I wish I could say that travel was all sunshine and roses. That nothing bad will ever happen to you. That every day on the road will be the best day of your life and you’ll be transported from country to country on the back of a magical unicorn. But that would be doing both of us a disservice, I think.
Sometimes travel sucks. Sometimes you’re scared. Sometimes you’re injured. Sometimes you’re burned out. And sometimes, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be anxious.
It’s the crummy days on the road that make the good days – and trust me, there will be plenty of them – taste so sweet.
From the very first solo adventure I set off on, I was anxious. That first flight from Australia to Thailand was terrifying. It was the first place I was going where I knew absolutely no one, and perhaps worse still for someone who suffers from anxiety, I had no plan.
I think of anxiety as a spectrum, not an on and off switch. I think we ALL suffer from a little bit of anxiety here and there. Some more strongly, some less so. While I think I suffer from not so much anxiety, I hope that these tips can help minimise some of your anxiety no matter where on the scale you are.
But first, a little story.
I was supposed to come to Guatemala in November. But when I was in Panama I met two guys who had been on a bus that was held at gun point in Guatemala and everything was taken. It reminded me of when I was stabbed in Indonesia and made me REALLY anxious. I couldn’t shake that anxiety. As the flight got closer and closer, my anxiety rose. It got to the point where, for some reason, I was terrified to take that flight. So I just didn’t. I was lucky I was in the financial position to skip the flight and ended up going to Peru instead.
Now that I’ve been in Guatemala for almost 2 months, I can easily say that I love this country. There are lots of issues and challenges here, but I think the fear and anxiety that surrounded my original plans to come here in November was unfounded. It was certainly a challenge for me to come here, but I’m so grateful I did, otherwise I might not be dating my fantastic boyfriend, wouldn’t have fallen in love with Antigua and my life would be on a completely different course.
Tips for Dealing With travel Anxiety
Visualise Your Worst Case Situation:
Whenever I feel myself freaking out, I ask myself what my likely “worst case situation” is. That way I can deal with what is worrying me, head on. For example, with my apprehension about coming to Guatemala, I was scared I might be robbed somewhere. That I’d lose my phone, all my cash and maybe my passport. After realising this was what I was afraid of, I decided to mentally walk through the steps I would take to move forward.
I have travel insurance so I’d get a new phone (sounds kind of like a win), I made sure to back up my phone just in case it would happen. In terms of the money, I don’t carry more cash than I’d be OK to lose. I’ve minimised my “worst case situation” into basically no problem, and my anxiety around that situation has all but got. Isolate what you’re afraid of and then planning steps to minimise it, is a great way to help reduce your anxiety about travels.
Talk to People:
If you’re worried about somewhere you’re headed, ask around. Get in touch with friends or family who have travelled to where you’re going. Better yet, ask if anyone you know has friends or family living there. If neither of those two options bring any light on the situation, I turn to Couchsurfing and I’ll message locals questions about safety, how to be properly prepared and so forth. I find that the more I know about a place I’m visiting, the less anxious I feel.
Seek Help:
If you suffer from anxiety to the point where it’s stopping you from living the life you want, whether it’s travel or normal day-to-day life you might want to seek help. The type of help you opt for can vary from talking to a friend, getting some medical attention, looking into a supplement from somewhere like goldbee.com, or even going through therapy. A little anxiety is manageable, but if it’s preventing you from living your dreams then maybe it’s time to do something about it. You could look into one of the more popular strains of kratom, red bali, which has great anti-anxiety properties, among other things. Just make sure that you do your research and get as much information you need before making your decision when it comes to kratom, or any sort of treatment you are considering. In addition to kratom, there are plenty more treatment options available to help with anxiety can be really discreet – you could vape this delta 8 cartridge when out and about and, since vaping is so common these days, no-one would bat an eyelid!
The truth is, every time I jet off somewhere new alone I have this nervous feeling in my chest. It’s a mix of excitement and freaking out. I think it’s normal to be apprehensive, a little scared and a bit worried. I think it’s also a sign that you’re challenging yourself, which should be acknowledged and appreciated. Pushing yourself outside your comfort zone is a great way to learn more about yourself and the world around you.
Do you suffer from anxiety when you travel? How do you manage it? Share in the comments below.
