travel phobia symptoms

It Feels Like Flight Anxiety Is At An All-Time High—These Strategies Can Help

Women's Health spoke to experts about why this happens and what we can do about it.

I love traveling—there’s something exhilarating about walking the streets of a new city and experiencing the way people in other parts of the world live. But getting to those places? Not so much.

As someone with intense flight anxiety, the days before a trip are filled with overwhelming worry, feelings of dread, and all the “what if” scenarios: What if something bad happens? What if we fall into the water? I don’t know how to swim. What if I don’t make it back? What if something bad happens? During the actual flight, those questions run through my head, and the physical symptoms start. I get a headache and sweaty palms. My heart starts beating fast, my fingers tremble, and I definitely can’t fall asleep, even if I really want to. Most people on the flight probably don’t assume a thing, but inside, I’m a total mess. I’m not totally sure when this fear developed, but I may have inherited some anxiety from my mom, who refused to fly for over 20 years, and only recently overcame her fear.

I’m certainly not alone in my flight anxiety. Recent headlines—like the severe turbulence that injured 30 people on an Air Europa flight to Uruguay, or the frightening incident aboard an Alaska Airlines flight where the door panel blew off mid flight —haven’t helped. Browse the comments on the social media post of a recent travel incident and you’ll find dozens of people anecdotally sharing their own fears about flying.

Why We Get In-Flight Anxiety

While there isn't yet data pointing to a recent increase in flight anxiety, Rebecca B. Skolnick, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and cofounder of MindWell NYC , says that her practice has seen a lot of referrals for fear of flying recently. While that could be related to the news, she says that it could also have to do with the decline in flying during the pandemic.

“That avoidance increased the fears or the feeling of danger [associated with flying], on top of events in the news,” says Skolnick, which can amplify fears for the people who are already prone to flight anxiety.

COVID aside, there are plenty of reasons why someone might experience flight anxiety. One of the more obvious ones is that flying can feel odd or unnatural, and for some, even life-threatening, says psychologist Andrew Rosen, PhD, founder and director of The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders . “We're a ground-based species, and so it goes against our instincts to be up in the air,” he says. “And, if one doesn't understand the mechanism of aerodynamics and why it's completely safe to be in a plane, it feels like, ‘This is not supposed to be. I shouldn't be here. This is risky.’​​​ ”

Those negative feelings normally shouldn’t get in the way of your traveling or daily functioning, says Kimberly Fishbach, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at NY Health Hypnosis & Integrative Therapy . “It's when it starts interfering with someone's functioning or life that it becomes more concerning and distressing.”

At times, flight anxiety may not be related to the actual experience of flying. Sometimes it’s related to pre-existing sensitivities to noise, feeling, or smells, says Fishbach. For example, people can have an adverse reaction to the vibrations on a plane, hearing the engine roar, or even a fear of experiencing panic symptoms in public and being embarrassed.

There’s also the feelings of a lack of control that can come with being on a plane. “[When we think about] the idea of not being in control of something as a bad thing, the nervous system becomes really dysregulated and it makes the mind and body believe it's in danger,” Fishbach says. And when this association is formed and repeated, that fear can turn into a full-blown phobia.

Luckily, there are ways to alleviate flight anxiety and its symptoms so that traveling isn’t quite so rough. Here are a few expert-approved tips:

Fill The Information Gap

Understanding more about what’s going on while you’re in flight might provide you with some relief. For example, if you struggle with turbulence, you should learn more about why it happens and how planes are built to withstand it, says Fishbach. She recommends comparing what you feel during turbulence to what happens when you’re on a boat: The boat may sway, but it’ll stay buoyant over big waves because it’s built to withstand that rockiness. Same goes for planes.

Learning about basic aerodynamics can also help alleviate some flight anxiety. Think about what happens when you stick your hand out of a moving car: The wind created by increased velocity eventually causes your arm to rise higher and higher. You would have to literally push your arm down in order to get it to come down at all, Dr. Rosen explains. Planes operate on the same principals.

If your fears revolve around crashing, getting real statistics about how safe planes are compared to other forms of transportation can also help put your mind at ease. Most people don’t know that it’s actually much riskier to ride in a car than fly on a plane. Your odds of dying in a car crash are 1 in 93. On a plane? One in 11 million, according to WGK Law.

Regulate Your Nervous System

Being on a plane can put your body on high alert, so regulating your nervous system can help calm racing thoughts, Fishbach says. Getting your nervous system to relax can be as simple as yawning. Forcing a yawn can cause a real yawn, which helps your body relax, Fishbach says. Another strategy for easing up physical tension is a practice called progressive muscle relaxation—which simply means actively relaxing each part of your body from head to toe in a controlled order. You can also focus on creating a nice, calming environment for yourself on the plane—maybe that’s listening to music that puts you in a good mood or doing a guided meditation.

“Any calming sensory experience can really feel grounding and bring you back to the present,” says Fishbach.

These days, airlines can play a role in quelling your angst too. Look for a guided meditation in your in-flight entertainment options—Delta flights have on-demand meditation sessions led by Peloton instructors, and Jetblue has a partnership with meditation service Open, that offers in-seat meditation sessions. If this isn’t an option, you can also look for meditation exercises specifically designed for flight anxiety on platforms like Headspace, YouTube, and Spotify.

Breathing exercises can help to calm the nervous system too. Fishbach recommends exhaling for six seconds and then inhaling through your diaphragm for four seconds. “By doing that, you're activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to relax the body,” she says. I have found this tip extremely useful for slowing down my heart rate during turbulence. When hitting patches of rough air, I get super nervous, and I’ve found that intentionally focusing on taking deep breaths helps me disengage from my negative thoughts.

It’s also okay to ask for help during a flight. “Flight attendants know that people have anxieties,” Fishbach says. “I think a lot of people feel very alone in the experience, when in actuality, there's 20 million people who are also experiencing the same thing.”

Seek Professional Help

Those who experience severe flight anxiety may not find relief in self-administered strategies, and may benefit from seeking professional help from a therapist or other professional trained in mental health treatment. If your flight anxiety disrupts daily functioning, induces panic attacks, or makes you feel like you can’t move, or even keeps you from traveling to important events, you may want to think about getting help from a licensed mental health professional, says Fishbach.

When you head to your first session, you’ll likely start with some kind of evaluation that will inform your treatment plan. For most people, treatment eventually involves some form of exposure therapy—that’s when you’re exposed to situations or things you may be fearful of in a safe and controlled way.

For those with a fear of flying, exposure therapy may require going on an actual plane at some point, but it can start out with simpler tasks, like imagining being on the plane, doing all the things leading up to the flight, and even imagining worst case scenarios, Fishbach says. Teaching your brain to be desensitized to those triggers can help rewire your brain patterns.

