Travel is all about risk and the unknown, which can set an already anxious mind on fire.
Depression can mean severe avoidance of others and sometimes the inability to get out of bed.

So what’s the benefit of travel for someone who struggles with both anxiety & depression?

Because adventure is a breath of fresh air.
From panic/anxiety attacks, to social anxiety, clinical depression, and other depression symptoms, managing my mental health is a daily concern for me.

But what I’ve also experienced is: Shifting perspectives can free up oppressive expectations and lessen the grip of deep self-hatred. Taking a break from routine can help you see what’s possible beyond your current imagination. Defining yourself in a new place can show you how powerful you really are in determining your daily experience. Learning something new can show you just how limited you’ve been. Meeting new people can show you just how much more the world has to offer than toxic relationships.

Ultimately, I believe our fundamental call in life is to grow, and there’s nothing more eye-opening than travel. Getting out of my daily routine, and on the road helps alleviate many of my depression symptoms in the long term.

However, travel is not without its issues. Here are some of my experiences on the road with anxiety and depression:

1. Catastroph-izing about things going wrong before booking flights/hotels/etc.- leading to procrastination, anxiety attacks, and dissociation. [ANXIETY]

2. Avoidance of experiences which would require even minimal interaction with others. [DEPRESSION]

3. Piling on myself during a trip because I haven’t captured good pictures, or had the energy for anything noteworthy. I’ve felt sick to my stomach thinking an entire trip was a waste, and worthless because I wasn’t experiencing life changing emotions at some significant destination. [ANXIETY & DEPRESSION]

4. I’ve been paralyzed by shame about eating or experiencing something alone. [ANXIETY & DEPRESSION]

5. Shame about staying in or needing rest at night. [ANXIETY]

Sounds like a lot, right?
I still wouldn’t trade my memories and experiences on the road, and believe wholeheartedly that travel has been critical in healing and helping my mental health.

Here are 5 Tips which helped me manage my anxiety and depression while traveling:

1. Make sure you’re stocked up on medication and supplements

   Know you can always ask your doctor to send a prescription to a pharmacy on the road, but it’s so much easier to refresh your supply of any necessary medication before you leave.
   
   Many vitamins can be overkill at home, but an absolute must is: probiotics. Not only do these help you fend off germs which come with new places, but they also help with stress. You can find them in pill form, or buy a powder which contains multiple vitamins as well. I use Athletic Greens to make sure I get everything I need on the road.

2. Work with counselor beforehand on what comes up when you think about traveling

   Something I love doing with my counselor in session is: focusing on any persistent sense of dread. We use a version of EMDR to bring up EVERYTHING associated with it, and talk through the more complete picture once it emerges. I am constantly amazed at how deep the roots are for small nagging sensations.
   
   Sometimes a bad gut feeling is really coming from a meaningful place. And it just needs some extra attention to sort itself out. For example, when planning a long trip, I kept feeling resistance despite the fact that all the details had unfolded in an amazing way. No matter what I changed, I kept feeling a nagging sense of something being wrong. Through journaling and working with my counselor, I realized: I was missing a crucial sense of safety, and the trip needed to be much slower. Even though I initially felt like I could handle it, my mind and body were in desperate need of more time. Once I shifted my plans to a much more modest adventure, the feelings of resistance disappeared! I was excited and happy to move forward with the trip again.
   
   Other times, resistance can be the result of childhood programming. I know messages of inadequacy or unworthiness come up a LOT for me when I dig deeper. For example, in my story above, I really didn’t believe I was worthy of a vacation which served me. I could afford it, and definitely needed it; but I just felt completely undeserving of time off of work.
   
   All this proves my point about the value of travel: without it, I wouldn’t have been forced to face these warped perspectives of myself and the world.

3. Maintain your self-care routines while on the road, and have soothing practices prepared

   My daily self care routines help keep me grounded no matter what happens throughout each day. Even if I can’t complete every part of my routine each day, when I spend time doing a few of the most important things - I feel more connected to myself.

   My daily routine includes: Future Self Journaling, Morning Pages, and as much as I can: ~45 minutes outside.
   
   Having some soothing techniques on hand also helps me feel prepared in case I sense a panic attack or depressive episode coming. For anxiety, I use intense exercise and paced breathing from TIPP (a dialectical behavior therapy tool).
   
   For depression, I use the ‘Check the Facts’ (another DBT tool) method to sort through some of the beliefs I feel are overwhelming me.

4. Have community on speed dial

   I always try to let a few close friends know I’m on the road. I share my location with them and updates along the way to let them know I’m okay. Most people enjoy photos or interesting anecdotes, so finding someone to support you while on an adventure won’t be too difficult.
   
   Now, finding someone to share some of the challenging emotions which come up is another matter! I have a few people in my inner circle I know I can call, but I want to recommend Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) phone meetings for support if you don’t have an inner circle yet.
   
   Simply being around others who are wrestling with their lives can be very healing - not to mention being able to get things off your chest. It’s so important to stay connected while on the road.

5. Have a travel routine to ground yourself:

   Just like I love routines in my daily life, I love having a few habits on the road.
   For every trip, I try to do the following:

   1. buy a postcard for myself

   2. take a yoga class at a local studio

   3. go to local coffee shop + get a bag of locally roasted beans

   4. find a unique gift that represents my experience in the city (I ONLY buy daily use items I already need, no junky souvenirs)

These “requirements” help me remember that travel is ultimately for me, and checking these things off my mental list feels like a scavenger hunt in a new city. And they all leave me with meaningful reminders of different places scattered around my home and life.

For example, I found a beautiful, hand painted dopp bag at a local paper good store in Charleston, South Carolina. Nothing about it screams Charleston!, but every time I use it, I think of my adventures there. Also, my photo gallery wall is filled with postcards and art found from indie shops on the road. They’re beautiful, unique and remind me of what’s possible every. single. day.

Ultimately, life with anxiety and depression is just as challenging as life on the road. Every day is a minefield of triggers, mental health maintenance, and mindfulness practices. It can be scary to feel so fragile.

But something I have to keep reminding myself is: life, like travel, can be whatever you want.

There are no requirements, and you can even let expectations go. Travel helps me remember that there is only this moment, and I always have a choice in what I make of it.

Do you have a travel philosophy?
What are some challenging experiences you’ve had while traveling? How have you grounded yourself?

You may also find these posts interesting:

How to Build Community When You’re Alone

What is cPTSD?

How I Know My Mental Health is Suffering + What I Do About it