PTD: Post Travel Depression and How To Cure It
It’s not a medical diagnosis, trust me
Travelling for me is sometimes a rare occasion varying on the reason for the trip. For work, I’m flat out going to and from wherever I’m staying to the location of where I’m working and there is no ‘me time’ at all in the small number of days. For personal, I’m always alone and usually, I’m indulging in the cuisine, looking at the architecture, exploring the sites, talking to strangers and having a lot of me-time. For family, it’s pretty self-explanatory, I’m with my family. I’m either travelling with them or to them and I’m constantly surrounded by them. I’m spending a lot of time with them.
Regardless as to how long I’m away for, where I go or how often I travel when I return back I am always depressed the second I step into my house.
My diagnosis: PTD- Post Travel Depression.
The symptoms for me include:
Always reminiscing about my time
Wanting to book a flight
Feeling down and moody
Never wanting to go out/Leave my house
Feeling like I’m stuck
Going through social media and feeling jealous of everybody else
Even though it feels like it’s just me going through this, I know so many people who go through the same feelings. Although my PTD always lasts roughly about a week or two, I feel like my PTD always lasts a long time until I travel next.
The longest time I had PTD was when I had been in Sydney for two-three weeks working, I had a nice hotel room, I was near all the hotspots where there were heaps of cafes, museums, shops and the typical touristy spots. I met new and exciting people and made friends (from work) and I had the best time ever. I even “spontaneously” bought a last-minute ticket to a band I have never even heard of. But as soon as it was the night before my flight, I felt this sudden anxious feeling overwhelm me as though I had to stay.
When I got back home it was in time for the weekend, I rarely ever get jetlag so I’m always full of adrenaline. So I couldn’t sleep and I was wide awake, sitting in my bed, scrolling through an infinite feed of beaches and skyscrapers on my phone. By the time I fell asleep, I had woken up the sound of my neighbour's car, and not the sound of crashing waves or traffic. I had walked into my kitchen and made myself a coffee. I had to do a grocery run and went to the local street markets when really all I wanted to do was walk along cobblestoned Paddington. When I got home and began to catch up on schoolwork I couldn’t help but look over at the memories and photographs I had taken whilst in Sydney.
The reason for PTD can vary. You could’ve had the most amazing time, you could’ve met someone or (if you’re really like me) you hate the place you live.
That’s right I said it.
I was born and raised in one tiny city only. I had grown up with half the population and knew everybody’s grandma, cousin and neighbour. I had known the roads as though they were the lines in the palm of my hand, I knew the best places (and the worst places). I had shopped at every store and knew every location of them. Whenever I was travelling to another city or town, it was a new and exciting adventure. The people were different, the roads were different, the places were unique and amazing and the stores could be abundant and locations could be known. And there were so many things you could do.
When I come back home from travelling or staying someplace else, it’s as though I’m living in this sepia-toned reality where it’s the same routine- each and every day.
I got these periods of PTD at least six times before I realised ways I could cure it.
And here’s the cure.
The Cure
Find something you love doing when you’re home (alone)
For me, that’s going for a jog along the foreshore’s footpath or going to a local market. Other times it’s volunteering at the local charity centre or even simply going to the library. Whatever you love doing, do it alone so that you can have some time to fall back in love with your home.
Even though being alone can be the worst thing ever. It helps you clear your head and engage with yourself and people you may not know. Which is something you might be doing when you travel.
Because now your home, go to your favourite places- ice cream shops, book stores, parks- wherever. It helps you regain that familiarity with the city/town you live in and help you reconnect with your natural environment.
Find Something You Love Doing When Your With Friends or Family
This is when you can really have heaps of fun. There was one time where a friend of mine had gone to New Zealand and had deep PTD post-trip. The only way the cure it was to have a mini road trip to our local national waterfall and spend the day swimming and having some fun. When we finished that up, we go for a late-night drive with McDonald's and listen to a podcast whilst driving through rich neighbourhoods.
If your someone who isn’t at all the person that is an adrenaline-addict. Please consider doing something simple like seeing a band live with some friends or spending time with your family. This can help you love the people around you.
Explore Something Different in Your City/Town
The one time I was stuck in PTD, I had bought a ticket to an art show. This was normal because I was an art lover, but the show was so much out of my comfort zone because the art had a slightly different concept compared to the ones I had been used to. If you're like me, go to an art show, listen to different music, go to a park, a poetry slam or a place you haven’t been to yet. Do something a little out of your comfort zone. It helps you appreciate the complexities and the diversity of your city/town.
Create a ‘Safe Space’
This space can be your bedroom, desk, workspace or whatever. This space should be filled with items that remind you of your travels and also help you love the home you have now. Photos, large scale framed artwork, coffee table books, little statues and plants can help. If you bought something that is meant for decor, display it in that space. Having a theme for this space is essential- like ‘minimalist urban’ or ‘soft hippie’ helps bring a theme and a connotation to space itself.
Another idea for this space is making sure that it remains clean and spacious so that your mindset is clear and focused. By having the things you love in one area and having loads of room and clear spaces helps you feel at peace.
Try and Stop Your F.O.M.O
If it’s the social media influencers that are influencing your PTD. Delete them or mute their accounts. If it’s your friends and close ones, be genuinely happy for them. Afterall you had your turn, let them have theirs.
If it’s not social media and it’s everyday life, try and do things that feed into your addiction to travelling and that adrenaline rush. Something I often do is compulsively exercise and plan activities for myself and close ones. I go to new cafes, new bookstores and go to places my friends and I might like going to. For me, I like going to the local library and borrow a few books, then eventually go to the health cafe next door and catch up with a friend. That way you can reconnect with someone and air out your FOMO.
And if All Fails… Book Your Ticket, Get Your Passport Ready and Go
That’s right… if everything fails for me I intentionally look at airline deals and buy a plane ticket. Yes, this does go against everything I said. But I literally do this. I will always sit in the middle of a lecture, in a class or in my bedroom and look online at airfare deals. I will find a place I want to go to, buy the ticket and plan everything else. I don’t buy the ticker for the next night, I buy it for a month or two later. It gives me something to look forward to (and it’s so much cheaper). I even look at hotels, hostels, AirBnBs and motels if I don’t have friends or family where I’m going, or I check in with them a month prior to my arrival to see if I can crash with them. Otherwise, hello Trivago and HelloWorld Specials. If I’m in a financial rut I will take a train or I will organise a car and drive to my destination.
After all, it cures the wanderlust inside of all of us.