Hypnosis—which involves getting your body so relaxed that your mind is more open to adopting new ideas, behaviors, or patterns of thinking—with a therapist or physician who is trained and qualified in this practice, can also be a great tool in relieving anxieties.

Putting These Techniques To Work

In my own battle with flight anxiety, my love of travel trumps not flying most times if I find the flight short enough for my liking—my current max is six hours, but I’m hoping I can push it to seven or eight soon. I’m still building up my mental strength to be able to fly to my dream destinations of Europe and Thailand, but these tips are already helping me.

In June, I traveled to Turks and Caicos, and while I still got my usual travel jitters, it helped that I was sitting with friends. Traveling with someone I know usually makes me feel a little better about flying.

Takeoff, landing, and moments of turbulence make me the most nervous, and my trip to Turks and Caicos was no different. When we hit some turbulence about halfway through the trip, I started telling myself how much I hated the experience. But I decided to check out the guided meditation offerings in Jetblue’s in-seat entertainment options, per the experts’ recommendations. And after a 10-minute flight anxiety mindfulness exercise, which was led by a soothing male voice who took me through different breathing exercises, I was able to fall asleep for 20 minutes. While that might not seem like a lot, I never ever fall asleep on planes, even on red eye flights or after taking sleep medication.

I’m still holding out hope that these strategies and flying more often will allow me to one day travel to all the faraway places I dream about—and that my fear of flying won’t ever stop me from clicking “purchase” on a plane ticket ever again.

Jasmine Gomez is the Commerce Editor at Women’s Health, where she cover the best product recommendations across beauty, health, lifestyle, fitness, and more. When she's not shopping for a living, she enjoys karaoke and dining out more than she cares to admit. Follow her @JazzeGomez .  

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What Is Fear of Traveling (Hodophobia)?

Learn more about hodophobia and how to seek treatment

What Is Hodophobia?

Fear of travel, or hodophobia , is a specific type of phobia that occurs when a person has an extreme fear of traveling. Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by an excessive or irrational fear of an object or experience. Hodophobia can include the anticipation of a trip, the trip itself, or recollecting the experience.

Some people call hodophobia "trip-a-phobia," which might be confused with trypophobia (fear of patterns of small holes). Trip-a-phobia is not a medical term but is often used to describe a fear of going on trips.

Read on to learn more about hodophobia and how to treat it.

Verywell / Zoe Hansen

Specific phobias are a type of anxiety disorder. It's estimated that 12.5% of adults in the United States will experience a specific phobia at some time in their lives.

With hodophobia, the fear occurs in several different ways and at different stages during the travel experience.

For some people, the anticipation of the trip triggers their fear. For others, it may be the actual travel experience and going from one place to the next. The phobic response can also occur on the trip home or after the trip is over, when the individual is now safe at home but recollecting the trip experience.

Hodophobia can be limiting, as a fear of travel may prevent people from seeing new places, attending special events, or visiting loved ones.

Related Phobias

Phobias that are related to hodophobia include:

• Aviophobia: Fear of flying
• Claustrophobia: Fear of enclosed or tight spaces
• Amaxophobia: Fear of driving or riding in a car
• Siderodromophobia : Fear of trains
• Gephyrophobia : Fear of traveling over bridges
• Thalassophobia : Fear of sea travel
• Megalophobia : Fear of large objects, which can include planes, ships, monuments, and statues

Fear of Travel Phobia vs. Travel Anxiety

What makes travel phobia different from travel anxiety is that specific phobias interfere with an individual's day-to-day functioning and limit their life in some way.

With a phobia, the fear experienced is out of proportion to the actual danger. People with phobias are usually aware their fear seems irrational. It's important to understand that the phobia triggers their fight, flight, or freeze stress response, so the danger feels very real to them.

People who are not phobic about traveling may still experience travel anxiety. This can be due to fear-inducing events, including natural disasters, epidemics, terrorist attacks, or the COVID-19 pandemic, that impact a person's fear of traveling.

Travel Anxiety with COVID-19

The travel experience changed dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. With high levels of uncertainty, concerns about flight delays and cancellations, viral screenings, fear of illness, and quarantines upon arrival, researchers found travel anxiety among all travelers during the pandemic.

Fear of contracting COVID-19 or other illnesses while traveling, particularly in another country, may continue to create anxiety for some people, even for the non-phobic.

Symptoms of Hodophobia

The body has a hypersensitive, active, and physical response to the phobia trigger.

When a person is stimulated by a phobia, biological changes occur in the body. These include changes in stress hormones, along with increases in heart rate and blood pressure, and changes in brain activity.

Hodophobia affects people much like any phobia or extreme anxiety response. Physical and psychological symptoms include:

• Feelings of doom and danger regarding the trip
• Feeling overwhelmed or confused by travel details
• Pounding heart, increased heart rate, or palpitations
• Feeling dizzy, light-headed, or faint
• Chest pain or tightness in the chest
• Sweating or sweaty palms
• Hot and cold flashes
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Shaking or trembling

If the fear and the response to the fear becomes overwhelming, a person may experience a panic attack , which is an episode of extreme fear or anxiety accompanied by physical symptoms.

Diagnosis of Hodophobia

To be diagnosed with any type of specific phobia, a mental health clinician or medical provider will typically use the fifth edition of the " Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders " (DSM-5), the American Psychiatric Association's official handbook to diagnose mental health conditions.

Specific phobias are considered a mental health condition. The diagnostic criteria for a specific phobia include:

• Fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation such as traveling, flying, or riding in trains.
• Being faced with traveling almost always causes immediate anxiety and fear.
• The phobia is typically avoided or endured with very intense fear and anxiety the entire time.
• Anxiety and fear are out of proportion to the actual danger being faced.
• The fear is consistent and lasts for six months or more.
• The phobia is causing impairment in a person's social, occupational, and day-to-day functioning.

Causes of Hodophobia

Specific phobias are caused by a few different factors, including:

• Trauma experience : If a person had a direct experience of travel-related trauma, it may impact their ability to travel and cause a phobia to develop.
• Learning from others : Some people develop a phobia, such as fear of traveling, from others. So, if a parent is afraid to fly, a child may grow up fearing flying as well.
• Others' experiences : People can develop phobias from reading or learning about dangerous situations that happen to others. For example, a person might fear travel after reading about someone else's fearful travel experience.
• Genetic : Risks for developing phobias may also be genetically determined.

Treatment for Hodophobia

Treatments for other anxiety disorders are sometimes helpful as a treatment for specific phobias.

