Travelling is one of the finest remedies to depression. And this has been known for decades now. In 2005, a solo backpacking trip in the mighty South East Asia proved to be helpful for a young lady from the UK, Bryony Holland, who was suffering from depression and anxiety attacks. There are several such stories we come across on a daily basis.
But is travelling really that great a medicine when it comes to fighting depression? If so, how does it impact the whole sinking feeling? Here are some ideas.
Traveling beats monotony
Travelling opens the mind up to various situations. One of the primary causes of depression is the fact that everyday life becomes monotonous and we encounter situations of isolation and defeat. This is what travelling and similar experiences can cure. The whole idea is to take you out of your normal setup, get rid of the repetitive actions in life, face new situations and deal with them. A change of location often takes your mind off the depressing emotions, and help you gain perspective. It is entirely possible that you view the same situations in a different light.
Traveling broadens your horizon
Depression is often the result of declining self-worth. Why does this happen? Mainly because this whole feeling clouds our judgment and we are unaware of what our individual potential is. This could be deeply damaging to the body and mind. Travelling comes in handy when it simply clears our vision and helps us look at situations in a whole new way.
What we had deemed impossible a few days back might prove to be very much possible in today’s scenario. A huge part of this could be attributed to the fact that travelling gives you freedom and a new routine for a few days. Sometimes, we are stuck in the regular activities and cannot come out of them because of depression.
Traveling boosts your connections
Meeting new people, from different cultures and environments is definitely one of the biggest advantages of travelling around. Once again, this action of meeting people takes the people out of their cocoon and into another world. A lot of people are suffering from depression since they are unable to establish connections in their social life. Travelling manages to completely change this picture.
You encounter people from all walks of life. This could be people from different age groups, different cultural backgrounds, people speaking different languages and the likes. This opens up your options and gives you exposure to another life. This often proves to be a very positive and encouraging experience in everyone’s lives. Thus, travelling helps people meet new people and that helps cure depression.
Traveling heals you spiritually
When we talk about travelling being a good medication against depression, we also refer to the earth’s natural beauty working as an antidepressant. Living in one city and working and studying there could become monotonous. How about you take a break and visit the hills for a change? Or the mighty seaside? Or even experience some snow in the winter months? Coupled with all of this, travelling leads to a feeling of ‘awe’. And it is this particular feeling or sensation that could impact our wellbeing and happiness in general. Something as simple as visiting the mountains or trekking through the forests, or even sitting by the beach can calm the mind and get rid of the inherent depression. This is why travelling proves to be one of the best spiritual healers!
Traveling changes your perception
Travel adventures usually get your adrenaline going. Being depressed means sitting at home with reduced energy and low self-esteem. This is because your life is running in the same loop of activities and chores. But what happens when you engage in some activities that excite you and your mind? This could include some adventure sports, skydiving, bungee jumping, and the likes to get the adrenaline going. Once you do that, you have various experiences that could change your perception towards life and you would be able to get yourself out of depression.
The Bottom Line
Making one good and exciting trip could seal the deal for you. This brings with itself a bag full of memories to cater to. The memories are going to stay with you for quite some time, even after you go back home and resume your normal life. The positivity that it brings in your life is unmatched in every aspect. These will provide you with the required motivation and encouragement to continue with life on another light. This is why memories prove to be so useful and could help you overcome depression in a huge way.
These will provide you with the required motivation and encouragement to continue with life on another light. For instance, when you are out on a thrilling vacation with a camera, you are not only capturing the pictures and still images, but you are also replicating the essence of the place through the photographs. This is why memories prove to be so useful and could help you overcome depression in a huge way.