Post travel trauma – How to beat travel depression
You are on your way back home from an incredibly amazing trip. You arrive home, to your own comfortable bed, catch up with the friends and family, tell them your travel tales over a few drinks, slowly settle back in and get to do what you have been craving since you left home.
And thats when it all starts, I call it post travel trauma.
You don’t have to be a big brave world explorer or a long term traveller. Every traveller gets it whether they were away for a few years a few months or even a few weeks, it’s inevitable.
We settle in a place for too long or most often come home and eventually start to miss the travel life. The lifestyle, where we had it all too easy with next to no responsibilities, no time restraints, meeting new people in amazing new place surrounded by an abundance of fun activities to participate in, day in day out.
Eventually, at home you start working or whatever it is you do. All to find yourself slipping into the same boring routine, then the travel high starts to wear off and you hit a wall.
I am in that very situation now and I’ve hit the wall hard! It’s not like I was slowly cruising and all of a sudden this wall appeared where I couldn’t help but collide into it. No, that’s not it. I was flying, flying with supersonic speed like superman back to earth (home and reality) with such an adrenalin rush from the travel high when BOOOOOOM!
The impact was tremendously devastating.
Shattered and glum, I decided to pick myself up and turn my pessimistic behaviour around, harness that negative energy and funnel it into behaviour of good use. Where I could then eventually get my act together and start flying again, literally. I found that whilst falling into post travel trauma there are just 3 simple things you can do to keep your head up until your next journey begins.First of all you need to set goals. Just like in life, if you don’t have any goals you won’t get to where you want to be. So set yourself a leave date, something to work towards.
Whilst you are working away you may easily slip into that same routine I was talking about, don’t. Keep active, as there is always fun to be had, even at home. You need to try and open your mind to more possibilities for exploration and entertainment because they are out there.
But most of all stay focused. Sometimes to motivate myself I would look up where I could go, cheap flights and what awesome adventures there are out there to be had.
I also read awesome blogs like AusGlobetrotter (wink face).
After all, I realised being home is not at all such a bad thing. You have the opportunity to re-group, re-charge the batteries, to catch up with your family and friends whilst of course planning and saving for that next adventure.
So when I feel as though I am about to hit the post travel trauma blues at home, I take a step back and remind myself, why I’m at home and what I am doing this for. Because in the end, it is really just an interval, enabling me to get back out there and discover the many more amazing places on this outstandingly awesome planet of ours.
How do you keep yourself from post travel trauma and what works for you?
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Jaryd Krause
I love adventure & spontaneity, I hate 9-5 & routines. I surf, snowboard & dive my way around the globe with camera in hand to inspire & motivate people to travel, because you only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough! To know more Click here
Comments
Ugh going home is the worst. Just finishing up several months of backpacking through Central Asia and sort of dreading returning home (even if it's only for a couple of months). Great to read your tips!
Oh it really is, isn’t it. Well knuckle down and keep saving and you will be back out there before you know it. Cheers
Oh I have been in your situation all to often, so i certainly know. I have seen what you have been up to over there in Asia on your trip. You have certainly seen and done some very interesting things, things that I would love to do. Where are you off to on your next trip after you visit back home?
Post travel depression syndrome? I've been suffering from that for the last 16 years, on and off….
Whoever is familiar with ancient medicines, like Ayurvedic or Chinese, will know it's philosophy is based in the 3 constitution types.
The earth type represent the type of people who love having stability, structure and a predictable tomorrow. They need to grow roots somewhere to prosper and grow.
The fire type are spontaneous, but need a good dose of stability. They love going on vacation, but at the end of the day, they thrive with the comforts of home.
The wind types… those are the nomadic, the vagabonds, the travelers. Those who won't stay enough time anywhere to grow roots, but call home all the temporary stops they fall in love with. They thrive when they expand and run freely. There's nothing that will take away their post traveling blues. Suppressing their passions when trying to conform to a life of work/consume/die usually end up really bad.
I found a fantastic way of dealing with my intense post traveling blues when I run out of money and get stuck longer than I wanted. I became a couchsurfer ambassador for Lisbon and decided to host backpackers at home and host what became Lisbon's most popular weekly event for travelers "the weekly vegan dinners" in Lisbon. I surround myself with other travelers and often explore my city as a traveler would. I've been having a blast while gathering $$ for my next trip.