Medication is a common treatment option for anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are recommended as first-line drugs.

These can include:

• SSRIs : Lexapro (escitalopram), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), and Zoloft (sertraline)
• SNRIs : Effexor (Venlafaxine) and Cymbalta (duloxetine)

Often medication alone won't treat the phobia, in which case a person may want to consider psychotherapy.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that helps people identify and change destructive thought patterns that negatively affect their behavior or well-being.

Treatment may include systematic desensitization, which typically involves gradually being exposed to the fear until the person can overcome it. For hodophobia, the person may begin by simply imagining themself traveling, then they may look at photographs of people traveling, followed by taking a short trip, then a longer trip. These exercises may be combined with breathing and relaxation exercises to help the person deal with symptoms of anxiety.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EDMR is a trauma-based treatment method that was designed to help people overcome the emotional distress of traumatic memories. This treatment involves doing specific types of eye movements as you process traumatic memories.

EMDR is sometimes used to help people overcome specific phobias like hodophobia and other anxiety disorders.

There are a few strategies to cope with hodophobia in the event travel is necessary:

• Ease into travel by taking small, short trips close to home. Slowly work up to going farther distances.
• Prepare ahead of time and know exactly where you're going to reduce anxiety.
• If possible, choose a low-stress destination.
• Map out your schedule and itinerary in detail so you know ahead of time what to expect.
• Travel with a friend or loved one for comfort.
• When flying, take direct flights as often as possible.
• Virtual reality and GoPro Tours found online may help with viewing the destination ahead of time.

Hodophobia is a fear of traveling that causes a person extreme anxiety. It can affect the periods before, during, and following a trip. There are treatment and coping methods available to help overcome this phobia including cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR.

Eaton WW, Bienvenu OJ, Miloyan B. Specific phobias . Lancet Psychiatry . 2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-X

National Institute of Mental Health. Specific phobia .

 Fennell DA. Towards a model of travel fear . Annals of Tourism Research . 2017;66:140-150. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2017.07.015

International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers. Travel and anxiety .

Harvard Health.  Understanding the stress response .

Flaherty GT, Nasir N. Reiseangst: travel anxiety and psychological resilience during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic . J Travel Med . 2020;27(8):taaa150. doi:10.1093/jtm/taaa150

University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Specific phobias.

Anxiety & Depression Association of America. Symptoms of specific phobia .

Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D. Treatment of anxiety disorders .  Dialogues Clin Neurosci . 2017;19(2):93-107. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.2/bbandelow

Singh H, Awayz H, Murali T. An unusual case of phobia: Hodophobia . Int J Indian Psychol . 2017;4(2):79-81.

De Jongh A. EMDR therapy for specific fears and phobias: The Phobia protocol . Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: EMDR scripted protocols and summary sheets. Treating anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and mood-related conditions . 2015;19:9-40.

By Michelle C. Brooten-Brooks, LMFT Brooten-Brooks is a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Georgia. She has been covering health and medical topics as a journalist for over 20 years.

A person doesn’t necessarily need to be in a situation exposed to travel, planes, trains, boats, ships, road travel to experience Hodophobia. The brain doesn’t have to be in that situation to experience the symptoms of panic. A persons brain is capable of creating a reaction to fearsome situations even when the subject is not actually in that situation.

People are different and so are all the types of phobias someone might suffer from. So the symptoms also vary strongly on the severity in which an individual is experiencing these fears. But generally speaking, specific phobias and fears such as Hodophobia fall under the category of anxiety disorders. Meaning that a person can experience any if not all of the below mentioned physical and/or psychological symptoms.

Physical Symptoms

People with fear of travel, planes, trains, boats, ships, road travel often experience panic attacks. These panic attacks can be extremely frightening and distressing for the person suffering from those. These symptoms most of the time happen suddenly and without any prior signs or warnings. No matter how overwhelming feelings of anxiety, a panic attack can cause real physical symptoms, such as but not limited to the ones below:

• hot flushes or chills
• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• a choking sensation
• rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)
• pain or tightness in the chest
• a sensation of butterflies in the stomach
• headaches and dizziness
• feeling faint
• numbness or pins and needles
• a need to go to the toilet
• ringing in your ears
• confusion or disorientation
• hyperventilation
• tightness in the chest/chest pain and difficulty breathing
• rise in blood pressure

Psychological Symptoms Hodophobia

In some very severe cases, a person suffering a panic attack triggered from Hodophobia. Usually when exposed to its triggers such as travel, planes, trains, boats, ships, road travel. Can have one/or all of the following symptoms.

• fear of losing control
• feelings of dread
• fear of harm or illness

On some very special cases, there may be people experiencing intertwined phobias. Or what may be called complex phobias. These can often have a detrimental effect on a person’s everyday life and mental wellbeing. Because they may limit someones life so much that they become uncap-able of leading a normal personal and social life. Hence triggering a chain reaction of the above mentioned symptoms and lastly depression.

Treatment of Hodophobia

For many individual who are suffering from travel, planes, trains, boats, ships, road travel  – Hodophobia. Don’t always feel the need of treatment because they can just avoid the object of their fear. This gives people suffering from Hodophobia a feeling of control on the problem. But sometimes avoiding travel, planes, trains, boats, ships, road travel might not be possible or enough.

It is important for someone to always seek professional help when possible. This way you don’t lose time and do a better job and understanding what is happening. With understanding you can next move on to overcoming your fear of travel, planes, trains, boats, ships, road travel.

While most phobias are curable, there is no single treatment available for all of them, or guaranteed to work. It strongly depends on the person suffering and severity in which that person is experiencing Hodophobia. There are cases that a combination of treatments might be more effective.

Talking Treatments for Hodophobia

Talking treatments or talking therapies, which include counselling, might be very effective at treating fear of travel, planes, trains, boats, ships, road travel or Hodophobia. Talking therapies are very laid back treatments and physically non intrusive which involve talking to a highly trained and proficient professional about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. There are many different types of talking therapy, but they all aim to:

• help you recognise unhelpful patterns in the way you think or act, and find ways to change them (if you want to).
• help you resolve complicated feelings, or find ways to live with them
• help you make sense of things and understand yourself better
• give you a safe time and place to talk to someone who won’t judge you

Talking therapies are in most cases the same as counselling, therapy, psychotherapy, psychological therapy, talking treatment. There is usually a very little difference between what’s meant when talking about any of these.

(CBT) Cognitive behavioural therapy

CBT treatments stand on the concept that what we thing and perceive are constantly influencing our behaviour. Experiencing anxiety and distress are in some cases distorting and bending ones perception over reality. Cognitive behavioural therapy aims to identify if they are an accurate depiction of reality, and, if they are not, employ strategies to challenge and overcome them.

