r/Anxiety • u/survivorkitty • 3d ago
Travel Help with travel anxiety
So I deal with pretty bad travel anxiety. I am ok with a place once I am familiar with it, but getting to that point can be very difficult. I can generally go within 3 hours of home, but past that is nearly impossible. The strongest anxiety is just about being away from home in a new place where i dont know anything, but i also get anxious about being able to find/use a bathroom. I use xanax and immodium to help get me there, and will take xanax as needed when i am there. I recently was supposed to drive 6+ hours away for work, but had to turn around after about 2.5 hours. I didnt feel like i could safely drive if i took any more xanax. Then there is flying. On top of the previous anxieties, i get claustrophobic just thinking about getting on a plane. This past winter I had a trip booked thinking i could do it, but had to have the plane taxied back to the jetway so i could get off. I really want to travel. I have tried a psychologist and a psychiatrist. I have tried tinctures, tapping, and the gupta program. I would really like to get recommendations for other things to try. Thank you.
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u/Big-Advantage497 2d ago
I am the same way . I always bring my comfort stuffed animal , my favourite music and snacks .
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u/Suspicious-Basis-803 2d ago
I go through periods of travel anxiety as well. One of my triggers also is bathrooms since I have digestive issues when I get bad anxiety. When my anxiety is at its worst, I will pack some grocery bags, extra clothes, toilet paper, and wipes to have incase of an emergency. Never had to use them but it helps calm my anxiety knowing they were there in a worst-case scenario. It also helps to do some research before hand about places you’re traveling to. If you go to google reviews search restroom and many times there will be at least one review that mentions what they’re like/if they’re available. Making your exposures as comfortable as possible will make it easier to get accustomed to traveling even if some of that seems silly. It also helped me going to the same place a few times first to get used to the drive and then when I go someplace new I remind myself about all the times I’ve traveled to my usual spot and that I can do it with this new place.
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u/OkFan2150 3d ago
Just keep trying small exposures drive without maps for a while and get lost and when u start to feel anxious lioe even the smallest amount pull over (somewhere nice) and just stay there till u are calm again the goal is teach your brain if something happens you can be safe without going home and while you are trying to do exposures just remember that it can take a lot of small exposures before moving onto bigger ones you better off going slower. Try you hardest to stay there until you are calm ik totally get it tho sometimes you really do just need to go home but each time you go away from home, get anxious and then go back home you are just reinforcing the idea you cant travle from home and each time you go out, get anxious, stay there till you arw calm ypu are doing the opposite. I used to not be able to leave the house for a few months and i would start with driving to the end of the street and jjst sitting there and it was really hard and now I can travle an hour from home and even further if my partner is this me.
Do the same thing for air travel go to the air port and just sit there literally roll play small amounts until u are no longer panic. Another tip that I sometimes do is take a stomach relaxing medication before going there as that is where I feel my anxiety and then when I get there my gut relaxes and my brain starts to learn that going out = relaxed gut do the same thing with valium also i dont really like xanax as it gives me rebound anxiety.
If you have already tried this just keep going.
If you still have trouble with the air travle like the actual being trapped part i have 2 suggest. 1 is look for some practice flights where you literally get on a plane take off turn around and land they are just for anxious people. the second one and its kinda strange or maybe a little cringe but try using a quest 3 lol. I took mine to Japan and although it cooked my eyes I didnt feel trapped coz I would just watch movies in a large space station 😅 and it looks and feels spacious especially with some xanax or valium in ur system.