Travel Anxiety: Tips for Getting Through

Getting ready to go on a trip is one of the best feelings in the world – until that pre-travel anxiety kicks in.  It’s the storm off in the distance on a bright sunny day. You’re not quite sure if it’s going to come your way or not, but better not go outside, just in case. Unfortunately, anxiety can’t be packed away like toiletries. Sometimes it shows its face while standing in front of the Eiffel Tower and others it doesn’t even make an appearance.  Either way, anxiety should not be the reason you don’t take your trip – whether it’s a weekend getaway, a city escape to Rome, or even backpacking.

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Tips for traveling with anxiety:

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is a double-edged sword, so be ready for it.  While planning ahead can help you create a safety net for what could go wrong – you now know all the things that could go wrong abroad (which, unfortunately, is a lot). However, it is still better than going in blind. Researching what you want to see and do will help you feel in control of your itinerary so you don’t miss anything. Be sure to leave room in your itinerary for sporadic things, getting lost, being delayed, or weather.   

Learning some of the language, local laws, and customs will help you feel like you aren’t going to offend anyone even by accident. Chances are you’re going to stand out as a tourist, but as long as you make an effort, people are usually welcoming and nice. 

Direct flights 

Most people’s anxiety about traveling is flying – so getting it all done in one flight is ideal. Of course, this isn’t always possible. If not, a short leg followed by a long leg is better than two equal lengths. Anxiety typically peaks at takeoff and landing. When you’re on a plane for a long time (6+ hours) you have time to adjust and calm down. If you have two 4 hour flights, you’re going to be very anxious through both flights, rather than just one.   

Travel Tip: If you’re on a really long-haul flight (14+ hours), splurge for Premium Economy.  It’s not as pricey as Business class, but it does give you extra room to stretch. It also helps you not feel like you’re trapped.  

Tell people you have anxiety

Okay, I know, this can be as scary as flying, but bear with me. If you tell a flight attendant that you’re anxious before the flight, they may offer you a glass of water to help calm you. I saw one flight attendant do deep breathing exercises with a woman in the back of the plane to help prevent a panic attack. Flight attendants are a wealth of information and they want to help your flight go smoothly.  

If you’re traveling with people, let them know what to expect.  No one wants to be known as the “person with anxiety” but having a panic attack on the subway in Rome while everyone looks on in horror is terrifying (I’m getting anxiety just thinking about that).  If you trust the people you’re with, let them know what they can do to help if a panic attack happens – get you to a less crowded place, get you water, just sit with you – whatever works for you. It’s one less thing for you to think about when dealing with a panic attack. 

Pack early

I start packing about a week before a trip so for the next seven days I can obsess about what goes in the luggage.  Then when it’s time to actually put it in the luggage, it goes in, then out, then in and out one more time to be sure.   Packing early gives your mind time to run through everything or buy something that you’re missing. On the day of the trip, I just have to make sure I have my passport, camera, and credit card – everything else I can buy there (usually).  If you pack last minute, you have no time for error, or double-checking – which can be very stressful.  

Have a plan for home

Another major trigger is “what’s going on at home?”  Whether that is your pets, house, family, loved ones – doesn’t matter.  There’s a sense of “I can’t do anything here if something happens there”.  Having a plan for this helps. My house sitter (who also takes amazing care of my pets) knows I have anxiety (see #3) and sends me pictures and updates throughout the trip.  In Japan, my anxiety was really bad, and I kept apologizing for bothering her for pictures and texts. Rather than getting annoyed with me, she was very supportive and reassured me all was well.  That was invaluable to me – I got to enjoy Japan knowing she was handling everything at home. 

To keep in contact with family and friends – I use Google Fi.   We have unlimited data for $60/month/per person (usually $70 for 1 person) and it’s the same cost in USA and in over 150 countries.  I don’t have to worry about SIM cards or connecting to wifi. I turn my phone on and five minutes later google says “Welcome to Panama – you’re covered”.  One less thing to worry about.  

Read about the 4 things to know when traveling with anxiety.

Eat some healthy foods. 

When we eat bad, we feel bad, simple.   On vacation, it’s easy to slip into unhealthy eating habits.  This can impact our thought processes and our mood. Try to eat some fruits and vegetables while traveling – you’d be surprised by the impact.  Even if it’s a banana on the go!

Coping mechanisms

Whatever coping skills you use at home, prepare to use them abroad.   Whether it’s medications (be sure to bring your prescription with you) or breathing exercises – having a routine will help.   My favorite coping skill is breathing exercises – they’re free, can be done anywhere, and no one knows you’re doing them. There are plenty of apps that can help with meditation and deep breathing exercises.   Be prepared to implement coping mechanisms.  My favorite guided meditation for sleep is below.

Prepare for constant, general anxiety

While panic attacks may be common, the anxiety may never culminate into a full-blown attack.   Taking all these tips and using them not only for attacks, but for the constant anxiety will help you enjoy your trip.   Don’t be afraid to give yourself downtime in the hotel to recharge – read a book, take a bath, or just watch TV. We glorify seeing everything, but it’s physically and mentally draining.  Give yourself time to recharge throughout the trip. My favorite way is to bring a physical book on the trip – away from screens – and escape into a different world (preferably one without anxiety).  

Anxiety resources:

These are some resources I’ve used or read: 

One of the blogs I’ve always followed is That Anxious Traveller. She has a ton of tips of surviving travel with anxiety. Her blog helped normalize my experience and tremendously helped me.

NAMI – The National Alliance on Mental Illness – is a great resource for information and resources.

The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Toolbox is a wonderful tool for self-reflection. The worksheets can be done at your own pace.

Lavender has a calming effect, so pack a small amount for travel to help with anxiety.

Traveling with Anxiety Tips from Readers:

“I like to make lists. I keep them around so if I think of something, I can write it down. It helps keep me organized.” – P

“When culture shock is setting in, I find somewhere that reminds me of home – like a mall or movie theater. It helps me reconnect to home.” – T

“When packing, thinking of what you will be doing on the trip, both when out and about in the hotel room, and try to imagine what might make your trip a little nicer. This helps me think of things I’d otherwise forget.” – S

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What are some tips that you have for traveling with anxiety? Let me know!