For example when someone is experiencing Hodophobia. Through the help of Cognitive behavioural therapy you could identify if the fear and anxiety experienced from travel, planes, trains, boats, ships, road travel is an accurate depiction of reality. And if not working on ways to change that.

Medication should be never taken without asking a doctor first. In general medication is not recommended for overcoming phobias. Therapies have resulted to be a definitive way to overcome fears. However some types of medication are prescribe as short term solutions to the side effects of phobias. Which include anxiety or depression. There are three general types of medication recommended for treating anxieties.

• antidepressants
• tranquillisers
• beta-blockers

Other Sources

There is an academic article that talk about the fear of travel and flying of some famous historical characters such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Sigmund Freud on this page: Leonardo Da Vinci, Sigmund Freud, and Fear of Flying

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Travel Anxiety

What is it?

Travel anxiety is when a person feels anxious when they travel or may avoid travelling due to fear surrounding this. Those with already present anxiety disorders may find that travelling exacerbates or triggers the anxiety symptoms. The main causes of travel anxiety include interacting with other people, lack of support, wayfinding and buying tickets.

With 25% of adults in England diagnosed with at least one mental illness according to the Health Survey of England, Prof Roger Mackett from UCL’s Centre for Transport Studies has carried out a survey of people with mental health conditions, in order to establish the difficulties that people with such conditions have when travelling, and to identify ways in which these can be overcome. The following articles look at some of the findings from his report:

Mental health and travel behaviour: read here

Mental health and wayfinding: read here

Policy interventions to facilitate travel by people with mental health conditions: read here

DIY self diagnosis

If you can answer YES to most of the questions it is likely that you are affected by travel anxiety. During the last 6 months:

Have you avoided travelling due to anxiety?

Have you experienced a marked, persistent and excessive fear of travelling?

Do you worry excessively about travelling?

Has traveling made current anxiety symptoms worse?

Anxiety UK strongly advises that people seek further information and guidance from their GP who will be able to make a formal diagnosis.

How we can help

By becoming a member of Anxiety UK – for just £40 per year (see all our membership) you enjoy a range of support services and resources, including:

• Access to reduced cost therapies
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• 10% off a Listening Books membership (normally between £20 and £45 per year).
• Total value of more than £90 annually!
• 25% discount on Remy Sleep weighted blankets

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Recommended resources

This fact sheet gives a detailed overview, as well as a look at some of the evidence based approaches to treating driving phobia. See the resource .

It’s not unusual to feel anxious or worried before any test; none more so than a driving test, where your ability to control the car and avoid any unsafe behaviour can be challenged by a wealth of external factors. Read the whole story →

The thought of travelling to unfamiliar places and the complex rules surrounding overseas travel may be deterring you from planning a holiday and also causing additional stress and anxiety. Read the travel tips →

Anxiety UK is a national registered charity formed in 1970, by Katharine and Harold Fisher, for those affected by anxiety, stress and anxiety based depression.

To read more please  click here .

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What Is Travel Anxiety, and What Can You Do About It?

Experts say ignoring your stress only makes it worse. here’s what you can do.

Jaimie Seaton,

When returning home from a trip to the Bahamas for my 40th birthday, I found myself on a small prop plane, violently bouncing and bumping through a thunderstorm in pitch darkness. My husband and daughter were at the back of the plane and I was in the front with my toddler son. At a certain point, I became so convinced that the plane was going down that I asked the woman across the aisle to take care of my son if I had a panic attack .

We landed safely, but I’ve had travel anxiety, including fear of flying, ever since. I’ve continued to fly, but instead of sitting by the window and marveling at the experience, I sit on the aisle and pretend I’m not in an airplane. I imagine I’m being magically whisked to my destination. Before takeoff, I listen to a book, and during takeoff, I close my eyes, breathe deeply and focus on my destination .

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I’m not alone. Travel anxiety and fear of flying are common, says Lisa Wilson, a licensed independent clinical social worker and associate at the Center for Travel Anxiety in Washington, D.C. About 25 million adults in the U.S. have a fear of flying, and about 40 million Americans are living with an anxiety disorder, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

Travel anxiety refers to a feeling of worry or fear around traveling. It can happen before you go or while you’re traveling. Some people develop travel anxiety after a specific event; others can’t identify a cause. You may have traveled by car, train or plane for decades without concern and suddenly develop a sense of panic or anxiety , Wilson says. 

When that occurs, she says it’s best to address the anxiety instead of pretending it’s not happening.

Wilson says the symptoms of travel anxiety are distinctive to the person rather than the form of travel. They tend to be the physiological symptoms associated with the fight-or-flight response, “because fundamentally, what we’re talking about in terms of panic or anxiety, we’re talking about the body’s response to a perceived threat,” she says.

These symptoms can include a rapid heart rate, tension in the shoulders or elsewhere in the body, sweating, nausea, a feeling that you can’t breathe, pressure in the head and an irresistible urge to move your limbs. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and travel anxiety overall can stop you from making plans and traveling altogether.

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Address the anxiety

“If you notice that [you] are making decisions based on [your] anxiety, it’s time to get help,” says Wilson. She adds that you don’t have to wait until your travel anxiety is affecting your plans. If you’re starting to feel discomfort about travel, that’s a good time to reach out for help too.

Jonathan Bricker, a University of Washington psychologist who has studied the fear of flying for more than 20 years, says aviophobia is a hodgepodge of different phobias that converge on an airplane. There are people who are afraid of dying in a plane crash, those who are claustrophobic and those who fear having a panic attack and not being able to escape or get help (agoraphobia). He adds that it’s very common for people to have more than one disorder.

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Bricker, who treats people for aviophobia, advises making a flight plan (see sidebar) so you — not the airports or airlines — are in charge of your travel. He also says to face your fears and recommends looking at YouTube videos of people taking ordinary flights (avoid incident or crash videos). “The goal is to open up, be open to the fact that you’re going to have … these physical reactions … and to let them just come and go,” Bricker says.

Wilson advises being attentive to the experience of anxiety and responding quickly before it gets out of control by utilizing supports such as deep breathing, yoga, meditation, and listening to podcasts and books to return to a state of calm. She advises figuring out what methods work best for you and using them during the trip. 

A recent study on stress found that a majority of people age 45 and older ignore and/or downplay their stress. This can make travel and flight anxiety worse, says Wilson, because they’re layering avoidance on top of the stress. So you need to dissolve the avoidance to remove the stress .

“The key is getting effective help to address the concern and get back out there and get to the places and the people [you] love,” Wilson says.

