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. Just try to be polite and respectful.. Does my fear prevent me from traveling to work or school? The fear of visiting a new, unfamiliar place and the stress of travel plans can lead to whats sometimes called travel anxiety. One possible treatment known as exposure therapy could help. For those, head to G Adventures or Contiki, two great companies offering some of the best solo travel vacations. The anticipation of uneasy travel will often bring on more stress and anxiety about your upcoming trip. Rather, turn your attention inward, and start to listen to your intuition. Pinpoint the causes of your travel anxiety and write them down. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Does the thought of traveling alone give you a case of solo travel anxiety? It seems solo travel for women is only weird for those who have never done it. Last medically reviewed on July 30, 2019. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Travel anxiety aka vacation anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear that occurs in relation to traveling. Thats why finding ways to manage the daily effects of anxiety is so important. Exploring new experiences, cultures, and cuisines is a great way to widen your worldview. Having an anxiety disorder and simply feeling anxious about a specific thing are different. While its natural to have anxiety from time to time, living with an anxiety disorder means these feelings are amplified and impact your day-to-day functioning. The good news is that its entirely possible to get out and see the world yes, even when you have anxiety. 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. Your feelings of solo travel fear and pre-travel anxiety are normal and valid. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Travel phobia is much worse than travel anxiety, although both conditions have similar symptoms. All rights reserved. With some creative thinking and preparation and, if needed, some professional support you can learn how best to travel on your own terms. Some common causes of travel anxiety include: Fear of flying. 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. Physical activity is a great way to manage stress. Research has also found that people with anxiety disorders have changes in some parts of their brain. A doctor might diagnose hodophobia based on self-assessments combined with in-office questionnaires. On nearly all of my solo travel podcast episodes, I have said these very words: Solo travel is the quickest form of therapy. So, if crowded rooms normally make you feel on edge, your anxiety might be triggered by crowded subway stations or busy airport terminals. Traveling is a popular activity so popular that U.S. residents made over 1.8 billion leisure trips in 2018. When it comes to mental health, there's no one-size-fits- all approach and the solution will always be in the hands of a specialist. Say its name out loud and you take away its. The foods we put in our bodies can directly affect our ability to regulate our moods, including the amount of anxiety we feel. They will likely ask you questions about your travels on both a daily and long-term basis, along with the symptoms you experience. Having anxiety doesnt mean you have to be homebound. These can occur when you're traveling or even if you're thinking about traveling. As a longtime solo female traveler myself, Im clearly biased. However, some other factors can have an impact too. Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health [Internet]. Flight anxiety reported from 1986 to 2015. You might depend on friends or family to travel with you. I always say that if I had a peso for every time someone asked me about Mexico solo travel safety, I could retire . Breathing deeply, relaxing your muscles, and grounding yourself can all help you relax and deal with anxiety. One of the easiest ways Ive met people is through group tours. With a phobia, however, the fear is considered irrational. This is because its based on your perception of something as dangerous when, in reality, it isnt. Chances are, when youre right in the thick of traveling, its going to be hard to narrow down the direct and immediate cause of whats making you feel so anxious. Trying new foods. Bandelow B, et al. Intro HOW TO OVERCOME ANXIETY WHEN TRAVELING (My Favorite Tips) bignoknow - Noah Thomas 142K subscribers Subscribe 27K views 3 years ago NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO? No, as in No further questions, your honor not a No as in Let me make sure my bad feeling really does lead to something bad. If you had imagined your worst case scenario lost phone before meeting them, the way you imagined handling it happening would be different. (2014). They include fear of being in a new place, the stress of planning, or physical things like fatigue or low blood sugar. Bringing these concerns out into the open and identifying them will allow you to confront them more directly. Be sure to let them know about your fears ahead of time so they can help you when you need extra support. These distractions will keep your mind off the things that stress you out. If therapy, preplanning, and distractions arent enough to help, medication is an option. (2017). Advertising on our site helps support our mission. First, if traveling alone is too much, theres no reason to not travel with a friend to help share some of the responsibilities. And whos going to collect all that mail piling up on your front porch? ), The majority of my solo travels have been in Mexico and as you might imagine, I get the Is Mexico safe for solo female travel? question a lot. 