Coping with Travel Anxiety
“We flying first class, up in the sky / Poppin' champagne / Livin' my life in the fast lane…” Fergie, Glamorous
According to NerdWallet’s annual summer travel survey, nearly half of Americans (45%) plan to take a trip that requires a flight or hotel stay this summer 2024. Are you among the lucky travelers this year? Maybe you’re like Fergie in her classic “Glamourous” and you get to travel first class up in the sky, popping champagne and without a care in the world. In which case, this blog is likely not for you. Maybe instead, when you travel, it’s like you’ve got EVERY care in the world?
What is travel anxiety?
There isn't a universal definition or diagnostic criteria for travel anxiety, but it's instantly recognizable. Travel anxiety includes physical, mental, and emotional symptoms related to the perceived stress of travel. Signs or symptoms of travel anxiety might include:
Nervously checking your flight status every 15 minutes for the day leading up to the departure.
Arriving at the airport 6 hours early.
Being unable to sleep the night leading up to the trip.
Exercising short patience with travel companions.
Experiencing gastrointestinal issues leading up to and during your travel.
Increasing heart rate and perspiration while in transit.
Taking out your stress on airport personnel and other travelers.
Spiraling thoughts about possible accidents, car crashes, or turbulence on the plane.
Inability to enjoy the new experiences while on your trip due to preoccupation with worries.
In some cases, travel anxiety even manifests itself through physical pain and discomfort in your body. While travel anxiety is a normal and fairly common experience, it can definitely prevent you from enjoying yourself. So what can you do about it?
Understand your anxiety
General Tips for mitigating travel anxiety boil down to self-awareness and preparation. You need to understand your anxiety so that you can know how to respond to it. For example, identify whether you are anxious about a specific travel method (flying vs driving) or about something going wrong during the trip? What are you thinking when you notice some of the symptoms of your anxiety? Understanding the parameters of your anxiety can be extremely helpful as you prepare for your trip.
Some people feel discomfort about leaving familiar surroundings while others hyperventilate over the feeling of being out of control. Identify exactly what triggers your anxiety so that you can better respond. For example, if you are scared of flying but love the novelty of visiting new places - then bringing familiar items with you on the trip is unlikely to help. But your favorite hoodie and snack could be a life saver for someone anxious about new places. Or if you’re anxiety is only related to catching your flight, prioritizing timely arrival at the airport may be more useful than planning your travel fit.
Prepare for the trip
Once you have understood your triggers around travel, you can prepare for the trip. Your individual preparation will change depending on the specifics of your anxiety, but below are a few ideas and suggestions that may be applicable to most readers.
Research the destination and route - both to be familiar with it and to find something to look forward to!
Check your limits on luggage size and weight.
Start a checklist for packing weeks before the trip and add items as you think of them. Include separate categories for your checked on carryon luggage.
Avoid looking up statistics or data that will only exacerbate your fears. As Fergie says “I got problems up to here, I got people in my ear telling me these crazy thangs that I don't wanna know?”
Have a routine for the flight/trip. Maybe wash your face, swap shoes for slippers, or do a mindfulness routine.
Bring distractions and entertainment.
Find a movie, book, podcast or album that you are excited about. Download it. And then do not let yourself enjoy it before the trip.
Bring familiar foods or your favorite clothes.
When traveling, remember that you do not need to be stuck in your seat for the entirety of your trip. Nor is it good for your body to sit still for long periods. If you are on a plane or a train, stand up every once in a while, and do a few laps. If you are in a car or a bus, do some light stretching and exercises in your seat (Google chair yoga for reference). Light movement will help your body and limit anxiousness.
Stay hydrated and have a couple of your favorite snacks and a few health items.
Despite Fergie’s style of travel, flying without drinking alcohol may be better for your body than drinking while traveling.
If you are traveling on a plane, let the flight attendants know about your anxiety ahead of time. If you are traveling with companions, give them a head up as well.
I’d be remiss to not add this sage advice into the prelude “(If you ain't got no money, take yo' broke [self] home.” While travel is great, financial security contributes greatly to mental health. Having a travel budget can help - be mindful of your spending habits and if you ain’t got no money…
If your anxiety is significant and may be an impairment, consider discussing this with a mental health professional to curate specific coping skills for you. When I work with clients on coping with travel anxiety, we’ll explore the nature of their anxiety, develop a plan to minimize stressors, and practice specific coping skills to help them prepare for their travel.
If you’re ready to work on coping with travel anxiety, follow the link below to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with Kevin
AI Disclaimer: This post is original and written by Kevin Boyd of Future Full of Hope, PLLC. No AI tool was leveraged in the development of this post
