Almost 90% of the population suffers from anxiety, panic attacks, and stress from day-to-day life. Dealing with anxiety has now become the Hot-Topic for some, as it affects the youth of this generation the most, from their short lives to their new experiments. But, did you ever feel travel anxiety? Well, for those who do not understand this term, it is when you plan to travel somewhere, but in the back of your mind, you are in a constant war with yourself. You are thinking of worst-way scenarios like “What if my plane crashed?” or “What if somebody hijacked the plane?”
We trained our minds to think the worst by constantly thinking about various What-Ifs. “Is it common to feel or think about this before the travel?” Well, it is. But, you do not know that you may be having constant anxiety about your trip and how you will do this; it is a feeling of jiggling in your stomach that quickens your heart rate.
“Can I escape from this feeling?” If you do the internal work it requires, then maybe you can. Today’s post will discuss different ways to cope with Pre-travel anxiety.
Are You Just Anxious, Or Do You Have a Fear of Flying?
When you tell people about your travel anxiety, they often take it as a fear of flying. But, many people suffer from this but have no fear of flying and vice versa. In short, it can be your nightmare or fear about what lies before you and your journey to the unknown.
Taking notes from the Therapist, they describe Anxiety as a constant state of fear and worry and thinking about upcoming events. Look out for these symptoms:-
- If you have difficulty in breathing
- Rapid Heartbeat
- Uneasiness
- You cannot focus on anything around you
- Insomnia
- Constant Panic Attacks
If you have these symptoms, then it is time you do something to ease Pre-travel anxiety.
Is “Travel Anxiety” Common?
Travel anxiety is pretty common than you think it is. You can always seek advice from those who have experienced other forms of anxiety. However, it is a completely different scenario; if you have a family history of anxiety, you can get medical help. Those with some health condition have a higher chance of travel anxiety.
Prime Factors of Travel-Anxiety & Stress
Many things can play a crucial role in how you feel while planning to travel somewhere. Your travel anxiety may be the result of some cases, such as;-
- You know how they that the Past is intertwined with the present. If you have a negative experience with travel and activities, that can affect your present. Make sure to see a therapist to deal with your fear.
- Flight anxiety is also one of the major concerns while traveling. It affects most people, and this fear can be triggered by several things such as a flight crash, or just fear of height, the feeling of claustrophobia, or discomfort during your flight.
- What you hear and read during this period is important in travel anxiety if you have consumed news or anecdotes about negative travel experiences such as accidents, injuries, crimes, or even falling ill while on vacation can make you anxious.
- As we said earlier, we constantly worry about the what-ifs. The thing is, you cannot control everything even if you try to. Also, you cannot let yourself become worried over what could or may happen during a vacation can cause severe anxiety.
- It can also be a case of leaving your comfort zone. You may be hesitant to find yourself in a completely different situation. This is completely normal; just think about all the great experiences you will have.
Top Ways to Overcome Travel Anxiety
1. Share Your Thoughts With Others
The best way to cope with your thoughts is by sharing your feelings. Sometimes, opening up to a friend or family member may help you keep track of your thoughts. You can start by telling them why you feel this way, your triggers, and your thoughts about the trip. By sharing your thoughts with others, you feel light. Keep an open mind while talking and listen to their advice, as they may be helpful.
2. Write it Down
If talking to a friend does not work, you can simply take a pen and paper and write everything that has been bothering you. Trust me, writing works. Just focus on your thoughts and what has been bothering you lately. You can write a few words or over 1000 to express yourself; nothing else matters. Remember, it’s you against the world and does not have to make sense for anyone else except you.
At first, it may look like a gibberish of sentences, but once you start writing and reading your notes, you may feel acknowledged. Writing is a cathartic exercise; it can eventually make you less anxious and put all the negative thoughts behind you.
3. None of it’s real; it is all just an illusion
The human mind overthinks every possible scenario. Overthinking can make you feel more anxious and imagine multiple scenarios that are way impossible to ever occur in real life. Sometimes, you are in a loop of thinking about the worst-case scenarios. You put yourself in a perpetual state where everything you think is negative, and you are bound to feel anxious.
Have you heard the saying, “You are what you think!”
To change the way you feel, you have to change your thinking. Sometimes you need help to stop your thinking or can’t think straight. Our mind is our worst enemy, so training our minds to think positively and surround ourselves with positive people is important. Do the internal work to change the way you think. The more you work on it, the stronger you will get.