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. You might worry about: Your genes and your brains. Solo Travel Tip: Keep your actual passport separate from the photocopy and extra photos when youre traveling, as you definitely dont want to lose everything at the same time! Arriving early may help prevent such issues while also giving you more opportunities to relax and prepare yourself for your travels. Figuring out your anxiety triggers is a good way to help anticipate it and ultimately help you through to the other side. Most people feel anxiety at some point. This type of support can be especially helpful if you need to make a long trip. I also try to sleep, as time sleeping is less time for me to spend worrying, Hampton says. Having Anxiety vs. What if [insert your worst case scenario] happens? DOI: How to overcome fear and anxiety. Youll also want to avoid alcohol before and during your travels because its dehydrating effects can worsen anxiety, too. Listen to Your Intuition: When my intuition told me to avoid a certain street, or bar, or even a person, I did. To diagnose an anxiety disorder, a doctor typically compares your symptoms and medical history with the criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5). If you are anxious about traveling alone, there's nothing wrong with asking friends or family . If your doctor does recommend medications, keep in mind that these work best when used alongside therapy. Truthfully, I dont think anyone is all that comfortable approaching a stranger. How do you deal with anxiety on the road? Enjoyable distractions can help keep stave off negative thoughts and give you something positive to focus on instead. Well, theres a method to my madness! Healthline Media's new initiative, TRANSFORM: Future of Health, spotlights cutting-edge innovations that will change the future of health and wellness. During the trip, mindfulness, distractions, and even medication are all options for reducing travel anxiety. If someone is giving off creepy vibes, get away from them ASAP; dont worry about a kind or politically correct exit, just get away. One of the ways I stayed safe as a solo female traveler is by trusting my intuition completely. Learn relaxation techniques before you leave and use them while youre on your trip. Just the idea of going to a new place may bring on feelings of fear, uncertainty, and extreme nervousness. Neural correlates of mindfulness meditation-related anxiety relief. Mindfulness meditation has shown considerable effectiveness in reducing anxiety in many people. Learn some of the common symptoms and causes of anxiety about traveling, as well as tips and treatments to help you overcome it. If you feel unsafe, you are unsafe. How do I know? If you are traveling by yourself, let a friend or family member know that you might reach out to them if in distress, and coach them on the ways they can provide support over the phone, he says. (2009). (n.d.). (2016). 2. If this happens, take a step back and try to do an activity that re-centers your train of thought. If you do, thats OK your vacation should be designed to provide you with maximum comfort and minimal worry. get solo travel anxiety from time to time. Last medically reviewed on July 29, 2019, Living with anxiety can feel like a full-time job. The excitement, after all, can be what makes travel worthwhile. You might be afraid that something . For some, the thought of planning or taking a trip brings feelings of excitement or exhilaration. Try an acceptance-based approach instead, which includes: 5. Did you turn off all the lights? But knowing how to safely navigate them can help. Towards a model of travel fear. Here are just four of the many ways you can meet people while traveling. In real life though, hodophobia can present itself in the following ways: No single test can diagnose phobias. Weve reached out to experts who have given their professional tips and tricks on how to travel when you have anxiety. Then, start researching them. You can also learn ways to cope with symptoms. (2009). Here are some common causes that might set off your anxiety while youre traveling, and ways to help manage each scenario. Ultimately, some anxiety is normal. They may also include outside influences such as low blood sugar, caffeine, or stress. By embracing the fact that they will be anxious and preparing for what it will be like, they can actually reduce the likelihood of the anxiety happening, or, at least, reduce the severity of the symptoms, says Tiffany Mehling, a licensed clinical social worker. Working with a therapist or counselor can help you learn remedies to help deal with anxiety and discover what works best for you. Even veteran solo travelers (like me!) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Having travel anxiety can make planning and going on trips difficult. 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. You should see your doctor if you suspect hodophobia may be interfering with your quality of life. 