Tips on How to Travel with Anxiety
Travel anxiety is a common and complicated problem, which causes an individual to feel stressed, depressed, or anxious when he or she prepares for a trip.
Simply put, when you fear of visiting an unfamiliar or new place, it causes anxiousness and depressive feeling in your mind.
If you are looking to avoid travel anxiety, then this article is for you. Today, we will give you some tips, which will surely help you overcome the feeling of fear and apprehension while preparing for or during your travel. Read on!
Determine the causes of travel anxiety
First, you need to find the trigger factors or points, which increase your anxiety levels from normal.
The triggering factors relate to travel – for instance, planning your trip to another city or country or when you board the plane, you have anxiety about a plane crash or something like this.
Other external triggering factors of travel anxiety can be low blood sugar levels, high caffeine consumption, and/or elevatedstress.
If you are having such symptoms, you need to consult with a psychotherapist and upon confirmation of the disorder, your doctor can prescribe your psychotherapy treatment, which can help you overcome travel anxiety symptoms.
Psychotherapy, a treatment option for anxiety, can help you can identify your triggers and work through them before traveling.
Plan Ahead of your Trip
Many people feel fear and have anxiety when they leave their homes and travel to another place.
If you are a family man or homesick, it is quite difficult for you to leave your home, children, or your furry friends like your pet dogs or cats.
So, how to solve this problem. Well, experts say that when you plan ahead of your trip, it can ease your worry.
It is because you would know when to travel, how much money you would need, and what activities you will do after you reach your destination. This creates a sense of wellbeing in your mind.
Remember, emergency traveling is something else and can be a more fearsome experience for you.
If you are a victim of social anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder, you would avoid people traveling with you on the same bus, train, or plane.
Tip: propanol is an excellent short-term treatment for overcoming your anxiety. However, you must talk to your doctor so that you can avoid the adverse effects.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
Anxiety is a common problem, which affects people in different ways. Medication alone cannot treat this disorder.
Travel anxiety is a hindrance to your family or business trip. One way to deal with your travel anxiety is to adopt relaxation techniques and do them regularly.
Sometimes, when you feel fear or anxiety, for instance, on your drive to the airport or waiting to go through the security lines, you can try mindful meditation. Let’s tell you how to do it.
Close your eyes and imagine an easy and smooth airport experience. Don’t think about the flight or traveling on the planeyet.
You just need to focus on the airport. You see imagination is a powerful tool, which can remove 70% of your anxiety.
Picture in your mind a short security line with not too many people as well as visualize that you are walking seamlessly to your gate. Imagine water, coffee, breakfast, or music you will have on the plane.
Positive psychology plays an important role in overcoming fear and anxiety. So, always be positive and leap of faith.
In case of severe travel anxiety, take deep breaths, drink water, sit down for a while in the airport lounge, create distractions, talk to people, and try to avoid the fear triggers.
Travel with your family or friends
Some people are afraid of traveling alone and need a companion who would give him or her a good company.
You can avoid your anxiety by traveling with your family member or a friend. You can enjoy different activities such as a long conversation while onboard flying above the long Atlantic Ocean.
You can play video games, watch movies, and browse the internet such as surf on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with your family members or friends.
Sometimes, your family and friends might not be able available to accompany you. In such a situation, you must have the gut to travel alone or at least try to cope with the situation.
Wrapping up, travel anxiety is a problem for sure and one in ten Americans is affected by it. However, this form of anxiety is treatable.
You must consult your psychiatrist, take psychotherapy sessions, do meditation, and practice other things that would allow you to control your anxiety.
Lastly, you can take medications to deal with travel anxiety, which are fluoxetine HCL, Paxil, Paroxetine, etc. Propanol or Inderal is a short-term or quick solution to hide your physical symptoms of anxiety such as sweating, fast heartbeats, shaking, etc. Please ensure you contact your doctor before taking any medication. Good Luck!