Remember, this cannot happen overnight, so be patient, give yourself time, and meditate every morning.
4. You Cannot Control Everything!
Whenever we overthink, our mind creates scenarios in which we do not have any control. And you realize you have been wasting your time. Take a deep breath and tell yourself not to get worked up about things, not in your control.
5. Focus On What Lies In Front of You
In life, you hear from people that do not focus on what you are leaving behind or the what-ifs. Indulge yourself in all things that you make you happy and calm. If you are at the airport, head to the airport bookstore or install a digital guide for your next vacation to check out the given recommendations on what you can do, sightseeing, and all the fun places to eat. This way, you can ease pre-travel anxiety. And, you see, you will get excited about the new place and willing all the cool places you are to visit, and everything will fall into place.
6. Remind Yourself Your Purpose Behind Travelling
You are in it for a lifetime experience. Even if something happens, remember that your friends, family, and relatives are only a flight away or a phone call away. Know that everyone is anxious before any big event.
7. Embrace Your Fear & Anxiety
Feeling anxious before any trip is completely okay. Remember to acknowledge your thoughts and how you feel. When coming back from the trip, you will realize how crazy you sounded and thought and will laugh about it later on. Take pride in challenging your fear, and do whatever makes you happy. Remember that you only live once, and you may or may not get this chance again; you will not be twenty again, so go out, meet new people, make new friends experience new things, learn about new cultures, and whatnot.
8. Just Breathe & Carry-On
This is the most obvious Way to Overcome Travel Anxiety. Taking a minute to breathe and calm yourself before you leave is important. Believe in yourself, and say some affirmations in your mind to remind yourself who you are. However, you do not have to rush, and everything will fall back to where it’s supposed to be. Remember, it’s just about you, and do not feel forced to do anything.
It is normal to be worried and think about when you feel unsure of yourself, and the outcome has been great. Take a breath and enjoy your journey.
9. Always Have A Backup Plan
One more way to reduce your chances of running into any type of travel stress is always to have Plan B or a backup plan, so you are always aware of all the tricks while out in the cold. When you travel, think about if your return flight may get canceled, then what will you do? Having a succession plan in place may reduce any prior anxiety that you might be having.
10. Do not be Afraid to Ask For a Professional Help
If you are still feeling overwhelmed, you need to seek a professional, and there is nothing to be afraid of. Anybody can feel anxious as it is very common, especially today. If your anxiety has reached its peak where the stress prohibits you from traveling or you notice that the stress has been getting in your way of having a good time on your trip.
In this scenario, you must make an appointment with your doctor to get over any hurdles and issues that stop you from living your best life. Go to your therapist, explain what you are feeling, and focus on having the best travel experience of your life instead.
11. Channelise Your Nervous Energy
Sometimes, you feel out of control and cannot think straight. In this case, finding something that distracts you is important, and it can be anything. Find something you can do with yourself to channel your nervous energy, such as painting, writing, coloring, and journaling. This way, you can be more creative and use the time you spend in transit in a way that will be fulfilling and make it feel less stressful.
12. Pack Your Favorite Item With You
If you constantly feel anxious while traveling, experts are advised to pack an item that brings you joy and makes you happy.
You can think of a few things that you can do to bring a joyful or calming experience, and this will change a completely different situation for everyone. For instance, you can think of many things you will do while on the ride; you can watch a new show that you want to watch or listen to, as it can be a podcast or something that will entertain you while you travel for fun.
13. Give Yourself Extra Time
The last thing you want is to be more stressed by leaving late for your ride. Your travel experience can become much more stressful lately, especially airline travel. So, make sure to give yourself extra time to plan everything. Remember to leave early as anything unexpected may happen. You can get stuck in traffic, or it might rain or something. The instances are unlimited. However, if you have extra time, you can utilize that time to do something fun. Like exploring or chilling in the lounging area, calling your friends and relatives, or you can watch something, or shop for yourself from the Duty-free shops near the airports. This way, you can feel in control and will be able to control your feelings and anxiety, as having extra time can make your travel feel much less stressful.
Conclusion
If you are one of those people who deal with Pre travel anxiety and stress, then there are some things that you can do to ease pre travel anxiety. Remember, it happens to many of us, and you are not alone. Make sure to follow all the tips & tricks to overcome your anxiety and stress and think about all the good things that will happen. Hence, in case of any travel-related queries, you can reach out to us via our official website https://www.toursntravelpro.com, where we will be available 24*7 to solve any issue you might be having.
