Performance Here’S Exactly How To Combat Travel Anxiety, According To Psychologists

For the most part, the word “travel” incline to be associated with images of delight: far-flung beach and heroic poem mountaintops and chance encounters with new friend around the globe. simply for many people, travel can also create feelings of discomfort, unease, and worry — a sensation psychologists refer to As “travel anxiety.” While the term is not officially acknowledge arsenic angstrom unit medical condition, feeling dying about travel before and during angstrom unit trip is implausibly common, particularly right now with a tri-demic afoot. The good news? It’s manageable, too.

Here’s everything you demand to know soh you can finally take that revenge travel trip — Oregon you know, just visit your house for the holidays — without all of the worry.

Travel anxiousness 101

Although travel anxiety can feel so particular to the act of traveling (think: fearing the crowd astatine the airport, getting lost in a new city, etc.), it’s actually no different from any other type of anxiety. “Travel be only the kind of thing that be prone to inducing anxiety, merely travelling anxiety be not angstrom unit separate kind of anxiety — it’s an anxiousness the likes of anything else,” explains psychologist Jaime Kurtz, Ph.D., author ofThe happy Traveler: Unpacking the secret of better Vacations.

In that way, it’s helpful to zoom out and remember that anxiousness itself — defined as AN emotion qualify past feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes — be not necessarily A bad thing. From AN evolutionary standpoint, it’s supposed to be functional and is actually here to protect us.

“Moderate levels of anxiety are normal — they are and rich person ever be a warning sign to protect you from a fear. And if you don’t have those centrist levels, information technology can lead to rash behavior,” explains Vivien Leigh Rust, PsyD, A psychologist at the New View Psychology Group.

The problem semen when your degree of anxiety becometoohigh, atomic number 33 that’s when it get more of A disorder, doctor rust continues. And the slippery thing astir travel? there are alotof situations that can cause that anxiety overload.

Though there’s no one cause for travel anxiety, some common ones are fear of flying, fear of crowds, fear of crashing, fear of social interactions, fear of guns, fear of disease (insert Covid here), and, perhaps big of all, fear of the unknown and beingness outside your comfortableness zone.

“Home be where everyone feel most comfortable, and when you’re traveling, you’re going away into AN environment where you’re relinquishing control over angstrom unit lot of different things. You’re putting things that you normally control inch someone else’s hands — include your peril of getting and/or spread Covid,” explicate doctor Rust.

Ultimately, choosing to travel means pick out to put yourself into the unknown, and for many people — especially those prone to anxiousness already — that choice alone tin can cause feelings of dread. “Human beings like the illusion of certainty, but traveling take precariousness into our land — and that can trigger anxiety,” resume Belinda Seiger, PhD, LCSW, Director of the anxiousness and OCD Treatment Center of Princeton.

In fact, that’s also why anxiety levels, in general, are spike about the world, Dr. Seiger continues: “The pandemic take United States of America out of our world of certainty, imagined or real. When it came to our doorstep, uncertainty increased — and that’s why anxiety travel up in every area of life.”

How to pull off traveling Anxiety

It tin atomic number 4 tempt to cancel your trip altogether when you’re in the midst of an anxiety spiral, or cut IT short if you’re already on the road. But that’s non angstrom good plan — and not just because you’ll young woman out on the many joy and wonders of travel. “Staying home Oregon going away home early only reinforces your anxiousness rather than helping you manage it overall,” explains doctor Kurtz. Here’s what to bash instead, both earlier your trip and once you’ve arrived:

Self-Care Strategies Before You Go

Try to pinpoint the exact cause of your anxiety.

“Instead of saying, ‘I feel anxious about my upcoming trip,’ try to name the demand problem,” propose Dr. Kurtz. “What be it? Where be information technology coming from? It’s belike non from every single moment of the trip. Once you know what the exact worry is, it can be easier to make a plan to assistance manage it.” Having problem figuring out your exact worry? effort picturing an entire mean solar day on the road. “I oftentimes say, ‘Take ME through a day arsenic you see it, and make a mental note of when something comes up that be devising you feel uncomfortable,'” Dr. Kurtz continues. Maybe not knowing what a twenty-four hour period will look likeiswhat’s making you uncomfortable — that’s for sure a cause of anxiety, too.

Distinguish the facts.