That is great Yara, I am so glad you found something to keep you happy and in the loop, congratulations
I totally know what you mean. I just returned from a fantastic trip in Morocco and am now in definite travel depression mode. Need to plan another trip soon, so I have something to look forward to again!
Its tough isn't it, but when you start planning you will get excited and the time will pass by quicker than you know it. I hope your previous trip was awesome and your one to come is even better
Ugh this happened to me when I came back from my cross country road trip and living in Oregon for a short time. I was so depressed when I got back home, well I had just broken up with my boyfriend and thats why I came home but I did truly miss living in Oregon.
But any trip that I have where I spend some time there, I always feel a sense of dread coming back to New Jersey. I’ve lived here my whole life, I love my family and friends but its getting old. I need something new. And I will be embarking on my world trip in February.
For me, I have to keep myself busy. If I sulk in my thoughts thats when my mind drives me crazy. I tried finding things in New Jersey that I have not explored before, I caught up with family and friends. I reconnected with people I haven’t talked to in years. I believe everything happens for a reason, so for me, I’m supposed to be here right now. I needed the support after my breakup and now I feel ready again to jet set outta here!
I like your idea about goals too. I have a vision board on my wall that I print pictures out and tape them next to my bed so I look at them all the time. It keeps me motivated.
We all have our low points Laura and they are inevitable, however the best thing is that you have chosen to stay positive through those and have got something to look forward to. Something bigger and better and you are embarking very soon, so be sure to enjoy your time around your family and friends and keep your goals always in mind because they are the things that will take you to where you want to go. Enjoy your world trip, it will be the best thing you could ever do
I think I cured my post travel trauma by leaving the U.S. w/ no plans of going back – save for occasional holidays of course.
Congrats man, that is awesome. Thats it, its all about saving for what you want most, cheers
Haha, so true…First months was the toughest…but i’m slowly getting there…Still find it difficult to meet interesting people but the rest is just fine :))
Yea it always is and meeting new people at the start is fought but the more you do it the more your confidence grows, so keep at it Elena
I definitely get the post trip blues. Planning or looking forward to the next one definitely helps.
I think returns is the most important part of every travel. Post processing – this is how I call it – is very important. Travel keeps you busy and leaves you with no time for reflection, analysis and evaluation. I think the time after is necessary to complete the travel. Impressions, memories, pictures, everything need to be processed in order to make the travel a fulfilling experience.
I totally agree with you Agata. Although at times when I am away for long periods I often get a chance to have a break and remenice on the incredible past experiences, which as you said is an important thing we all need.
I met my current boyfriend about a year ago, and we saw each other for a few months until he went travelling around South America for 6 months. He’s been back for a few months now and we’ve since made things official, but I can tell that he’s suffering so badly with the post-travel blues. He’s 22 years old so came back to live with his parents, and still hasn’t found a job that he thinks he’ll enjoy yet. We live about a 3 hours drive apart here in England so I just feel really helpless when I can tell he’s so down. He’s stuck in a rut where he’s struggling to enjoy things in life because they just don’t match up to his travel experiences. I wonder if anybody has any insight into my problem? I could really use some good advice. I just want to help, but I don’t feel like I’m enough.
Maddie this happens to me every time I come back home. What you need to do with him is go on adventures still, where ever you are even if it is back at home there are still plenty of fun things to do.Yea sure they might not be on a tropical beach or running with the bulls in Pamplona but you can still have fun. He needs to remember it is what you make it. That goes for anything in life, if you are down in the dumps at home its no ones fault but your own and i know thats tough to stomach but thats just reality. Just the other week I was bored as hell and I thought, ok i gotta do something. So I went and hiked a mountain, slept up there the night under the stars, then woke up for the sunrise and it was one of the best things I have done and it was in my own back yard. So fun and adventures are out there you should just never stop looking even if its close to home. Hope that helps, oh and P.S your and awesome girlfriend
You’re right about post travel stress! It happens when you get to a new place in traveling too. It’s a cycle!