Travelling around the world with health anxiety

[lele19]

So today is day 7 of my travels abroad, it's been a tough week and I've only just got round to updating my blog for the first time since I got here - check it out at...

https://justonestepfurther.wordpress.com/

All I want is to prove to myself and to others that you can achieve what you want in life even WITH crippling GAD, panic and health anxiety, whether that be to travel the world, settle down with a family or have a high flying career. I'm also trying to convince myself that this is true!!

Would appreciate any kind of remarks/feedback x

[sial72]

Hi!!
I am just AMAZED and everything you are doing and I think that doing a blog is such a good idea and so helpful in 3 ways.
For yourself because writting is very therapeutic.
For the people with anxiety who read it because it is very inspiring and something to aspire to.
And for people who don't have anxiety, because it can help them understand just how difficult everything becomes.
I love when you say that you are going to have the anxiety wether at home or away, I try to always think exactly that (even though I don't always manage it).
You are very very brave, enjoy your journey!!!
Xxx

[lele19]

Thanks very much I think you're right it is therapeutic! It lets me get stuff out of my head and onto paper xx

[FeelLikeNeo]

Hey!

Good work. I did it too. Not quite around the world, but Europe, for 5 months. It was amazing and I found my anxiety dwindled. Only a few times - such as camping in arctic Norway - did I have panic attacks... which is much better than every day at home!!

I'll be following your blog. All the best.

[lele19]

Hi Neo that's awesome, that definitely gives me hope of sticking it out!

I'm definitely not travelling around the world all at once, but this trip (if all goes to plan) will be 3 months long. And hopefully it will open up the doors for other longer and more remote adventures!

Can I ask - when you were travelling around Europe did you ever feel completely comfortable with being in all of these new places?

[FeelLikeNeo]

I think that probably depends on the person... I'm not very good at staying in one place anyway, and my anxiety doesn't make me uncomfortable being somewhere. I spent 3 months in the same place, and 5 weeks in the same country, but the other times, I was doing a city/town every 2-3 days.

The times spent in hostels were the best. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of people and made socialising far easier. After a while, my anxiety was almost gone - trains in Eastern Europe, wandering the streets at midnight, camping with no way of help, hitchhiking were fine. It only returned when I came back to England. In many ways, because you meet so many people, both the practice and knowing you're moving on and time is limited made me far more open and comfortable.

That's not to say I was unaffected. I ended up in a foreign hospital on an ECG one night (I was fine, obviously).

So after that slight ramble - yes, I almost always felt comfortable.

[lele19]

I've had my fair share of foreign hospitals. Having a tough few days these last 48 hours, feeling extremely tired and hungry and dizzy and the health anx is kicking in, but will try and rest and get past it.

[FeelLikeNeo]

I've had my fair share of foreign hospitals. Having a tough few days these last 48 hours, feeling extremely tired and hungry and dizzy and the health anx is kicking in, but will try and rest and get past it.

Sorry to hear that. One problem with travelling is that it is inherently exhausting. All the walking and the change and - perhaps - working in another language can really get you down, and so all of our problems kick in.

Remember where you are, what you're doing and why you're doing it. You're lucky you're with a (presumably!) supportive loved one - that helps extraordinarily.

Let us know how it goes!

[lele19]

I am with a very supportive and lovely boyfriend of 5+years, so I'm extremely lucky in that respect that he puts up with me!

I've updated a little more now - Day 20 today!

https://justonestepfurther.wordpress.com/

This week has been extra hard, I'm due on my period and plagued with palpitations!!! So hard not to go running to A&E. I know once my period starts I'll feel better.