Travel anxiety is common and can be caused because of travelling to an unfamiliar place or a new place.
Though not serious in most cases, travel anxiety can become serious if not catered to tactfully. It can stop people from going on vacations or for business purposes.
Here is a list of causes and common symptoms of tour anxiety.
Anxiety symptoms During Travel
Everybody experiences different symptoms when it comes to travel anxiety. You may experience some of the following symptoms while thinking of travelling or actually planning to tour somewhere.
- Difficulty in breathing
- Chest Pain or rapid heart rate
- Insomnia or troubled sleep
- Agitation
- Diarrhea or nausea
- Restlessness
- Reduced concentration or difficulty in focusing
These symptoms if not treated on time, can trigger a panic attack. The intensity of these symptoms may vary from person to person.
If you experience a panic attack, you may experience shaking, sweating or a racing heart. It may make you feel sick, exhausted or giddy.
Causes for travel anxiety
As per a study, 60% of people developed travel anxiety because of the past negative experiences such as a car accident. These unfavourable and negative associations with travelling can lead to various anxiety symptoms.
One of the common reasons for travel anxiety is being in an unfamiliar place. Many people develop these symptoms on just hearing about negative tour experiences such as foreign illness or a plane crash.
Biological risk factors are another reason that can cause anxiety disorders. With increasing science developments, neuroimaging is possible to detect changes in specific areas in the brain of people having any anxiety.
Retired people and aged people also have tour anxieties maybe because of obvious age-related reasons or financial reasons. To cater to their needs, many banks provide loans for pensioners to make their life easy and comfortable.
Tips to help overcome travel anxiety
You can manage your anxiety well with some great tips that will help you deal with your anxiety and reduce the negative effects.
Working closely with a counsellor or a therapist can help you learn remedies that will positively affect you and help you overcome your anxiety.
Identify your triggers
Triggers are the factors that lead to an increase in your anxiety symptoms.
These triggers are specific to travelling or can be external influences as well. Some combined triggers include boarding a plane, planning a trip, stress, low blood sugar or caffeine.
Another way to identify your triggers is Psychotherapy. It can identify your triggers beforehand.
“What if” scenarios
Unpredictability is one of the primary reasons for any anxiety. The “what if” factor of any situation plays a vital role in triggering anxiety symptoms.
You can reduce your symptoms by preparing yourself for some of the common scenarios while travelling:
What if I get lost? I can always keep my phone GPS handy, and a directions map with me.
What if I run out of cash? I can carry a card with me all the time and contact a friend or a relative for the same.
What if I feel unwell during travelling and get sick? I can insure myself before travelling and carry a proper medical kit with me as most insurance policies include access to healthcare providers in different areas of the world.
By preparing yourself for these scenarios in advance, you will be having a solution for every “what if” problem of yours that will help you reduce your anxiety symptoms and make you feel relaxed and calmer.
Managing responsibilities while away from home
Leaving your home for travelling is another factor that can cause anxiety. If you plan for tour, leaving your house, family, and kids can be one of the biggest causes of developing anxiety.
However, like planning for your trip in advance, you can prepare for your home and responsibilities. It will help you ease your worries and free you from your responsibilities while you are away travelling.
If you are leaving for a longer duration, you can ask a reliable family member or a friend to stay at your place while you are away. You can be in regular touch with your friend or relative to get timely updates for your family.
Consider distractions
Distractions facilitate in reducing your stress and anxiety. There may be few activities that can help you to divert your mind and stay calm. Different things work for other people.
For some, playing video games is an excellent option to distract them, while others may like to paint their canvas when under stress. As they say, books are man’s best friend.
Some people may find solace in books and puzzles, keeping them away from any anxiety.
Everybody knows their distraction and should bring it along to stay away from any negative thoughts. These activities help you to stay positive and focus on good things in life.
Relaxation techniques
Relaxation techniques help you to stay calm and peaceful in any given situation. To learn the techniques, you can get associated with any therapist and implement them as soon as possible.
Mindful meditation is one of the workable techniques that help you overcome your anxiety symptoms significantly.
Other techniques include deep breathing, muscle relaxation and grounding yourself.
Avoid travelling alone
Travelling alone can lead to a significant amount of anxiety. Try to reduce this anxiety by getting a friend along and not travelling alone. Travelling with a friend or in a group is always beneficial as there are group activities to indulge you into along with endless chit-chatting.
You might find yourself more relaxed when you are around someone you trust and enjoy.
The takeaway
Having travel anxiety before any trip may make you feel nervous and unable to enjoy your trip. It is advisable to follow these tips or any other personalized tips to make your traveling experience enjoyable and memorable. Medications and mindful techniques can help you reduce your anxiety. It is essential to make an informed decision to overcome your anxiety and have a blissful travelling experience.