Coping with Anxiety During Vacation
Summer time means vacation! Whether that is a vacation from school or a trip you may be taking with family or friends. Summer often comes with rest, relaxation, and fun. What happens when anxiety takes control over all of that?
Understanding Trigger to Cope Ahead
If you know yourself, or your teen, is prone to anxiety on trips it can be helpful to assess “triggers” or things that heighten anxiety. Some examples that come up on vacation may be:
Changes in routine that disrupt a comfortable cycle
Social pressure from having to interact with family / friends they may not be super comfortable with
A new environment that they are unfamiliar with and make them feel uneasy
Pressure for it to be great! While vacations are meant to be fun sometimes the pressure we feel to enjoy that little time we get out of the year can actually make it more stressful
Preparing
If you or your teen find some of these things to be triggers you can plan ahead. This can include:
Researching the destination to look at things you may be excited to see or even just gain an understanding of the place you are staying at.
Bring comfort items that are familiar to you like a blanket, some music, or snacks you enjoy at home
Coordinate schedules to see if you are able to have a somewhat reasonable routine if you or your family is used to waking up super early or not comfortable going to bed super late
Skills!
Some skills to manage the anxiety around the planning include
Mindfulness- whether it is guided meditations or simple grounding techniques such as 5-4-3-2-1
Adding breaks! Vacations, while intended to be fun and relaxing, can often be really busy and tiring. Breaks can be a great addition to recharge and reset
Set boundaries. Just because you may be on an exciting trip in a new place does not mean you need to push your comfort zone past panic. Assess ahead of time what activities you are comfortable with, your comfortable trying, and what are no go’s.
For more information about coping with anxiety and managing family trips this summer reach out to mindful healing!