TRAVELLING AND MENTAL HEALTH

Blog on Episode 1 of 'Q & A Talk Show'

Author: Avni Subbegowda

Why do people travel? Well, the answer is simple. To most people, it's magical and fulfilling with butterflies in their tummy every time they explore an old ruin in the midst of dense foliage or a picturesque mountain with angelic rainbows cropped over waterfalls.

But not everyone loves to travel as it can be exhausting to your physical and mental being especially when you're facing mental health issues. So the big question is whether it is safe for people with mental health issues to travel, as changes in place and routine can trigger various mental health issues mainly anxiety and bipolar.

So to answer questions about mental welfare during travelling, MACRM invited Hiwi Nagesh, a Master life coach originally from Ethiopia, to answer questions relating to mental health during travelling, overcoming post-travel blues, and much more. Apart from being a travel enthusiast she is also an entrepreneur and an English teacher currently residing in Warsaw, Poland, and continues to spread warmth and positivity to anyone she can reach out to. Having travelled all over Europe and Africa, she has become an expert in taking care of her body, mind, and soul in unfamiliar terrain and is glad to share her views about the same.

Does travelling boost the overall well-being of mental health?

Hiwi tells us that this depends on people’s distinctive perspectives. Everyone does not have the same modus operandi for coping with sensitive issues. While some may approach a family member others might take up solo travelling to be alone and clear their mind from negative thoughts. From her experience, Hiwi feels that travelling helps one face their fears by pushing them out of their comfort zone and highly recommends it to those who are interested in challenging themselves physically and mentally. She says that there is a myriad of ways to boost the overall well-being and travelling is, definitely, one of them.

Is it safe to travel while suffering from any mental health conditions?

Travelling with mental health conditions is considered safe as long as you're emotionally prepared for egregious situations that may occur unpredictably. Hiwi takes the example of anxiety, where a person is constantly in fear of encountering something new and is also apprehensive about the risks attached to it. These thoughts occur frequently and are completely rational and so she advises her audience to visualize and write down the positivity ringing in new experiences we gain from every place we visit and to let the good energy flow through you. The key is to prepare yourself and always be optimistic in trying new experiences. Also, keep an emergency contact handy in case you feel like talking to someone during unfathomable times.

What are the types of anxiety while travelling and ways to overcome it?

A person's mind never stops thinking. But during anxious times our minds tend to navigate towards negative thoughts. It is common for people to experience panic attacks, separation disorders, and social anxiety disorders when exploring unaccustomed lands. But Hiwi guides us to stop for a minute and take deep breaths. ‘5 seconds in, 7 seconds out. The most important thing to do during these stressful situations is to concentrate on the brighter and beautiful instances of life. Hiwi, from her experience, shares that she takes out her journal where she has compiled all the positive moments of her life and reads it to reiterate how blessed she is. Pragmatically taking care of yourself and concentrating on the goodness of life and sharing it with your loved ones is the best way to defeat gloomy cynical thoughts.

How to overcome post-travel blues?

Travelling can be a fantasy ride with slow peaceful breakfasts, long walks, bewitching memories, and much more, but what happens when the ride stops and drops you off at your predictable mundane day-to-day life? Hiwi tells us that after returning from travelling everything may seem bleak and dull but to cope with this we need to be creative and enjoy every small thing we do. She recounts how at the beginning of her travel diaries it would take weeks for her to get out of post-travel blues but with experience, she says that the more you travel the more you will be confident in coping with routine life and the less time it takes for everything to return to normal. The key idea is to let it sink in and try to see the diversity of life by taking into account the speciality of every small thing we do.

From her views, we can safely conclude that travelling with mental health issues is not only safe but also has an advantageous streak to it where it catapults you out of your comfort zone to explore unlimited wonders this world has to offer and be more open-minded in trying fresh activities. But we must be cautious and consider her counsel, that is, to always be mentally prepared for the worst and always have an emergency contact in case you need to channel out your feelings to someone you trust. The main purpose here is to live your life to the fullest, no matter what. Let nothing stop you. Carpe Diem!!