Making a flight plan

Here are tips from Jonathan Bricker, a psychologist who specializes in air travel anxiety, that can help if you have a fear of flying.

1. Identify why you are traveling.  What makes it matter to you? Is it seeing family or friends you care about? Is it traveling with someone who matters to you? Is it seeing places in the world you are curious about?

2. Do  meaningful activities  while you’re traveling.  Rather than just avoid the experience of airports and planes, explore the airport, read an informative book, listen to a podcast or watch an  interesting movie . Do it because you want to, not to distract yourself from your anxiety about flying.

3. Breathe.  Breathe in one full breath. Hold it for three seconds. Release it all the way. Then hold for three seconds. Repeat this cycle three times.

4. Repeat one word.  Before you leave for the airport, take the scary thought (e.g., “crash”) and repeat the word aloud for 90 seconds. Repeat three times. Notice how the word loses its power and meaning over time. 

5. Don’t drink.  The anxiety will rebound after the  alcohol  wears off.

6. Try talking to an exposure therapist.  Do this at least two months before your flight to gradually confront your fears.

7. Try virtual reality.  Work with a therapist who provides virtual reality therapy for fear of flying.

8. Consider medication.  If you must use medication, use only a fast-acting anxiety drug at a low dose, once, and only under your physician’s prescription. This is not a long-term solution, just a way to get you on the plane and on your way.

Jaimie Seaton has lived in and reported from South Africa, the Netherlands, Singapore and Thailand. She’s written on travel for Skift, The Independent and CNN.

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• Anxiety Guide
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Travel Anxiety: Causes and Cures

Fact checked.

Micah Abraham, BSc

Last updated October 10, 2020

Many people dream of travel. But travel anxiety is also very common. Some people experience a significant amount of anxiety when they travel. Those with persistent generalized anxiety and panic attacks are also prone to travel anxiety simply because travel represents change and distance from comfort. Some people fear travel but are not completely aware of this fear because they avoid booking their ticket or come up with other excuses in order to not leave their homes.

Whatever the case, travel anxiety makes it much harder to travel, whether for work or pleasure. This article explores the concept of travel anxiety, providing tips and information regarding what you can do to reduce your fear.

Causes of Travel Anxiety

Travel anxiety is unlikely to have any single specific cause. Many people have travel anxiety their entire lives. Others may develop the anxiety either because of past experiences relating to travel which were anxiety provoking; and some seem to have travel anxiety for no apparent reason at all. Here are some examples of experiences that can lead to travel anxiety:

• Fear of Flying Probably the most common issue seen in those with travel anxiety is a fear of flying. This is a fairly common phobia that’s linked to various factors: the lack of control, the changes in air pressure, the general discomfort, and the turbulence. These can all contribute to a fear of flying, especially as you age1. Since travel often involves flight, it's not uncommon for these fears to interact with your ability to control your anxiety.
• Horror Stories Some people are influenced by the "worst case scenario" stories they hear on the news. You may not even realize you're influenced, but when you access news articles about kidnappings, injuries, and other accidents, it's easy to subconsciously associate travel with tragedy.
• Home Comfort Some people also develop a fear of being far from home, because their home is their source of comfort. It's very common in those with anxiety disorders involving panic attacks or agoraphobia, for example, because their home becomes associated with being safe. The idea of leaving their home for an extended period of time then becomes very stressful.
• Post Trip Worries You may not have travel anxiety before the trip, but you may find that you develop it during your trip. This type of anxiety can be due to any number of issues, including the stress of planning and organizing details upon your arrival, the possible discomfort of being in a new environment, the looming threat of jetlag and perhaps simple worries about not knowing where your nearest supermarket or pharmacy might be.

But this is just a simplified list. You may not even know the exact reasons why your travel anxiety developed. It is possible - and important - to understand what your specific worries are (we'll get to that in a moment), but it isn't always possible to know why you have those worries. Travel anxiety affects many people and it can have a disruptive influence on your life.

How to Overcome Travel Anxiety

Of course, knowing about the causes is only the first step. Ideally, you'll also want to learn how to overcome your travel anxiety. Consider the following tips and strategies to reduce your travel anxiety:

• Don't Avoid It If you want to travel or you have to travel, don't avoid buying the ticket and don't push back the date of the vacation. The act of avoiding something fearful actually increases future fear, because by pushing it back you've created what's known as "negative reinforcement." This means that it becomes more and more likely that you’ll deal with travel anxiety in future by simply avoiding the travel date. This also serves to strengthen the anxiety. If you really want to overcome your travel anxiety, you need to put yourself out there and not let yourself fall into the avoidance trap.
• Figure Out Your Fears While you may not be able to figure out the underlying cause of your fears, it’s a lot easier to identify what your fears are. Are you afraid of flying? Afraid of being away from home? Afraid of the stress of planning a vacation? Notice when you're feeling travel anxiety and write down the thought that's going through your mind at that point in time. Knowing your fears will give you an opportunity to evaluate them.
• Prepare in Advance Start your trip anxious, and you’re setting yourself up for a difficult journey. Do your best to pack, plan your mail, arrange for a friend to look after your home, etc., as far in advance as possible. That way, the time before your departure will not be quite as hectic. Have your entire tripped planned as best as you can too so that you're never worried about what you're doing once you arrive.
• Have Someone to Call at Home You may also want to consider having someone that you can call if you experience anxiety - like a friend or family member. Ask someone you know that will be around. Tell them you have travel anxiety and you want to know that they'd be available if you needed to call someone. Knowing that person is there can often be enough to lower your anxiety levels.
• Take Vacation Breaks If you find that your anxiety while on your trip is acting up, take a short break from your vacation. This might mean, for example, going for a massage and staying home to watch Netflix rather than going sightseeing. Don't try to relax and ride it out if you start to get anxious. Anxiety is the type of condition that is nearly impossible to "fight" because fighting it increases stress, which ultimately creates more anxiety.
• Plan an Empty First Vacation If you have a fear of traveling in general, make your first vacation something where the entire goal is to do nothing but get used to the idea of traveling. For example, catch a plane to a location near a beach, and spend each and every day just sitting on the beach relaxing. Alternatively, plan a vacation where you spend as much (or more) time relaxing as compared to sight-seeing and actively engaging. This can help you get used to the act of being on a vacation without the pressures that come from some of these trips.

Beyond these travel anxiety ideas, you'll also want to focus on reducing your overall anxiety. Anxiety is a cumulative disorder. When you experience anxiety in one area of your life, it can cause more anxiety in other areas of your life. If you have anxiety on a daily basis, reducing that anxiety will provide you with a powerful advantage when it comes to managing your anxiety on the whole.

