel is statistically safe.. Some of it might be linked to a fear of flying or worries about leaving an empty house. Having a fear of travel can be challenging, especially if you do need to travel to visit family or loved ones, or if you travel regularly for work. Breathing deeply, relaxing your muscles, and grounding yourself can all help you relax and deal with anxiety. Ask yourself the following questions: If you have answered yes to any of these questions, it may be time to talk with a mental health professional about ways you can help treat hodophobia. All rights reserved. There's no one cause of travel anxiety, and the triggers differ from person to person. I remember my first solo trip after my husband died. Its characterized by worry, tension, and increased blood pressure. Before visiting Mexico, I was repeatedly warned that its unsafe for women, but after three years and 14 states visited, I havent felt unsafe once. It can be hard to look past the negatives when youre in the throes of anxiety. With travel anxiety, habitual avoidance can sometimes cause you to be late. Well, theres a method to my madness! Since youre new to solo travel and you dont have a mental picture of it, you might be doing this. RELATED ARTICLE How to Travel Alone for the First Time: 10 Useful Tips. I have had clients tell me they no longer like to travel because they were pickpocketed and now feel like theyre unsafe, Hampton adds. Laura Sgro, LCSW, who practices in Los Angeles, suggests reflecting on when youve felt anxious on past trips and how you might manage anxious thoughts or feelings when they pop up again. Why not? By the end of the trip, you may have even made a few new friends to travel with. adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/specific-phobias/treatment/8-Steps-to-Overcoming-Your-Fear-of-Flying, mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/overcome-fear-anxiety, mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/specific-phobias/symptoms-causes/syc-20355156, journalijar.com/uploads/597_IJAR-26116.pdf, adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/ask-and-learn/ask-expert/how-can-i-overcome-my-fear-of-flying, Tips for Overcoming Your Fear of Flying, Why It Happens, and More, The Ultimate Guide to Traveling with Anxiety: 5 Tips to Know, Heres What You Should Do If You Have a Panic Attack in Public, Everything You Should Know About Thanatophobia, Lisa Ling Is Encouraging Parents to Limit Social Media Use for Kids. (2017). Say its name out loud and you take away its power, right? My reality is that I feel as safe in Mexico as I did when I lived in South Florida. If you're feeling stressed, drinking a hot (or cold) cup of tea may help. Well discuss the symptoms and how this condition is treated and managed. Work with your anxiety, not against it, adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics, health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-well-to-help-manage-anxiety-your-questions-answered-2018031413460, 5 Hacks to Help Your Anxiety Go from Debilitating to High-Functioning. The good news is that you can learn to live with and manage this phobia. Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT, Podcast: Cobra Kai Actress Discusses BIPOC Representation in Pop Culture, Sex, Love, and All of the Above: Mourning the Loss of My Sex Drive, The Science Behind PTSD Symptoms: How Trauma Changes the Brain, a family history of anxiety or other mental health conditions, physical health conditions, such as thyroid disorders or heart arrhythmias, high intake of caffeine or other substances, having generalized anxiety disorder or another anxiety disorder, your anxiety causes you extreme stress, which affects your daily life, you have anxiety nearly every day for more than 6 months, your anxiety is excessive and out of proportion to the trigger, theres not another mental health condition that could be causing your symptoms. Facts & statistics. Genetics: The genes people inherit are known to play a role in phobias and other anxiety disorders. If I felt an off, strange or bad feeling about anything, that thing was a no. In the meantime, here are 13 strategies you can try to help calm or quiet your, Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. The ones I didnt attach to, the ones I didnt assign a negative name to, and the ones I didnt judge myself poorly for thinking. Having travel anxiety can make planning and going on trips difficult. It can even be as simple as, When I get butterflies, Im going to order a ginger ale as soon as possible.. After years of time spent traveling to half the states in Mexico a country perceived as incredibly unsafe by the U.S. mainstream media I do understand where the question comes from. As author Marie Forleo wisely says in her book of the same title, Everything is Figureoutable.. We asked people. Stimulation or sensory issues can flare while away from home, especially for folks who live with mental health conditions like: If youre hypersensitive to certain stimuli, try calming your body by wearing comfortable clothing such as soft fabrics, loose waistbands, or already worn-in sneakers, Schafer says. Besides that, you might be so in love that a lost cell phone actually seems insignificant. Before traveling, take a few minutes to enroll in the FREE STEP Program before your trip. There are many things you can do help enjoy traveling. Travel anxiety can turn a fun vacation into a stressful event. Maybe take a nap, read a book for an hour or try doing yoga or meditation to slow your thought process and come back to your original reasons for why youre on vacation. Therapy helps, but these apps for anxiety can give extra support when youre. Living with anxiety may be overwhelming, but these tips will help you calm down quickly if you're having a difficult time at the moment. 2023 Healthline Media LLC. Some 18% of people in the U.S. have an anxiety disorder. You might also develop hodophobia alongside other types of phobias, such as a fear of flying, or aviophobia.
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