If you have panic disorder, an upcoming trip may be filled with any number of activities that trigger some or all of your fears and anxieties. Is it possible to travel if you have anxiety about it? Find out how to assess your situation and figure out a plan for making travel possible -- and even enjoyable.
It's a good idea to work with your therapist when planning a trip. Write down your thoughts as you go through these steps, and talk to your therapist about what you are doing.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varies
Here's How:
- Assess the situation and your fears
Step by step, go through the entire trip, including how you'll travel, your accommodations (such as hotel v. staying with friends/family), whom you'll see, what activities you will do, etc. Then, evaluate your anxiety about each plan, and try to rate the level of that anxiety. - Be honest and realistic about what is possible
Work with your therapist on this one. Nothing is impossible, of course, but you need to decide if you have an appropriate amount of time to prepare for the trip and related activities/events. Put pressure from other people aside for now. If you decide you cannot take this particular trip, you then owe it to yourself to make a concerted effort to work on those fears that are keeping you from going. - Create a plan to work on your fears
Once you have decided to take your trip, you should now have a list of each step of the trip along with any related fears. Now it's time to decide what you can reasonably do about each fear in the time you have before the trip. - Decide which fears you might work on eliminating
For example, you may have a fear of flying and 6 months to prepare for a trip across the country. Consider working with a cognitive-behavioral therapist particularly on this fear. A trip actually is a good time to work on many anxieties that may affect your day-to-day life. Talk with your therapist about which fears you have time to work on in a systematic way. - Decide which fears you will need to manage
Perhaps you have been working on your flying fear and it isn't going away. A possibility might be that you talk to your doctor about an anti-anxiety medication just for the flight. Or maybe you need to drive a distance alone, but could do it with far less anxiety if you have a companion (maybe a friend can go.) In the long run, of course, the goal is to get well. But, along the way, there may be times you need to work around the anxiety and panic. - Decide which fears you will need to remove
Sometimes it's just not possible to get over or manage a fear in a particular amount of time. See if you have an alternative. Afraid to fly? Maybe you can take a train. Can't give a speech at your sister's wedding? See if there's something else you can do, but handle it in a loving way. Sometimes people understand, and sometimes they don't. All you can do is try your best and offer alternatives as much as possible. Show that you are making an effort. - Be comfortable
Do whatever you can to make the trip comfortable, and don't feel silly about it. If staying at your parents' home full of relatives is too much, stay at a hotel but visit them every day. Take relaxation tapes, comfy pajamas, a stuffed animal in your carry-on -- whatever works. See How to Create a Comfort Bag for more ideas. - Be organized
Be organized about planning your trip. Don't add to your anxiety by misplacing tickets or waiting until the last minute to make reservations. Make lists -- don't be afraid to write it all down. Do all that you can to feel as safe as you can. - Work with a professional
Yes, it's already been said, but, please work with a therapist on this. Be sure your therapist understands that you want to set goals and which ones you want to address specifically. Create a plan together, and decide what you reasonably can accomplish before the trip. - Talk to other people with anxiety, too
If you're not in a local support group (and even if you are), visit the About.com Panic Disorder Forum for tips, support, and advice about your trip and anything else related to panic disorder and getting well.
Tips:
- After assessing your fears and creating a management plan, write a list of everything about the trip you will enjoy. Keep a list of these (or put them on index cards) to remind yourself of the positive reasons why you are taking this trip.
- Consider telling your travel companions about your panic disorder. Be clear that you don't expect them to take care of you, but consider giving them a task or two that will help you with a specific problem (such as giving you the aisle seat on the plane). People want to help, but they don't want to be overwhelmed. They like to have specific ideas of what they can do to help.