Questions? Comments?

Do you have a specific question that this article didn’t answered? Send us a message and we’ll answer it for you!

Where can I go to learn more about Jacobson’s relaxation technique and other similar methods? – Anonymous patient

You can ask your doctor for a referral to a psychologist or other mental health professional who uses relaxation techniques to help patients. Not all psychologists or other mental health professionals are knowledgeable about these techniques, though. Therapists often add their own “twist” to the technqiues. Training varies by the type of technique that they use. Some people also buy CDs and DVDs on progressive muscle relaxation and allow the audio to guide them through the process. – Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CRNP

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5 tips to ease pre-travel anxiety

Author: Cheryl Carmin, PhD

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• Try to figure out what it is about travel that is making you anxious. What are you saying to yourself? Can you identify your “What ifs?” Once you’re able to understand what you’re afraid of, ask yourself if the fear is realistic. Even if your worst-case scenario is something catastrophic, does the very small likelihood of its occurrence outweigh the severity?
• If you have traveled before, what has your experience been? Did any of the things you’re worrying about happen? If they did, how did you manage? There’s a good chance you’re not giving yourself credit for being an effective and resilient problem solver.
• Is the over-planning, list-making or other strategies really helping? Everyone has their own way of preparing for travel. Making others conform to your way may cause arguments with your traveling companions and more stress.
• Do you have strategies to help you to relax? Slow, paced breathing is one strategy that many people find to be effective. Try an app for your smart phone, or one of the free relaxation recordings available from Ohio State’s Center for Integrative Medicine that help you to restore your calm equilibrium.
• Don’t skip the self-care activities. Just because you may think you’re in a time crunch the week before a trip, build in time for exercise. Physical activity is a great way to manage stress. Pamper yourself. A haircut or a manicure may be an important part of your pre-travel preparation to help you de-stress.

What provokes anxiety differs from person to person. This is definitely not a ‘one size fits all’ phenomenon. It may be useful to separate out if you’re afraid of the act of traveling or the destination.

• Our mental health experts are here to help you. Learn more

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How to Overcome Your Fear of Traveling (Hodophobia)

Tackle your fear of traveling by arming yourself with knowledge, planning familiar routes, and bringing along supportive friends.

So you want to travel the world. Your money is saved up for a plane ticket, you’ve been scouting trip destinations on travel blogs for months, and you’ve talked your family members’ ears off about getting out there.

But as much as you would love to pull the trigger on that plane ticket, you can’t seem to take the plunge. There are too many scary thoughts swirling around in your brain, and you have no idea how to fix it.

Fear of traveling, or hodophobia, is a very real and serious thing. It’s not just anxiety about getting outside of your comfort zone…it’s an actual fear. So how do you overcome it? This article examines what exactly hodophobia is, and a few different methods you might use to combat it.

What are the Symptoms of Hodophobia?

The symptoms of hodophobia can be serious, including panic attacks and increased blood pressure and heart rate.

Other symptoms include:

• Nausea and diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• A profound sense of loss of control
• Muscle weakness

Each person may have different symptoms, but generally, people with hodophobia tend to dwell on their fear of travel so intensely that it may become impossible to think about anything else. As you might imagine, this makes traveling less than pleasant.

These symptoms may manifest in different ways. Maybe you find it impossible to travel alone, or maybe the thought of getting on a plane or train causes you to have a panic attack. You might find it difficult to travel very far from home, unlike other tourists who seem to have no problem fitting in wherever they go. All of this just compounds the anxiety and makes it even harder to enjoy the experience.

How Do You Diagnose Hodophobia?

It’s not easy to diagnose hodophobia. You will likely need a medical assessment from your family doctor and then a referral to a psychological assessment.

For many people, the fear of travel develops later in adulthood and usually from some significant event—for example, maybe you’ve had a particularly awful flight full of turbulence, or you’re prone to serious motion sickness, or you’ve had things go wrong unexpectantly that was out of your control.

Your doctor or psychology professional will likely want to do a deep dive into everything that has happened to cause this phobia to get to the root of your fear. It’s uncomfortable, but if you want to make your worldly dreams come true, it’s worth it.

Is Fear of Flying the Same as Fear of Travel?

Even though the symptoms for a  fear of flying  may be the same as the symptoms for fear of traveling, it’s definitely not the same fear. A phobia of travel is much more varied.

A lot of people confuse their fear of travel with a fear of aviophobia (or even a fear of heights, for that matter). That’s because aviophobia is one of the most common fears out there.

But while aviophobia is related specifically to flying, hodophobia addresses a different set of fears when it comes to travel. It can be something as “simple” as anxiety about whether or not you get lost in a new city, or just a general foreboding of bad things about to happen. Whatever it is, it’ll most likely keep you from traveling and living your life.

How Do I Manage My Fear of Traveling?

If you feel like you can’t take care of your phobia on your own, it’s time to enlist the help of a professional or find an alternative way to deal with your problem.

Here are some tips and advice for conquering your fears of traveling.

Travel With an Experienced Traveler

There’s nothing wrong with enlisting the help of a friend to accompany you on your trip (in fact, most people will jump at the chance of having a travel companion). Having a confident, well-traveled friend to show you the ropes of traveling is one of the best ways to get over your travel anxiety. They’ll be able to take the lead when necessary to prove to you that nothing ias scary as you think.

Talk to a Therapist

Pick up the phone, and call a therapist! In my opinion, this is the best way to make sure you get the help you need to change your life. A therapist will help you better understand the root causes of your problems.

Plan Out Your First Few Days

The ultimate anti anxiety aid? Meticulously planning out your first few days on the road. While you don’t want to over-plan, there’s something about plotting your itinerary that’s very comforting for anyone who needs to know what’s next on the agenda. There’s something very comforting in predictability.

Make Yourself Comfortable

Your body reacts to its environment, so if you’re comfortable, your mind is comfortable. Do whatever it takes to feel at home, whether it’s watching a movie on your flight, or finding something to keep you distracted. Get cozy, and try to enjoy the experience.

Avoid Drugs and Alcohol

Drugs and alcohol are the definition of anxiety. While a beer or two might be a nice way to unwind before your trip, it’s a bad idea to indulge. The after-effects of bingeing (like increased anxiety and general sluggishness) just aren’t worth it.

Learn the Art of Meditation

There’s a good chance that many people will encourage you to try meditating to ease your travel fears and anxieties. That’s because  it actually works .

If you’re feeling like everything is spiraling and that everything will implode at any moment, meditating can help you reel in your thoughts. Focusing on your breath and thought process goes a long way. Start out with short meditating sessions to get started, and work your way up.

