6 Ways To Overcome Travel Anxiety

Does the thought of going to a new city make your palms sweat and hands shake excessively? Thinking about upcoming trip makes many people nervous, sometimes to the extent it robs them of the enjoyable feelings of the adventures and explorations. Delve into why this happens and the five ways to overcome travel anxiety and stay confident while on the road.

What Is Travel Anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal response when the brain judges the body is in danger, turning on the fight-or-flight state. This feeling of nervousness is helpful in certain scenarios, such as when you have an upcoming presentation. However, it can negatively affect your life if the survival mode is needlessly on for a long time.

Traveling sometimes brings up overwhelming fear and stress that may lead to psychological unrest. You may become distracted, tense, restless and nervous before, during and after your trip. Some people can have it even if they don’t have any history of anxiety disorder.

What Are the Symptoms?

If you manifest the following symptoms, you may be experiencing travel anxiety.

• Feeling panicky and dizzy
• Shortness of breath
• Shaking hands
• Rapid heart rate
• Trouble focusing on tasks
• Easily distracted
• Feeling irritable or sick to your stomach

Is it normal to experience anxiety before a trip? It’s completely OK to feel uneasy, especially if you’ve been looking forward to it for a long time. You may feel anxious if you’re in an unfamiliar environment outside of your comfort zone. However, some people cope with it over time.

What Triggers Travel Anxiety?

It’s hard to pinpoint its single cause. For many, it’s a combination of many factors like the fear of the unknown, unfamiliar environment and culture or a past traumatic experience that has led to this condition. One study found that solo female travelers are likely to be affected by this, with factors like gender, safety concerns and social pressures discouraging them from exploring. Travel anxiety triggers can be unique for each person.

What Are Tips To Overcome Travel Anxiety?

You don’t want your memories of your ideal vacation to be filled with worries. How do you overcome travel anxiety before, during and after your getaway? Here are some strategies.

1. Identify the Triggers

You’re the only person who knows what causes those stressful emotions to surface. Addressing these problems starts with determining the underlying reason. For some people, it can be specific, such as the fear of crashing, turbulence or the remote possibility of having a heart attack or worsening health while high up in the air.

When you know the root triggers, you can work through them. For example, if the source is caused by your vulnerable health, getting a medical escort will ease anxious feelings. If a family companion isn’t available, hire a trained professional who can be with you on a commercial flight, providing care and assistance to ensure safe and comfortable travel.

Some may overcome travel anxiety with time, while others require the help of a therapist to help them understand those negative emotions.

2. Plan for Unexpected Scenarios

Pre-travel anxiety is also often caused by what-ifs. What if you get sick? What if you run out of money? What if you lost your passport? Unexpected things can happen when traveling. Accepting this fact can help you get out of the anxiety spiral. What else can you do? Plan for certain scenarios and take partial actions to address them.

For example, if you’re panicky about someone breaking into your hotel while asleep, add a portable lock to give you peace of mind. If you’re concerned about getting sick, avoid eating ultra-processed foods that can trigger systemic inflammation and affect the brain. Instead, consume wholesome meals to regulate the microorganisms in your gut, improve your anxiety symptoms and boost your immune system.

A recent study at Cornell University found that 85% of what you worry about never happens, and 12% of the remaining 15% isn’t as bad as you think. This means there is a slim chance of your negative thoughts becoming real. The mind can make your heart run several miles per hour from something that doesn’t even exist. Creating a plan for possible scenarios may help curb stress.

3. Make Hobbies Your Healthy Distractions

What makes you feel relaxed when intrusive thoughts take over your mind? Some may find watching their favorite series a healthy diversion from the negativity. Others may get entertained with online games and reading comics. Bring these activities with you and treat them as part of your first aid strategies. If you start to feel your heartbeat rise, reroute your focus from the palpitations to these fun activities.

4. Learn Self-Defense Techniques

The thought of traveling solo conjures up some excitement — but also anxiety, especially for women. Going places on your own has many benefits. You’ll have a flexible itinerary and more opportunities for self-discovery and immersion in local culture.

While all these upsides make you want to pack your bag right away, women traveling solo feel particularly vulnerable because they’re more likely to be victimized. Many have been followed and approached by strangers, inducing anxiety. Moreover, some locations can be exceptionally unsafe for them, so they need to be extra cautious when going out. This state of being constantly on guard can be physically and mentally draining.

Learning one or two self-defense techniques is mentally comforting. While you hope to return home safe and sound, if you ever find yourself in an unfortunate situation — you can trust your body and instincts to do what they need to.

5. Arrange for Responsibilities at Home

Leaving your pets and house with valuables can also make others excessively anxious. What’s the workaround? Plan and arrange for responsibilities before you leave so you can rest easy while away. For example, recruit home watchers whether your neighbor or friend to keep a look out of your house periodically. Leave your number with them. If someone visits or something comes up, they can inform you immediately. For your fur pets, move them temporarily to a family member to ensure those critters get fed and loved.

If you’ll be away for several weeks, pay the bills in advance, set up lights on timers, put your mail on hold and deep clean. Address any potential source of anxiety before you fly so you can fully enjoy your vacation.

6. Learn Relaxation Techniques

You have several options to manage the sudden influx of intrusive thoughts, such as deep breathing, fact-checking if they’re real and following the 3-3-3 rule. The latter entails naming three things you see, three sounds you hear and moving three parts of your body, specifically the ankle, arm and fingers. This mental trick can pull you out of the spiral of negative thinking and bring you back into the present.

Overcome Travel Anxiety to Fully Enjoy Your Getaway

It’s normal to feel anxious, but if it turns your supposed relaxing vacation into a stressful one, it’s a sign you may need help. If travel anxiety hinders you from participating in activities and socializing with others, connect with a mental health expert who can help you navigate the condition. Exploring a city is one of the best feelings in the world. Make it memorable by enjoying the experience to the fullest.