Travel anxiety-anyone else have this?

When I was little my family and I moved from France to England and the anxiety I felt even at that age was phenomenal! I didn't know I was autistic at the time and I had to try and deal with it but it wasn't easy. The anxiety was crippling and I had meltdowns, lots of meltdowns.

I cope better now. I still get anxious when travelling or about to travel but now I know I'm autistic I've found better ways of coping with my anxieties and know how to remove myself from the situation before a meltdown occurs.

With travelling it's a different routine. New place, new people, new smells and noises, so many new things to process and try to adjust to. It's difficult. Of course it is. Only people who suffers like us could understand this.

Before travelling now I fully study where I'm going. I research and research until I know every little detail. I like to know where the hospital is, where the shops are and where the least crowded places are. I'll use Google Maps if applicable and this helps me to visualize where I'll be going and then when I do finally get there it already feels familiar.

I always take a backpack with me which has my survival kit inside it which usually has a map, torch, spare clothes, drinks bottle and a first aid kit. You can never be too prepared! Sometimes I go travelling across France. I like to go camping in the summer. I still get anxious of course but all the above makes it a little easier.

I love travelling, it's the getting there part that gives me the anxiety. In April I am going to St Lucia. Not looking forward to the flight.

It's commendable that you're opening up about your struggles. Acknowledging your anxiety is the first step towards finding ways to manage it effectively. Have you considered seeking support from a therapist or counselor who specializes in anxiety? They can provide personalized strategies to help you cope and gradually overcome your travel-related fears.
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Same here. I spend a lot of time preparing every detail of the journey, including checking it out beforehand on Google Maps. It is exhausting and can cause a great deal of anxiety!

I'm always anxious before trips and obsessively plan every little detail, trying to anticipate everything that could go wrong. It's exhausting!
Recently, I came across this website that has all the cruise timetables. It's been a lifesaver for me in terms of getting organized and feeling more in control.
I understand the struggle of having severe anxiety and panic attacks when going to the doctor. It can be really tough to seek help, but reaching out to a professional could make a big difference in managing your anxiety and getting back to enjoying life again.
Remember, you're not alone in this. Many people experience travel anxiety, and there are resources and support out there to help.

Iain said:

I went to a lot of restaurants where there was no English menu or servers who spoke it - use apps on your smartphone which will use the camera and translate the picture in real time. Then just point to what you want - easy.

That is an absolutely awesome suggestion! Great tip. 

You can study language courses on YouTube. When I was thinking of going to France I did that, followed French classes and I have since become so fluent in French my mum says one of her friends said I sound like I'm from France. But still haven't conquered the anxiety. So I can talk French but yet to actually go there. Lol!

Good for you though for travelling. That's an amazing achievement, you should be so proud of yourself for going where you've already been. It takes a lot of courage. And don't give up about visiting other places, like Japan, you'll do it one day. I totally get you with local commuting. It is so much more stressful than when you go further. I guess because you're having to deal with so much all at once, easy for most but when you're autistic it's so much for to get through.

By the way I've seen your NAS videos. You are such an inspiration. You rock!

Sorry you've been suffering from anxiety like this, the added digestive problems can't be easy to deal with either. Have you seen your GP about this? Just wondering if they might be able to give you something to help both with the anxiety and also the digestive problems.

I've recently been diagnosed with Crohn's which also seems to be triggered when I'm overly stressed.

Dawn said:

Would I go to Japan? Love to, but I would have to take a course in Japonese first.

I don't speak Japanese but have been there 5 times, wandered to every nook and cranny I could find the time to go to off the beaten track and never had an issue.

I didn't know until I went but the public transport system has english for everything (as does the airport and big chain hotels) so getting about on your own is actually easy in spite of the intimidating looking train maps in Tokyo).

What helps is how clean, efficient and well laid out everything is. Yes the scale can be daunting (like walking for almost 20 mins to get out of one underground station - they are like small cities) but stuff is signposted and with some prep to know where to go, it is a breeze.

I went to a lot of restaurants where there was no English menu or servers who spoke it - use apps on your smartphone which will use the camera and translate the picture in real time. Then just point to what you want - easy.

Obviously learn a handful of phrases to get by.

People there are incredubly poilite and helpful too, much more so that any other country I have been to, Often when I was staring at the labyrinthian underground map working out which line to take for my next adventure then someone who spoke broken English would ask if they could help - no hint of expectation of anything in return.

I can't think of a better place to vacation for a more interesting, exotic, clean and safe trip - and the food is possibly the best I've had in the world which is saying something.

I have never been to Ireland but in Scotland travel isn't in a great place.

It's a mess here, maybe all over to be honest.

I’m starting to see that travel even within Ireland post Covid is a real hassle, even around Dublin, certainly in comparison to getting around Manchester - and this has been confirmed by family and friends back home 

I do not use public transport very often but I've read about how bad it's getting.

Sorry you were stranded, that must have been awful experience for you.