Get Good Travel Insurance

If your thoughts are spinning out hundreds of different travel scenarios gone wrong (like planes crashing, missed flights, or your life being at serious risk), protecting yourself with a policy from one of the  best travel insurance companies . might go far in easing your mind. That way, if things go wrong, you’re covered medically and financially.

Seeking out help for your hodophobia is definitely worth the effort. Although it seems daunting, holding yourself back from a world of experiences and moments of pure bliss is even worse than not facing your phobias. You’ll never regret taking that first step.

Hodophobia FAQs

What is hodophobia.

Hodophobia is the fear of traveling.

What is the cause of Hodophobia?

Hodophobia is the fear of traveling and could be caused by previous negative experiences during travel.

What is the difference between agoraphobia and Hodophobia?

Hodophobia is the specific fear of travel, while agoraphobia is the fear of situations that may cause a panic attack.

What medication is used for Hodophobia?

Effexor (Venlafaxine) and Cymbalta (duloxetine) are two common drugs used for hodophobia.

How do you overcome the fear of traveling?

The best way to overcome the fear of traveling is to take baby steps. Start with smaller trips and gradually add more as you become more comfortable.

Candice Walsh

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Fear of Traveling: 9 Ways to Overcome Travel Anxiety

One of the biggest obstacles would-be globetrotters face is fear.

This is understandable. It’s normal to have a fear of traveling. After all, you need a lot of courage to leave the comfort and security of home for the unknown.

I know because I’ve felt this way before. Multiple times in my life I’ve felt extreme travel anxiety. In fact, I was so afraid to travel that when I first studied abroad that my parents basically had to force me onto the plane.

Fortunately, it’s not necessary to suffer like I did before your next trip. Leaving home doesn’t have to mean experiencing the symptoms of intense travel phobia.

Over the years, I’ve realized a few things that have made traveling much less stressful. Here are 9 thoughts that will help reduce—and perhaps even eliminate—your fear of traveling.

Overcoming Your Fear of Traveling

1.) you’re not the first person to travel..

This isn’t the 1400s and you’re not going to Mars. While your experiences will be uniquely your own, you’ll be following previously-taken paths.

Each year, millions of people travel to all corners of the globe without incident. Undoubtedly some of these people will be a lot like you, coming from a similar background and facing similar fears.

Knowing that you’re not alone—that you’re part of a wider community of fellow travelers confronting the same issues—can be an immensely comforting and empowering.

2.) You’re as capable of traveling as anyone else.

There’s nothing inherently special about the people who have traveled before you. They don’t possess some magical skills that you lack. By and large, they are ordinary people who’ve simply decided to live their lives more fully.

In fact, many world travelers are probably less prepared than you are. In many countries, it’s expected for young people to go on an extended trip away from home as soon as they graduate from high school. At the age of 18, they grab a backpack and set off to see the globe, often for months on end. If they can get home in one piece, so can you.

3.) The world doesn’t have to be a mystery.

The thought of venturing into the unknown can be understandably scary. As Steven Spielberg knew when filming Jaws , it's what you don’t see that's most terrifying because it creates a void that your imagination undoubtedly fills with your deepest-seeded fears.

Fortunately, travel doesn’t have to be a mystery. You don’t have to remain in the dark about the places you’re going to visit.

Knowing even a tiny bit about the local food, culture, and customs can greatly reduce travel anxiety. After all, it’s impossible to be afraid of the unknown when it no longer exists.

4.) Things aren’t as dangerous as you think.

News websites, TV channels, and radio stations like to make us think that the world is an incredibly dangerous place, filled with violence and chaos because they know humans are evolutionarily wired to find this type of coverage irresistible. After all, isn't it in our best interest to remain informed on all potential threats? As the saying goes, "if it bleeds, it leads". 

Yet, this view of the world is misleading.  According to all statistical measures, the world is safer now than it ever has been before . There are fewer acts of violence, less war, and more peace today than at any point in recorded history.

So what does this mean for the intrepid traveler? You’re less likely to die in a terrorist attack than you think, you’re plane probably won’t crash, and civil war probably won’t break on wherever you travel to.

Remember, the news is now essentially a low-light reel of human behavior on a global scale. Think about all the bad stories you’ve read about your home city our country. How often are those accurate? Do you feel unsafe at home? If you answered ‘no’, then why should you feel any different in these other places simply because something bad happened there once 5 years ago?

5.) You’re not too old to travel.

There is no such thing as being too old to travel. After all, age is just a number. It tells you nothing with certainty about your mental or physical well being. If your spirit is vibrant, there’s no reason why a 70 year old cannot explore the world with the same gusto that a 20 year old has.

Even if age has caused a decrease in your mobility, you can still enjoy the benefits of travel. Your trip doesn’t have to be filled with scuba diving or white water rafting to be worthwhile. You can have just as good a time leisurely visiting museums or walking through central markets.

And if you’re worried about fitting in as an older traveler, you don’t need to be. Travelers tend to be an open-minded sort, always eager to meet others, especially if they have a good story to tell or a bit of wisdom to share—things best gained through a lifetime of experiences.

6.) You won’t be alone (if you don’t want to be).

Before I set out on my first solo trip abroad, I remember being quite concerned that I would feel alone the whole time. After all, I didn’t know anyone in the cities I was visiting.

Yet, I quickly learned that travel doesn’t have to be a solitary endeavor. If you want to meet people, you can.

As I mentioned before, most travelers are open-minded individuals who are eager to meet new people while on the road. This is especially the case if they are traveling solo. This desire to connect with others is a big reason why hostels—complete with their on-site bars and activity-filled commons areas—have become increasingly popular with globetrotters.

In fact, it’s probably easier to meet people while traveling than at home. Without the myriad of distractions once faces in the day-to-day—Netflix, work emails, family obligations—life the road lends itself to quickly-formed travel groups, heartfelt conversations, and cross-cultural discussions. Someone you met just yesterday by chance can easily turn into your travel buddy and most intimate confidant for the next month. These interactions are some of the most impactful experiences you will have traveling.

Often, these people become long-distance, long-term friends. Even though you don’t see each other every day, your bond remains strong because it was forged through mutual experience and understanding. You visit one another, and travel together to faraway lands. But before that happens, you must explore, and explore you will—both your destination and yourselves.

Furthermore, it’s not as difficult as you might expect to meet the local people, especially if you’re traveling solo. By following a few simple rules, anyone can fill their next trip with memories of dinners spent chatting with natives in Barcelona or days of hiking with locals in Peru. [To learn more, check out our guide How to Meet Locals When Traveling ]

Rarely do travelers find themselves involuntarily without company. If anything you’ll probably have to go out of your way to have alone time if you want it.

