Almost everyone despises the time when a fantastic journey comes to an end. When you return from a journey, whether it is a two-week vacation or a multi-year trek around the world, it can be difficult to adjust.
This is known as “post-travel depression,” and it may happen to anybody. Here are some ways how to manage post-travel depression.
What exactly do I mean by “post-travel depression”?
Post-travel depression is just what it sounds like a sensation of melancholy following a journey. You may also feel weary, lose your appetite, lack motivation, and experience nostalgia.
Post-travel depression, on the other hand, may be extremely harmful to your mental health and can continue for weeks or months. Many people who have taken year-long excursions throughout the world have stated that they still do not feel normal after a year.
Travel has a significant impact on individuals. You will feel different after traveling the world, yet everyone you meet will be the same. It is unusual to return to your old life as if nothing has happened, even if you know deep down that everything has changed for you.
And it might be difficult to deal with having so many beautiful experiences that nobody wants to hear about when friends and family are interested in your vacation for a week or two and then do not want to hear about it anymore.
It is natural for tourists to be depressed when they return home. So, what can you do to prepare for and mitigate the consequences of post-travel depression? These are fantastic strategies to get back on track.
Do not return to work or school immediately if you can help it
Nothing says “I have returned to reality with a bang” like going straight back to your old routine when you get home. Not everyone will be able to do this, but if you are fortunate, try to give yourself a few days to adjust to normal life when you return home.
If you can not get extra time off, you could try to schedule your vacation to conclude on Friday so you can enjoy the weekend to yourself.
Get together with pals for a catch-up
Get together with a buddy and catch up on what you have both been up to since you last saw each other. You will be able to tell them about your travels, but you will also get to hear about all the exciting things they did while you were gone.
This will keep you occupied and take your mind off how much you miss being overseas.
Maintain a traveler’s mindset.
When you go on a trip, you frequently return with a new perspective. When you travel, you may like trying new things, participating in enjoyable activities, and eating as much wonderful cuisine as possible.
But when you live someplace, you prefer to eat at home, fall into a pattern, and rarely sign up to try anything new. This manner of living does not help anyone feel better.
Show off your vacation photos to your pals.
To recall your vacation, share your images on Facebook and/or Instagram with your friends. It will make you feel accomplished and will cheer you up as you recall the wonderful moments.
Start looking after yourself.
It might be difficult to take care of ourselves when on the road. Perhaps you ate out for every meal and are feeling queasy from all the delicious food. Maybe you sat by the pool for two weeks and did not exercise at all.
Perhaps you drank and danced every night and are longing for a decent night’s sleep. Maybe you took a few chances and need to look into solutions like drug rehab to get back on track.
Not every trip is beneficial to our health, so once you return home, begin taking care of yourself. Try eating healthily for a time, joining a gym, going for a run, visiting a spa, or simply going to bed early. Depression should lift if you take care of yourself.
Make plans for your future vacation.
One of the best ways to get over the blues after a vacation is to plan your next one. Begin by sitting down and compiling a list of all the sites you wish to visit.
Next, devise a strategy for making it happen. You will not have time to reflect on your last vacation since you will be preoccupied with something new in your life.
Final Thoughts
We will all deal with travel depression in different ways. For me, I book another trip and spend at least an hour a week planning that trip, to get my head focused on the next adventure.
I get a book from the library in that area, just to keep my mind focused on travel and not on being sad that I am not on the road!
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*This is a contributed post, all images owned by jetsetandforget, unsplash.com, pexels.com and pixabay.com
