Traveling anxiety
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aliengal24
- Posts: 80
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 11:08 am
I've done the program a couple times and it has helped a lot with many different aspects of my life. I used to be nervous about going to new places and trying new things. I've gotten a lot better with all of that. The only thing I'm having trouble with still is traveling far from home. I went on 5 hour drive yesterday with my boyfriend to new jersey. I was so nervous and anxious all the way there that my IBS was acting up and I couldn't eat and felt so sick. Once we got there and got out of the car I felt light headed from not eating. I ate a bunch of crackers. A little while later I felt so anxious I actually threw up (sorry for the yucky details, but I need to tell someone). I felt a lot better after that and was able to eat a meal. We didn't stay over, we drove home that night..as planned. I get so anxious being far away from home and I don't like staying over anywhere else. Does anyone else deal with this? ANy advice? I'm desperate for help, I really want to be able to go places and see the world. Ever since I was a child I had a really hard time traveling. I'm 25 now. Thanks for listening. All advice is welcomed!
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Guest
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Guest
Hello, I am still dealing with the same thing and I know others on here are as well. In fact, you can go farther than me, I'm pretty much limited to my city. I have never been able to find any books specifically on travel anxiety. And this program doesn't deal with it at all directly. I guess it is supposed to resolve itself when our overall anxiety resolves, but I haven't found that to be true in my case.
Many people have only one fear, so to speak. And that is the fear of flying. And they will not fly and haven't all of their life. But travel anxiety is, to me, much more than just the fear of flying. I think it should be treated as a phobia on its own merits. I would invest in a course or book designed specifically for that. Good luck and please post if you have any success in finding materials other than just one page writeups on the internet. Take care!
Many people have only one fear, so to speak. And that is the fear of flying. And they will not fly and haven't all of their life. But travel anxiety is, to me, much more than just the fear of flying. I think it should be treated as a phobia on its own merits. I would invest in a course or book designed specifically for that. Good luck and please post if you have any success in finding materials other than just one page writeups on the internet. Take care!
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Guest
Flyer,
Thanks for responding!
Yah, going on a 5 hour car drive(oneway) was a big deal for me. I haven't gone that for away from home for years and years! I also am petrified of flying, and only did it once as a child.
My overall anxiety has calmed down. But you're right...the traveling thing is more like a phobia than anything. I really wish I could find help for this situation!
Thanks again though.
Thanks for responding!
Yah, going on a 5 hour car drive(oneway) was a big deal for me. I haven't gone that for away from home for years and years! I also am petrified of flying, and only did it once as a child.
My overall anxiety has calmed down. But you're right...the traveling thing is more like a phobia than anything. I really wish I could find help for this situation!
Thanks again though.
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Guest
There is a solution and it's called desensitization. It works for pretty much all phobias and can be applied to travel anxiety as well. The idea is discussed in program but not by name and not explicitly spelled out for each fear.
The idea is to expose yourself to your fear in small increments repeatedly. As you get used to each level of exposure, then you make things a little harder and so on until you can fully face your fear.
In the case of travel anxiety it works something like this (assuming you can drive at least a mile from home):
1) Make a mile drive from home. Repeat often until you are comfortable.
2) Make a two mile drive. Repeat.
3) Make a five mile drive. Repeat.
4) Make a ten mile drive. Repeat.
5) Keep increasing the distance. Again, repeat often until you are comfortable.
The key to making this approach work is you have to try your attempts repeatedly and often. It doesn't work very well if you only try it once a week or even once a day. The more often you make your attempts, the better and faster it works.
Also, you don't need to be completely comfortable with each step before moving to the next, just at a low enough anxiety level to try something more difficult. Expect to have setbacks and don't feel guilty if you don't make a particular goal. This approach works with some fluidity and you'll have to adjust your goals and plans for each attempt as the situation dictates. For example, making a drive during rush hour isn't the best idea until you are comfortable driving in heavy traffic.
The guidelines above are just for example. You can modify them any way you see fit such that you reach your final goal. You might start with some steps that include taking a "safe person" with you for a while. You might also change routes depending on your particular anxieties. There are many things you can do to customize this technique to your needs.
To start, make a list of the steps you think are appropriate to reach your goal. Be reasonable with your intermediate steps, but also make sure that you're taking enough risk with each step to result in positive benefits. In my experience, once you start having success, the process accelerates and you'll find that you can do more in a smaller amount of time.