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. This was not an easy mindset shift since conventional wisdom tells us to value facts over feelings But, the fact remains that safety is a feeling, not a fact, and your feelings are your best gauge of safety. Its sometimes confused with agoraphobia, which is another type of extreme fear. Your goal is to identify your particular triggers, so you can manage your fear when anxiety levels are low. People are much more focused on themselves than they are others, and coming back to that idea should be relieving to someone with social anxiety, notes Dr. Potter. Do you have thanatophobia? See additional information. While I dont have any idea how youll personally end up feeling about solo travel, I know that if youve read this far, it seems you owe it to yourself to find out. If my intuition said, Something feels off about this person, I got away from them. Azoum M, et al. Panic attacks are sudden, intense surges of fear, panic, or anxiety. Zeidan F, et al. There's no one cause of travel anxiety, and the triggers differ from person to person. Want to put your mind all the way at ease about a lost passport or phone? Visit her blog or Instagram. Well discuss the symptoms and how this condition is treated and managed. 2023 Healthline Media LLC. Sometimes bad things happen, she adds, and those things can happen to anyone. She recommends a few minutes of deep breathing or meditating once you arrive at your accommodation. You may feel disoriented, dizzy, and weak. My travel anxiety prevents me from enjoying trips that are meant to be relaxing, restorative, and fun and I know Im not alone in this experience. When you feel your travel anxiety coming on, consider any of the following techniques: Traveling can often be overstimulating. In fact, according to a 2018 study by Glasgow University, more than 90% of rape and sexual assault victims knew their attacker. Plan Your Route. A new study has found that certain mental health conditions including anxiety, depression and insomnia may increase the risk of heart disease. American Psychological Association: Anxiety., Anxiety & Depression Association of America: How can I overcome my fear of flying?, Asian Journal of Psychiatry: Chess therapy: A new approach to curing panic attack., Dialogues in clinical neuroscience: Genetics of generalized anxiety disorder and related traits., Headspace: What is anxiety & effects on mental health., IAMAT Travel Health Journal: Travel and Anxiety., Journal of Travel Medicine: Reiseangst: travel anxiety and psychological resilience during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic., National Institute of Mental Health: Any Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder: When Fear Overwhelms., National Library of Medicine: Psychiatric consequences of stress after a vehicle accident., Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience: Neural correlates of mindfulness meditation-relaxed anxiety relief.. Photo credit: Annie Spratt. We're bending an ear to what experts say about ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) sounds and your mental health. Read on to learn more about this type of phobia, as well as things you can do today to help manage and treat it to improve your quality of life. 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. Grimholt T, et al. 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. Generalized anxiety exists on a spectrum, and if you have an anxiety disorder, your anxiety can run from being very mild to very severe. Whatever is causing your anxiety, knowing you have some coping skills to fall back on can provide comfort. You may not have anxiety before you travel, but it can catch up with you once youre on the road. 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. What causes anxiety about travel? You can repeat the process as often as you need. Teach yourself relaxation techniques and do them before and during your trips. While travel anxiety isnt an official diagnosis, it is a common cause of anxiety. Yes, its OK to feel a little uneasy when youre outside of your comfort zone. Seif MN. Bring two extra passport photos with you when you travel. Besides that, you might be so in love that a lost cell phone actually seems insignificant. Having a panic attack in public, especially when alone and unprepared, can be scary. This way, if I ever arrive at a Place B, and Im missing one of these things, I know they are likely back at Place A. 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. That skill, like most skills, comes with practice.In short, if youre anxious about solo travel, you should be; youve never done it. You arent doing it wrong. It can be hard to look past the negatives when youre in the throes of anxiety. Truth be told, I felt a little scared of Mexico before I got to know the country. 2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC, an Internet Brands company. Some anxiety is triggered by the unknown. We avoid using tertiary references. Earthing. Well then, youre in the right place to learn how to deal with travel anxiety, using tips, tricks and mindset hacks Ive personally used throughout my years of solo female travel. A 2017 study suggests that genetics could influence the development of generalized anxiety disorder during young adulthood. By the end of the trip, you may have even made a few new friends to travel with. Mexico Solo Travel: 20 SAFE Destinations for Female Travelers (According to Solo Female Travelers Who Have Actually Been to Them! Others might have high-functioning anxiety and respond in different ways, but the key to understanding anxiety is knowing it can be triggered by a variety of factors at any given time. Often trying to push away the feelings of anxiety can make it worse.
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