pre-travel depression

[Anonymous]

I know pre-travel anxiety is a thing, but what about depression? For about a week before each trip, until I actually step foot on the plane, I'm consumed with a heavy desire to just sit on the couch instead of going anywhere - and since I travel 1-2x a month, this is a huge problem. Vacation, business, personal trips, doesn't matter. I. Do. Not. Want. To. Go. How do I resolve this?

[Anonymous]

Take fewer trips? Probably can't reduce your work trips but if you'd rather veg at home than take a 'pleasure' trip you should listen to yourself.

[Anonymous]

I don't know about you, OP, but I have ADHD and anxiety. That particular feeling of sloth and paralysis is my brain being overwhelmed by some future event (thinking about it, planning for it, etc). I retreat and become dormant. Then, when it looms and I really have to do something, I wake up and prepare. I often actually enjoy whatever it was! But there's always that sloth moment before it happens.

[Anonymous]

Why don’t you want to go? And how do you feel when you are actually on the trip, and after the trip?

[Anonymous]

Better drugs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don’t you want to go? And how do you feel when you are actually on the trip, and after the trip?

Laziness.

I feel good once the plane takes off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don’t you want to go? And how do you feel when you are actually on the trip, and after the trip?

Laziness.

I feel good once the plane takes off.

Probably ADHD, actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don’t you want to go? And how do you feel when you are actually on the trip, and after the trip?

Laziness.

I feel good once the plane takes off.

Probably ADHD, actually.

Nope. Had a full neuropsych workup after a concussion last year and nothing showed up.

[Anonymous]

I sort of sympathize although I wouldn't call it depression. Travel is effort. And the older I get the more I feel the weight of the effort. Dealing with airports and jet lag and time changes is a pain. And then always being on the move. Different activities every day, different restaurants, different hotels, catching trains and buses, making a thousand decisions. It's a huge break from the daily routine.

The trips are still always enjoyable and rewarding, ultimately. But I also don't quite view travel the same way as I did when I was younger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I sort of sympathize although I wouldn't call it depression. Travel is effort. And the older I get the more I feel the weight of the effort. Dealing with airports and jet lag and time changes is a pain. And then always being on the move. Different activities every day, different restaurants, different hotels, catching trains and buses, making a thousand decisions. It's a huge break from the daily routine.

The trips are still always enjoyable and rewarding, ultimately. But I also don't quite view travel the same way as I did when I was younger.

Mi agree with this. I have the same issue. I want to get all my bucket list trips in the few years so that I can just sit at home afterwards. But since there are a few countries/places that I really want to visit I still have to put up with my own behavior.

[Anonymous]

Yes. About to leave on a trip and have stress, anxiety, some dread. It’s overwhelming.

[Anonymous]

I’m so glad to see this thread. I don’t know anyone else with travel and preparation anxiety. I’m a single parent and panic something will go terribly wrong, like me getting sick with no one to lend a hand.

That said, I also experienced pre-trip anxiety before kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about you, OP, but I have ADHD and anxiety. That particular feeling of sloth and paralysis is my brain being overwhelmed by some future event (thinking about it, planning for it, etc). I retreat and become dormant. Then, when it looms and I really have to do something, I wake up and prepare. I often actually enjoy whatever it was! But there's always that sloth moment before it happens.

Me too - and me too!

I find myself dreading all kinds of things I truly love - including travel. When I was a kid I used to be up all night crying the day before I went to camp, too. Then I loved camp.

[Anonymous]

I am the opposite. I am depressed if no travel is planned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the opposite. I am depressed if no travel is planned.

Same! I’m already used all my vacation days for this year and am sad I can’t go anywhere for Christmas.