I have the same trouble with traveling and like Flyer, I'm way behind you since I am still working within 10 to 15 miles of home. My biggest downfall is not repeating things often enough. I almost always make at least one attempt per day, but often stop there when I would do much better if I made multiple trips. It's so easy to think once is enough or that I'm too anxious to try again, but that just prolongs recovery. Remember that even when you don't feel good, you can always go for a shorter drive or even just a walk, anything to get you out.
Good luck,
Jamie
The idea is to expose yourself to your fear in small increments repeatedly. As you get used to each level of exposure, then you make things a little harder and so on until you can fully face your fear.
In the case of travel anxiety it works something like this (assuming you can drive at least a mile from home):
1) Make a mile drive from home. Repeat often until you are comfortable.
2) Make a two mile drive. Repeat.
3) Make a five mile drive. Repeat.
4) Make a ten mile drive. Repeat.
5) Keep increasing the distance. Again, repeat often until you are comfortable.
The key to making this approach work is you have to try your attempts repeatedly and often. It doesn't work very well if you only try it once a week or even once a day. The more often you make your attempts, the better and faster it works.
Also, you don't need to be completely comfortable with each step before moving to the next, just at a low enough anxiety level to try something more difficult. Expect to have setbacks and don't feel guilty if you don't make a particular goal. This approach works with some fluidity and you'll have to adjust your goals and plans for each attempt as the situation dictates. For example, making a drive during rush hour isn't the best idea until you are comfortable driving in heavy traffic.
The guidelines above are just for example. You can modify them any way you see fit such that you reach your final goal. You might start with some steps that include taking a "safe person" with you for a while. You might also change routes depending on your particular anxieties. There are many things you can do to customize this technique to your needs.
To start, make a list of the steps you think are appropriate to reach your goal. Be reasonable with your intermediate steps, but also make sure that you're taking enough risk with each step to result in positive benefits. In my experience, once you start having success, the process accelerates and you'll find that you can do more in a smaller amount of time.
I have the same trouble with traveling and like Flyer, I'm way behind you since I am still working within 10 to 15 miles of home. My biggest downfall is not repeating things often enough. I almost always make at least one attempt per day, but often stop there when I would do much better if I made multiple trips. It's so easy to think once is enough or that I'm too anxious to try again, but that just prolongs recovery. Remember that even when you don't feel good, you can always go for a shorter drive or even just a walk, anything to get you out.
Good luck,
Jamie
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Guest
Sea runner,
thanks for all the tips! Much appreciated!
I don't have a fear of driving or anything like that. My fear is basically being away from home over night like in a hotel or someones place that I don't know really well. I get so nervous I get nauseous and can't eat and eventually throw up. I was nervous just being far away from home, thinking "how long can i last?" ugh. Thanks everyone for feedback
thanks for all the tips! Much appreciated!
I don't have a fear of driving or anything like that. My fear is basically being away from home over night like in a hotel or someones place that I don't know really well. I get so nervous I get nauseous and can't eat and eventually throw up. I was nervous just being far away from home, thinking "how long can i last?" ugh. Thanks everyone for feedback
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Guest
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Guest
AlienGal and Flyer -
My pleasure. I hope that you can take this information and apply it to your situations and fears.
AlienGal -
This approach can still work for you, just tailor it to the fear you are trying to address. If it's staying somewhere away from home then try staying somewhere close to home overnight or even part of the night. As you get used to that, then slowly increase the distance. This might include staying at the house of a relative or friend or staying at a nearby motel. It's the same idea: expose yourself to your fears in increasing intensity as you become comfortable with each step.
Jamie
My pleasure. I hope that you can take this information and apply it to your situations and fears.
AlienGal -
This approach can still work for you, just tailor it to the fear you are trying to address. If it's staying somewhere away from home then try staying somewhere close to home overnight or even part of the night. As you get used to that, then slowly increase the distance. This might include staying at the house of a relative or friend or staying at a nearby motel. It's the same idea: expose yourself to your fears in increasing intensity as you become comfortable with each step.
Jamie
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Guest
Sea runner,
you're right. that does sound like a good idea. and I too need to work on things more. I only do things occassionally when I should be exposing myself to my fears daily. It just gets to be too much sometimes and I want to curl up and relax and feel safe and feel free my anxieties.
Do you guys have trouble driving long distances? or just driving at all?
you're right. that does sound like a good idea. and I too need to work on things more. I only do things occassionally when I should be exposing myself to my fears daily. It just gets to be too much sometimes and I want to curl up and relax and feel safe and feel free my anxieties.
Do you guys have trouble driving long distances? or just driving at all?