Anxiety affects over 300 million people in the world. Even if you don’t suffer from this disorder, it’s quite possible to become overly-anxious when preparing for a trip. Traveling is a joy, but it can be stressful as well, especially preparing for it. There are also many people who are afraid of flying or have other personal issues with specific parts of the trip.
All in all, for all that traveling is amazing, it might be ruined for you by anxiety. If this is a risk for you, the following tips should help you prevent this.
Identify your triggers (if there are any)
For all that anxiety disorders are hard to manage and even more difficult to treat, the majority of them have common triggers. Identifying what exactly causes the bouts of panic for you is key in reducing the hold the condition has over you.
Depending on your situation, you might choose to consult your therapist or simply sit down, calm the mind, and analyze what exactly about the upcoming trip has you most worried. Make a list and be sure to have it on hand so you can add any new potential triggers you uncover as the time for your departure approaches.
Prepare for anything
Your anxiety is lying to you, making you believe that every possible tragic scenario, short of the Apocalypse, will happen. Actually, the Apocalypse might be on the menu as well. The list, mentioned in the above point, should contain the things that your treacherous mind is whispering about. So, you’ll be able to use it in order to calm the anxiety once it starts gnawing at you again.
You also shouldn’t forget about taking sensible precautions every traveler needs. To start with, get vaccinated and choose the right travel insurance options. You should also stock up on any medications you might require as well as a list of local and international emergency contacts and a way to obtain emergency funds.
Try listing all of the precautions you’ve taken in your mind if you feel anxiety starting to rear its ugly head. Beat any irrational argument it makes by a reasonable counter. At the very least, it should help you calm down and distract yourself from irrational worries.
Have distractions on hand
Listing your emergency supplies and preparations isn’t much of a distraction. Therefore, you need to prepare more tools to keep your mind off the negative anxious loops. Books, audiobooks, games, music, knitting, whatever can distract you, have it with you when you are about to board the plane.
A good distraction and a tool for fighting travel anxiety, in particular, is to work on a travel journal. But you should start this one long before you go on the trip. Make it into a type of inspirational scrapbook with pictures of the things you want to see and lists of things you want to try.
This kind of journal will not only distract you with exciting imagery but also help remind why you are doing this exactly. It will switch the negative outlook created by anxiety to anticipation and excitement of finally experiencing those wonders in person.
Talk to flight attendants
The fear of flying is the most common anxiety disorder, so all flight attendants should get some training in dealing with panic attacks and similar issues. If you think this kind of thing might happen to you, talk to the attendant beforehand. This way, they will be aware and watch you more closely so they can offer help when needed. They might also be able to suggest some practical tips that will help you stay calm.
Even if your anxiety isn’t triggered by the flight itself, informing a person who is in a position to help if it becomes necessary is wise. You can do this when you arrive at your hotel or even when touring new places with a guide. Forewarning will help you and everyone else to stay safe.
We are happy to present this collaborative post to offer valuable information to our readers.