“When my patients come to ME with anxiety, iodine always ask them: ‘What do we know?'” says Dr. Seiger. “If they’re particularly nervous about getting Covid while traveling, for example, I’ll ask them: ‘How old ar you? What’s your inoculation status? rich person you have information technology already?’ then we expression at the scientific discipline to determine what’s realistic. Having some anxiety be helpful, as information technology can glucinium A messenger that we need to glucinium timid about our well-being. But sometimes it can go beyond what’s call for.”

Make angstrom unit eventuality plan.

If your specific anxiety turns out to be somewhat minor — i.e. the likelihood of the occurrence be rare and the facts don’t fully support the fright — Dr. Seiger suggests telling yourself: “My mind be making up scenarios that ar non likely to happen, andthatis what is making me anxious.” If your worry DOE wealthy person legs, contingency planning can be very helpful in terms of thosewhat ifsituations. “Ask yourself: ‘In the small likelihood that my fright DOE happen, what is my plan A, B, and C?'” rede Dr. Rust. “If you’re worry astir acquiring sick, for example, research places about the area where you can get health services if you need them. Knowing that you have A eventuality plan can get you over the excrescence and into Associate in Nursing ‘Ok, I’m ready to spell now’ phase.”

Start with “micro exposures” before you go.

A lot of anxiousness is astir thinking:I’m going to Be uncomfortable. So it can help to start with micro tasks Beaver State actions atomic number 85 place that will brand you a little less uncomfortable, advises Dr. Seiger. If you’re nervous about the crowds atomic number 85 the airport, for example, endeavour going to your local target when it’s most crowded and wall hanging around for cinque to ten minutes. “That way, you’re gift yourself angstrom chance to habituate — to get used to it — and dependence be the key to managing anxiety,” doctor Seiger continues.

The other key: use multiple times. “Don’t just do information technology once — do it until your anxiety is lower. And then do it again at AN even bigger place, followed past 5 Thomas More times after that — then you’ll be ready for the airport,” Dr. Seiger advises. “The key is to start small, with a similar anxiety-provoking scenario, and physique your way up from there.”

Plan your trip accordingly.

Her advice: If you’re going on A group trip and you’re dying about all of the social interactions, be sure to request a room for yourself soh you can unplug and get away from people — eventide if it may cost a little extra. Or, if you’re anxious about fashioning small talk, rich person something prepared. “Think about some conversation topics ahead of time so you’re not just floundering,” Dr. Kurtz advises.

Self-Care Strategies During Your Trip

Take deep breaths.

Somewhat obvious advice, yes, but IT really works when your anxiety is spiking. “We be given to hold our breaths when we are in ‘fight, flight Oregon freeze’ mode [i.e. when our physical structure are try to protect us], so get cognisant of your breath — of the physical sensations of anxiety that are manifesting in your body — tin be a useful tool,” explicate Dr. Seiger.

Distract yourself during second of anxiety.

The key is to find something that takes your focus elsewhere — like calming music Beaver State meditation apps OR sudoku — and know when you demand to exercise it to assist you through. “The important thing be that you’re able to identify those moments where you ar feeling anxious and you’re able to say: ‘Ok, this be what I need to do right now,'” Dr. Kurtz continues.

Invest inch angstrom good brace of headphones.

Dr. Kurtz tend to get anxious on planes, sol she always brand angstrom unit point to wear headphones when she boards sol she can create her own bubble. “I know I May missy out on opportunities to meet people by being shut off, but I’ve learned through with experience what iodin need to do to make myself feel good,” she says.

Identify your ground for traveling.

This one can be done before Oregon during your trip. Ask yourself: be traveling of import to you? What about this particular trip is important? “If it be important to you, remind yourself that you’re going to be uncomfortable for angstrom unit bit, and that’s O.K. — you can handle it,” rede Dr. Seiger. “The key be to remind yourself that you can handle the discomfort because it’s important for you to get from Point A to Point B, OR whatever your reason for travel is. feel the fear and brawl it anyway.”

Remember that cipher be wrong with you.

“During the past times few years, we all get very comfortable beingness astatine home, so don’t feel too gravely if you feel angstrom little anxious while traveling now — it’s perfectly normal,” reminds doctor Kurtz. This lesson also applies to those who felt anxious before Covid. Traveling is, after all, a journey into the great unknown — but just call up that there ar 2 sides to the coin. That very uncertainty that can trigger your anxiousness is also what tin can lead to new discoveries and make travel so, sol sweet.