Why do I have Travel Anxiety?
Travel, typically seen as an anticipated, exciting adventure, is often a trigger for anxiety for many. While the underlying reasons behind travel anxiety may vary–fear of flying, navigating unfamiliar environments, or simply the disruption of routine–travel anxiety is a common, shared experience. Understanding more of why this happens, as well as having some strategies to combat it, can improve the experience.
The Roots of Travel Anxiety
While the experience of anxiety is different for everyone, there are some common themes that frequently underpin the worries. Some of these are:
Specific phobias: Fear of flying, or of being confined in the tight spaces on planes, can make the experience of traveling intensely distressing. This anticipated distress can make not just the experience of flying itself, but of traveling to the airport, and even packing and planning the trip an anxious one, as even these mundane-seeming activities are associated for the person with the actual phobia itself.
Lack of control: Traveling is inherently accompanied by a lack of control. In some ways, that can be seen as part of the joy of traveling, but for individuals with anxiety, that loss of control over their schedules (i.e. flight delays, transportation logistics) and environment can induce feelings of helplessness and anxiety.
Scarcity: While perhaps less associated with travel anxiety, as it has less to do with the logistics of travel, for some, travel anxiety is rooted in the fear of not doing “enough” with travel time. There may be a sense that travel is rare and indulgent, and therefore there is an obligation to utilize the time in the “best” way possible, when of course that is a subjective measure that varies for every person. Ultimately, this is an anxiety of leaving a trip feeling disappointed in oneself.
Practical Ways to Lessen Travel Anxiety
There is not one set of behavioral shifts or rituals that will definitively help each person who experiences travel anxiety. However, these are some activities that can provide some relief:
Reframing thoughts: Considered a type of cornerstone of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), reframing your thoughts involves acknowledging, challenging, and then modifying negative thought patterns. By identifying and reframing irrational beliefs about travel, individuals can reduce their anxiety. For instance, instead of thinking, "My flight will definitely be delayed and that would be terrible," you could challenge yourself to acknowledge other outcomes, i.e. “It’s vacation, and I’m actually not in a rush to get anywhere.”
Calming and mindfulness techniques: For those who are afraid of flying, before any type of reframing of thoughts can occur, it may first be necessary to calm yourself down in order to even acknowledge what distinct thoughts you are having. One way to do this is to slow down your thoughts through mindfulness & calming techniques, such as deep breathing (breathing in for five seconds through your nose, holding the breath for two seconds, breathing out through your mouth for five seconds) and meditation before travel, if possible.
Managing physical symptoms: While anxiety may be an emotional, mental hurdle, preparing for travel by ensuring you are physically in as sturdy a place as you can be can support you in keeping the anxiety to more tolerable levels. This could look like making sure you are as well-rested as possible before travel, not feeling rushed or running late as you head out for travel, ensuring you have eaten enough, etc. all in an attempt to ensure that you feel as healthy as possible before potentially being emotionally activated.
Slow exposure & desensitization: For a specific phobia, such as flying, it can be possible to utilize the technique of systemic desensitization, which essentially involves gradually exposing yourself to situations that ignite that fear, in small, measured ways that challenge, but do not overwhelm, you. For instance, you could start by first visualizing being in an airport setting and boarding a plane, and then progress to visiting the airport you are likely to fly out of, and eventually take short flights.
