Feeling Anxious?

You’re not alone. For me, traveling and my near-constant state of anxiety go hand-in-hand. Traveling shakes us out of our routines and puts us into situations that we can’t always be fully prepared for. For me, travel intersects with the following concerns:

• I don’t like airplanes, even though I am aware that they are the safest form of travel.
• I also don’t like cars, despite the fact that many of us spend quite a bit of time in them, and they’re involved in almost any trip imaginable.
• I’m wary of crowds and the volatility that sometimes comes with them. But how do you go to a concert, the Oktoberfest, or even a busy downtown square, and not find yourself in one?
• I’m on the lookout for sharks, bears and mountain lions, although I’m statistically more likely to have a harmful interaction with a cow.
• I downright hate wildfires. And yet, in Oregon, they are now a perennial and terrifying phenomenon.
• On top of that, I also dislike being late, disappointing people, saying the wrong thing, looking awkward, and feeling out of place.
• Also, is the cat doing okay!?

I’m not a psychologist, doctor or a therapist, so the information on this website is not medical advice (this is where I remind you to refer to the disclaimer), it’s just information that I’ve found useful in my travels and that you may find helpful as well. I sometimes include sources of anxiety I encountered in a specific place, or ways I managed a situation to make it more comfortable for myself.

While travelling and anxiety are closely bonded for many people, my hope is that more people can find strategies to experience the joy – rather than the fear and discomfort – that can come with travel. For me, one of those strategies is researching and planning. I like to know what to expect and how to best prepare. For those of you that experience life similarly to me, I hope this site is a useful resource.

-Ela