It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been on the road or in the sky, post-travel depression is all too real. I feel it. You feel it. We all feel it.
The question is: How can you deal with it?
How to Get Over Post-travel Depression
Depression has the unparalleled ability to knock even the best of us off our feet. Whether depression makes you lose motivation to work, isolate yourself from friends, binge eat, or do something completely different, it’s not something anyone wants in their life.
But 9 times out of ten, you’ll be hit with some sort of sadness after returning from vacation, which is why it’s so important to understand what it is and how to deal with it. Let’s look at a few of the strategies I turn to in order to deal with my post-travel depression.
Start Planning Your Next Adventure
This one is my favorite and what I find the most helpful when dealing with post-vacation blues. While it’s easy to sit back and reminisce about the great times you just had, why not start getting excited about your next trip—however far out that may be.
Here are a few things you can do:
- Research sites you want to see.
- Find cool stores you’ll want to visit.
- Pick some restaurants you want to try.
- Reach out to your travel network and talk to others who’ve been to where you’re going.
- Schedule tours or other activities.
In some way, shape or form, start making a plan. Before you know it, your departure day will come and you’ll be ready to rumble.
Unpack Your Souvenirs
If you’re like me, you come back from every trip with a boatload of souvenirs—like some of the ones I picked up during my time in Scandinavia.
This may sound counterintuitive. Why would you want to unpack something that’ll constantly remind you of the exact thing you’re trying to “forget?” I get that, but for some reason, surrounding yourself with memories and mementos from your travels never fails to help me manage my post-travel depression.
Give Yourself Time to Decompress
Returning from vacation—no matter how far you went—can be a shock to your system. So, give yourself time to decompress and get back in the groove of things.
If you can, stay away from work and other responsibilities for a few days. For example, if you plan to return to work on a Monday, try to schedule your return for Friday or Saturday. This way, when you get home, you can relax and not immediately throw yourself back into the hectic nature of everyday life. (This is especially true if you traveled abroad and are dealing with a significant time change.)
Connect with Friends and Family
Connecting with friends is something you should always do and one of the best ways to fend off depression and other mental illnesses. It’s extra important, however, when you’re dealing with post-travel depression.
What I like to do is give myself a day just for me. I’ll spend time unpacking, finding the perfect place for my souvenirs, and generally just resting up. But after that 24-hour stretch, I’ll reach out to someone close to me—maybe to play video games with a friend to FaceTime my parents and show them pictures I took. In some way, shape or form, keep busy.
Plan a Mini Trip or Adventure
Planning a mini trip is another great way to deal with post-travel depression. This could literally be anything. A hike 30 minutes away. A day trip to the beach. Tour a museum in your city. Go to a sporting event to watch your hometown team. Try to do something. I find that constantly giving myself something to look forward to is the best way to keep me from getting too sad about my last adventure.
Connect with Online Communities or People You Met
One of the best things about travel is connecting with people from different cultures and ways of life. It’s what I love the most about it.
The other great thing is that the internet makes it incredibly easy to stay connected or stay in touch with people you meet. A quick search on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit will show you exactly what you mean. Even if you don’t engage with these communities directly, sitting on the sidelines can be a great way to get over any feeling of sadness.
If you met someone and exchanged contact information, staying connected with your recent adventure is even easier. Set up some time to FaceTime, text, connect on social media. Heck, send them a postcard in the mail—you’d be surprised how interested people are to see where you’re from just as much as you’re interested in where they’re from.
Find a Restaurant with Similar Cuisine
Finding a restaurant that serves the cuisine of the place you just visited might be hard if you live in a small town or city, but if you can find something that’ll give you a taste of your recent vacation, you may find that some of your post-travel blues fade away.
And if you can’t find a restaurant, consider making something yourself. For example, I recently traveled to Greece. Luckily, I live in a large metro area, so I won’t have trouble finding some authentic Greek food. If I lived in a smaller part of the country, you bet I’d be whipping up a gyro (or at least trying to).
Make Your Bed
Make your bed? Hear me out. Before you leave, wash your bedding and make your bed. There’s nothing better or more relaxing than returning from an adventure to a freshly made bed. Trust me.
Post-travel Depression: Final Thoughts
It doesn’t matter how hard you try, returning from a vacation will always be tough and post-travel depression may very likely rear its ugly head. It does every time I come home. But as I travel more and learn what to expect, I can prepare myself for the blues and make sure that the days, weeks, and months leading up to my next trip aren’t filled with sadness.
