Travelling to Africa with health anxiety

[Kayla1992]

So I have suffered with health anxiety my whole life. I literally can remember freaking out about health issues as young as 5 years old! (I am now 24)

I feel that part of my anxiety comes from a fear of missing out on things, and the fact that if I get sick, I will die and miss out on doing all the things I want to do. (This is only part of my anxiety. I am also scared of death and what comes after and what if there is nothing, and suffering etc...)

Anyway... So to not miss out on things, I am trying to push through the anxiety and do things so as not to have regrets about missing out on things.

So I have booked a 23 day trip to Africa leaving on New Years Day.

But I am scared now of having something happen to me in Africa where I cant get quick medical help.

This fear is really upsetting me as I want to be excited about the trip, but i'm scared that the whole trip will be ruined by me being anxious the whole time :(

I am scared that I will be worrying about every thing I eat, the water, the bugs or if I have any light headedness or heart palpitations or anything else that I could easily have here too, that I will go into panic mode.

I don't want to spend my trip like this!

I'm also worried about my partner who is coming with me. What if he gets sick while we are over there and it is my fault because I made him come on the trip with me.

Has anyone else had any travel experience with health anxiety?

Just to add... I have had the Yellow Fever vaccine, Typhoid vaccine, Tetanus booster, Rabies vaccine, Hep A and B and will take Malaria pills.
But I am scared of things like the African sleeping sickness from tsetse flies and other mosquito viruses as well as usual things like undiagnosed heart issues, cancer or other diseases

---------- Post added at 14:22 ---------- Previous post was at 13:58 ----------

Also, the countries I am going to are Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is an organised tour

[HarrietVanger]

Hi Kayla,

When I was your age (I'm 26 now) I moved to Thailand with my boyfriend to teach english/drama. I lived there for almost 2 years...I'm not going to lie to you, it was very difficult to deal with my HA most of the time. I remember going to hospitals and not finding a single person who could speak a word of english! There were times I thought I wasn't going to make it. That said, I managed and it turned out to be the most incredible experience :). It made me stronger and more confident. If I could go back in time I wouldn't have worried so much. I spent way too much time thinking I was sick or dying and unable to live in the moment. Try not to do the same and please have fun! It's going to be awesome.

[Kayla1992]

Thank you for your reply!

I will try to live in the moment as much as I can.

That must have been hard for you! 2 years is a long time. I'm only going for 3 weeks, so hopefully I can manage!

[HarrietVanger]

You will, no worries!

[Super_Freaked]

hi guys, have lot of experience with travelling to SE Asia, Mexico and places like that with Panic attacks and health anxiety. I though I had all sorts of things on my travels and when the sleep patterns go weird so did my stress levels though at that time i was just discovering my disorder. Don't be afraid to ask a fellow traveller if you need someone to talk to it can help, the doctors will be fine there, you won't get anything major or anything at all.. don't doubt yourself when you get there you will be so excite you will have less aniexty than your haven now i bet, for me a few beers would numb me out a bit, some travellers and activities will get you mind clear, you might have a little attack here and there. I carry clazapan (something like valium) helps to know i have something if i need it but rarely need it !

Good luck and your lucky enjoy !

[Kayla1992]

Thank you so much for your comment :)

I carry Ativan (also like vallium) with me too! I don't like to me on medication full time, but one pill every so often in a time of panic helps me.

[Super_Freaked]

don't forget to carry some paper work with you with a drug like Ativan that is used by travellers and stuff, some police don't understand someone actually needs this stuff and doesn't just use it for the flights.

[Kayla1992]

don't forget to carry some paper work with you with a drug like Ativan that is used by travellers and stuff, some police don't understand someone actually needs this stuff and doesn't just use it for the flights.

Yes, I didn't think of that! I have traveled from Australia to London and Germany carrying it a few months ago and no one questioned it. Don't know if Africa will be different?

I have also bought a health anxiety self help book that I will read in the weeks leading up to the trip.

Hopefully all will be OK!

Doesn't help that I am currently in a health anxiety spiral about other things though :( Hopefully I can get out of this whole before the trip

[Super_Freaked]

ya go easy on yourself, it might be a struggle and you will have some uncomfy times but make sure it is balanced with some awesome highs where you say f-it and go.. try to say in your mind - you only live once and as long as you aren't dying today you should enjoy this trip as much as possible. expect a little diarrhoea from the new bacterial, you might get a chest cold or flue even, you won't get malaria or serious thing if you take a little precaution with eating and drinking.. even then you will be 99.2 % likely to be totally fine and 99.9 percent likely to come home without any serious problems. Just remember that.

Most african countries are more corrupt and everyone is looking to rip a tourist off, not everywhere but you know any where with poverty and corrupt officials but you won't have a problem bring a prescription, if you were going to Dubai i would mention these drugs are highly illegal, so never go to Dubai as they are have backwards laws about medications like that and it's not worth even considering, i think they are the only country stupid enough not to allow travellers their meds even if your just connecting flights to somewhere else.