I am lucky that I'm in a small village, my family is all but local and the ones who are not are only ten minutes up the road.

Travelling sounds bad now, no longer reliable like it was pre Covid.

Post Covid, travel has become much more unpredictable due to climate change issues and flight disruptions, rail strikes are increasingly commonplace - it’s become too risky to travel without a chaperone now, given my travel nightmare leaving from Dublin and at Holyhead in early October 2022, stranded for 2 days and unable to get back to Manchester - due to EU climate change laws, the Irish government wants to ban short haul flights between Ireland and the U.K. and I would not be surprised if they try to ban diesel trains, diesel coaches between Manchester - Holyhead and diesel ferries between Holyhead and Dublin as well - living alone in the U.K. and having family in Rural Ireland outside of Dublin this is going to end up being a real hassle  

Thank you for your replies.

I have read them all, almost hard to believe this is updated three years later. 

I am here but lurk, don't message much.

The only real coach service from Manchester to Dublin via Holyhead is now via Birmingham but one ends up waiting for hours in Birmingham - the Irish government wants to ban short haul flights between Ireland and the U.K. so partly due to the ongoing U.K. rail strikes and possible travel disruption within the Republic of Ireland my options are increasingly limited since Covid ended 

I dont like motorways either, on a coach I can bear it, not in a car 

Coaches are good as you have to sit on those so they do not get crowded. and they usually stop for a comfort break they are okay

MEEEE! I hate being in cars, cars are a no for me. busy buses cant stand them and I will get off one if it gets busy or looks like it could be busy. I am okay with buses but if someone i dont like sits besides me I want to get off. Trains are the best as long as they are not busy. I once had to run off a busy train I started saying let me off let me off, and one woman who I think was autistic started crying as she must have felt cramped too. 

I have to plan travel so so much, and have back up plans and where are the stops that are near cafes so if it is busy I can have coffee and wait till the next bus/train. It takes a lot of money to travel sometimes. 

I tend to not go into the city centre unless at quiet day times. I tend to go to the post area near me which is a nice bus ride and quiet with nice people on it that behave, I tend to go to the little shopping centre there for coffee and a look round the shops. I cant travel abroad as I fear planes. I dont mind a ferry on a mild day. 

TBH I prefer to walk places as I have more control and I like to walk to a nice little park near me with a local cafe. 

I choose to live in a nice area with lots of shops and things to do to save me travelling to city centre. It has local concerts too, and I can sit  quite in a cafe and feel that people are nearby and not feel lonely because of that. 

I understand you so much. 

The last time I was in a car the person did not go where they were supposed to go, they dropped off at a supermarket and got a trolly out. Because of this I panicked as they had not told me that that was the plan we were supposed to go for tea, so I ran away (they do not know I am autistic). I guess it sadly links back to the fact that an abusive man once went to drive me over a ledge and he stopped just in the nick of time or we would have went over and died. So I cant do cars much. I hate taxis. it would have to be an emergency for me to be in a car. 

I might be okay with a big car like a rolls royce I dont know why that is but I think they are nice. 

I'm so sorry to hear about your travel anxiety! It sounds like it's really impacting your life and holding you back from doing the things you want to do. It's understandable that you would feel so anxious and guilty about backing out of the journey with your dad this morning. One thing you could consider is looking into digital nomad visas. For example, Malta offers a digital nomad visa [link removed by moderator] allowing you to live and work remotely in Malta for up to a year. This would give you the freedom to travel without the anxiety of a long journey, as you could stay in one place for a more extended period of time. You could also take regular breaks to explore the country and take part in activities that interest you.

Im so sorry your going through this. I do understand. I have had some form of travel anxiety my whole life. When I was a kid if I knew my mom n dad were planning a trip to the seaside I would spend days looking forward to it but then the night before we went I would be lying in bed hoping it would rain so we wouldnt have to go. I didnt know I was autistic back then so I never knew what it was. Even if me and my mom went to London to a museum or something I would spend the whole day plagued with anxiety attacks. Wierdly, the more I looked forward to something and the more I wanted to enjoy it the more it would happen

I am so interested in different countries and history and the world around me but I have bookshelfs full of books about places I have never been able to go to because of my travel anxiety. I am facinated by German culture and almost see myself as a German cos it is my special interest and I identify with it so much but I have never been able to go to Germany

As for practical tips that can help, do you find it easier to go places on your own or with someone? Sometimes I find if its a short trip on my own is easier because if theres someone else there then I have to worry about them as well as me if that makes sense. Although, saying that, I had a panic attack in the shopping centre the other day cos of all the Christmas shoppers and had to call my wife to come and get me. 

Best advice I can give is you don't need to feel guilty about not being able to go places. It is a perfectly OK part of autism and there is nothing wrong with you. The more pressure you put on yourself to go places and the more you think you "should" be able to the harder it will be to do something.

I find doing things on the day rather than planning them in advance helps too as then I dont have time to build up anxiety about it. Not sure maybe that would help you

If I can think of anything else I will put it here