Anxiety can get in the way of a lot of things and add to the stress that is already on you when you go into a foreign environment. It’s important to stay mindful and realise when you do have travel anxiety so you know that it can be managed and it doesn’t have to seriously bring down the enjoyment of your holiday.
Anxiety can spiral out of control and before you know it, it’s got a hold on you and you don’t even want to leave your hotel room. If you have had bad experiences in the past, know that this doesn’t have to impact the future travels you embark on and that you can work through it.
How to Prevent and Manage Travel Anxiety
Important Tip: Deal with it before you fly
You cannot act like it’s not there and ignore it until it gets worse. Instead, start putting things into place before you even start travelling. Here are some things you can try and do to relieve some of the pressure:
- Remember the importance of travel – travel can open your eyes and mind to brand new concepts and ways of life. It can do heaps for your personality and character building; priceless things that rarely any other activity can bring. There is something magical about travelling and you wouldn’t want to limit yourself. Remember what drew you to booking the trip initially and stick to your guns.
- Create a list and do it – ticking off things on a to-do list or bucket list can keep you motivated and not let things get in your way.
- Do affirmations – repeating positive affirmations day in and day out is a great way to empower yourself. This way you will know that you can face anything and overcome your anxiety to get travelling confidently.
Pin down what it is that makes you anxious – is it the fear of running low on money? Getting lonely? Or flying? There are things that can be done to counteract all of these. For example, you can have a savings pot that you can keep in another account just encase you run low and carry a couple of cards with you just in case.
You can also counteract loneliness if you are travelling alone then book into hostels. These are much more sociable and have a strong community around them. With plenty of activities going on you will never get lonely and always be meeting new people to help get your mind off the anxiety. Is it flying? There are certain schemes by some airlines which help nervous flyers and gives them the tools to get over their fear of flying so they can decrease their anxiety.
Putting these tips in place can help you manage your anxiety so it doesn’t prevent you from travelling in the future.