I have PTD! Here are SIMPLE Strategies for how to Cope with Post Travel Depression.

Thanks for this, Wanderlust Storytellers! I’m back for less than 1 day from our three-week trip to Israel & already experiencing PTD (Post Travel Depression). Not only was this the longest we’ve ever been away but, it was also a super special trip. We kicked it off with Jacob’s Bar Mitzvah in Jerusalem & ended with a 5 day stay in Tel Aviv. In between we did it all including a day in Petra, Jordan so being back to life in Philadelphia seems blah to say the least.

I love where I live. Feel fortunate to be able to travel the way we do & have a lot of great experiences to look forward to but, that doesn’t seem to make it any easier. Come to think of it, I’ve always had PTD. Even as a kid returning home from family trips over holiday break. Being back from a world of experiences I felt new. So mature. So sophisticated. So worldly from having experienced new cultures, people, foods that everyone back home (who didn’t travel) seemed somewhat plain. Having a blog does help & I plan to spend the next few weeks documenting our journey but the below suggestions are also helpful. Read on if you’re curious about how to beat PTD & for my additional suggestions as I’m dealing with life back in Philadelphia.

Post holiday blues has the ability to sneak up on you and completely smack you off your feet!   It can suck the life and happy vibes right out from your soul.  Going from one extreme of the buzz of exploring a new country, destination, culture to being back in boring reality can be pretty daunting! Not all of us can travel full time even if we wanted to! So for some of us this is reality! Coming home after traveling, returning back to work and returning back to routine.

Post travel depression after a trip is so real that they even have an acronym for it – PTD! Go figure!

Read on for How to Beat the Post Travel Depression

1. Allow yourself time to adjust

AlyaBuzz –We purposely chose to fly back to Philadelphia with a layover in Frankfurt as opposed to a direct flight that got us into Newark. When planning a trip this long, try to anticipate your state of mind on the return home. We agreed that we would rather deal with a longer flight than an added car ride from the airport. Plus, we got home on a Saturday with a built in few days to recover before returning back to school (yes, first day of school is Monday-Yikes!) and work. Added bonus, a frankfurter (get it? a frankfurter in Frankfurt (-; & German pretzel at the airport)

2. Keep hold of your Travel Memories in a creative way

“Research has shown that if we can recall positive memories they can boost our positive emotions in the moment,” says Dr Green, clinical psychologist and founder of The Positivity Institute.

AlyaBuzz – I plan to document our Israel (and Petra Jordan) adventure in future blog posts & have been asked to write about it for a magazine date TBD. I hope that our travels inspire you to visit this beautiful & multifaceted country! Not only that, I’m now an expert in all things Israel so, hit me up if you or someone you know needs help.

3. Be a Tourist in your own Area

AlyaBuzz – I couldn’t agree more! Especially when you’re fresh from exploring other places, you’re geared up to see your own surroundings in a whole new way. Book a city tour, hop on a bus or simply look up as you walk around. It’s crazy how so many people (including myself) have never done the “touristy” things in their own backyard. We chatted with a barista in Tel Aviv who, after hearing that we fell in love with his city, admitted that just the other day while taking a friend around town, he realized what a great city he lives in. Appreciate where you live & try to see it through new eyes whenever possible.

4. Evaluate what isn’t working

AlyaBuzz – Travel buzz doesn’t have to die & what inspired you while on the road may sometimes help you discover new opportunities or resurface old passions. I for one have been missing blogging & was struggling to find meaningful & valuable content to write about. I love travel & this trip has really inspired me to return back to writing. I’ve also made a lot of great contacts that can now help me & others plan trips to Israel so, perhaps a new venture in the making!?

5. Practice thankfulness through a gratitude journal

DYK that when you express gratitude (or thankfulness), you create a surge of ”feel-good” brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. In fact, several studies show that being grateful reduces the risk of depression. According to Wanderlust Storytellers, there are two super easy ways to practice gratitude. You might choose to share your thoughts of thankfulness with another person or, for those who love to keep their thoughts private, you might choose to express your gratitude by journaling.

AlyaBuzz – I must admit that I don’t do enough of this so allow me to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU! I’m thankful for the people who helped make this trip of a lifetime a reality. From friends who guided me along the way to my family who joined us for this mitzvah, thank you! Life would be so meaningless without you.

6. Start planning the next trip!

AlyaBuzz – This trip took months to plan so, while we were only away for 3 weeks, it was a long time in the making. I guess one can say 13 years since we knew from day one that Jacob’s Bar Mitzvah would be in Israel. I love planning trips but it can be extremely overwhelming! The internet doesn’t make it easier as the options are endless. Coupled with others recommendations, it’s daunting for many. I’ve been warned not to discuss future travel for a while but in my head, I’m already planning our next trip abroad! It makes me happy & keeps me motivated. The travel blues are still there but at least I have something to look forward. Plus, it will take me weeks to go through all of our photos & journal our journey on AlyaBuzz.

DYK that “anticipation of the experience of pleasure is nearly as pleasurable as the experience itself.” So even if the trip is years away, go and start brainstorming where you want to go and what you want to see.

I start all of our travel plans with my travel bible, 1,000 Places To See Before You Die & then turn to Instagram for some visual inspiration. This book is never far from reach when I need a little travel inspiration! Here it is now right by my side as I type.

7. Use journaling to foster positive change

AlyaBuzz – Journaling, blogging, using Evernote. Anything that will help you get your thoughts out & clear your head is a good thing. I have a journal that I use when I need to write instead of type. That alone is sometimes a stress reliever. It could also be a stress inducer when I realize just how sloppy my handwriting has become due to the lack of practice. Please tell me I’m not alone here.

8. Pick a job that allows you to earn whilst traveling!

AlyaBuzz – I try to incorporate travel into everything that I & the family does. We’ve been traveling with Jacob since he was 9 months old. He now travels on his own & has been to countries that I have not been to. Blogging about travel certainly helps but a career in it? That could be even better. Come to think of it, I do like the sound of AlyaBuzz Travel. You?

As hard as it is to live with PTD there is actually a positive side to the misery that comes from the blues that follows a holiday. Thanks Wanderlust Storytellers for helping me get though my PTD & for allowing me to lend my perspective to your article. Really helped me get through my first day back from Israel.

Benefits of Post Vacation Blues
-Post travel depression can help us figure out what we are not enjoying about our current way of life, and open our eyes to what we are truly passionate about!

-It opens our yearning to do more with our lives, to be more, to travel more, to learn and discover more!

-Post travel depression is a great motivator to start saving those dollars for the next trip away!

-It makes you appreciate how lucky we truly are to be able to travel and explore other countries and other ways of life!

-It makes us re-evaluate how we live and makes us notice the things that we tend to normally take for granted!

-It makes us take action to break away from the normal routines of life!

Source: What is Post Travel Depression? SIMPLE Strategies on how to Cope!