7.) You can find the money to travel.

It’s easy to get the impression that world travel is only for the independently wealthy or incredibly lucky. After all, the travel industry fills tv, magazines, and the internet with ads that promote a very specific kind of tourism: one filled with five-star hotels, luxury meals, and first class flights.

Your trips don't have to look like they came straight from a magazine.

Fortunately, this isn’t the only way to travel. You can have a life-changing trip filled with budget accommodations, free activities, and discount transport. In fact, this is the way the majority of globe trotters travel.

When the price tag for a month-long trip decreases from $20,000 to $2,000—as it often does when you stop overspending on fancy hotels, restaurants, and flights—it becomes affordable to nearly everyone when given enough time to save.

Spectacular views like this of Sa Pa, Vietnam can be surprisingly affordable when you remove unnecessary spending.

Depending on your circumstances, saving money to travel may be really easy or it may be really hard. You may even first need to pay off some credit card debt or student loans. But when given enough time almost everyone can make it work. 

Often the simplest things—like packing a lunch for work or skipping the morning coffee at Starbucks—can lead to big savings at the end of the money. For example, making coffee at home rather than spending $5 on a Frappuccino can save you over $100 in a month. [For more tips, check out our article 19 Amazingly Simple Ways to Save Money For Travel ]

8.) You can find the time to travel.

Time is the most precious resource you have. You can never make more of it and you never know how much of it you have left.

Yet, even with our busy schedules, if you really want to travel, you can always find time for it. As we’ve discussed before, being able to travel means making it a top priority. It means deciding that travel is one of the most important things in your life, even if just for a short period. It means prioritizing time on the road over time in the office, gym, or on the couch.

Sometimes you need to leave this behind.

Sometimes these choices don’t feel easy. If personal or professional obligations are hindering your ability to travel, you may need to set them aside for the time being. Yet, any temporary discomfort this creates pales in comparison to the long-term side effects of not following your dreams.

Even if you only have limited vacation time, you can still have incredible travel experiences. Not every trip needs to be an epic, six-month backpacking journey through Southeast Asia. Weekend getaways can be just as impactful if done well.

9.) The best way to overcome fear is to face it.

As helpful as the above thoughts can be for worried would-be globetrotters, the best way to deal with your fear of travel is to confront it directly.

When you intentionally avoid something that makes you anxious, it tells your mind and body that the fear is justified. While you may temporarily feel better, in the long run it makes things worse because as the fear grows in strength it becomes more difficult to overcome.

In contrast, when you face your fears, they lose their strength. You see them for what they so often are—irrational concerns based on a lack of information or experience. And once you confront one fear, it becomes easier to do so in the future. It’s not uncommon for once-hesitant travelers to channel the wave of positive energy and confidence they gain into overcoming other challenges in their lives.

Overcoming my fear of travel inspired me to take on new challenges, like my anxiety around flying.

When your fear of travel prevents you from fulfilling your dreams of world exploration, it’s important to examine them. And as we’ve seen, so many of the thoughts and beliefs on which our fears are based don’t hold up to scrutiny. They are either half-truths, misunderstandings, or flat out lies.

Seizing the day in Kanangra-Boyd National Park, Australia.

And while the symptoms of travel anxiety—butterflies in your stomach, sweating hands, shaking knees—might not feel pleasant, they’re actually a good sign. Being afraid before you travel tells you that you’re about to do something difficult. It lets you know that your mind and body are in for a challenge. It reminds you that you’re about to experience an opportunity to grow.

If you’re looking to prepare your mind for your next trip download my FREE guide The Traveler’s Mindset: How to Mentally Prepare for Journeys of Adventure and Growth !

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Travel Phobia: Effective Strategies to Overcome Travel Fear

Understanding Hodophobia

Hodophobia, or the fear of travel, is a complex condition that can significantly impact an individual’s life. This phobia encompasses a wide range of fears, from general anxiety about traveling to specific phobias related to various modes of transportation, such as cars, planes, and public transport. Individuals with homophobia might experience intense dread at the thought of traveling long distances, fear of traveling in a plane, or anxiety about traveling alone. This condition is more than just a preference for staying home; it’s a debilitating fear that can prevent people from experiencing new places, visiting loved ones, or fulfilling professional obligations. Read this article to know about travel phobia, symptoms, causes and treatment.

The symptoms of travel phobia can vary widely but often include physical manifestations such as panic attacks, sweating, trembling, and nausea. The psychological impact is also profound, with sufferers experiencing overwhelming anxiety, dread, and sometimes even a full-blown phobia of travelling in a car or fear of travelling on buses. These symptoms make the prospect of travel incredibly daunting, turning what should be an exciting adventure into a source of intense fear and anxiety.

Travel phobia treatment is essential for those affected by hodophobia, as it can help individuals manage their symptoms and gradually overcome their fears. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is often effective in treating phobias, including travel phobia, by helping individuals challenge and change their negative thought patterns about travel. Exposure therapy, another critical component of travel phobia treatment, involves gradually and systematically exposing the person to the feared object or situation (in this case, travel) in a controlled and safe environment.

Understanding the root causes of hodophobia is crucial for effective treatment. For some, the fear may stem from a past negative experience, such as a traumatic flight or car accident. For others, it might be related to a lack of control in travel situations or anxiety about encountering unfamiliar environments. Additionally, societal factors, such as sensationalized media reports of travel incidents, can exacerbate fears, contributing to a phobia of travelling alone or a fear of travelling in a plane.

Addressing hodophobia often requires a multifaceted approach, combining professional therapy, self-help strategies, and, in some cases, medication to manage symptoms. Support from friends and family can also play a significant role in overcoming travel phobia. By understanding their condition and exploring various treatment options, individuals with hodophobia can start to manage their fears and work towards a more travel-friendly lifestyle.

Strategies to overcome travel phobia include gradual exposure to travel situations, starting with short, less intimidating trips and slowly working up to longer distances or more challenging modes of transportation. Practicing relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or mindfulness, can help manage anxiety when thoughts of travel phobia symptoms arise. Additionally, seeking support from others who understand and have overcome similar fears can provide valuable encouragement and advice.

Common Travel Phobias

Travel phobia manifests in various forms, impacting individuals differently depending on their experiences, perceptions, and the mode of transportation involved. Among the most prevalent specific phobias related to travel are the fear of travelling in a plane, phobia of travelling in a car, fear of travelling on buses, and the daunting thought of travelling alone. These fears are not only widespread but deeply rooted in the psyche of those affected, leading to a significant alteration in their lifestyle and choices.

Phobia of Travelling in a Car :

This specific fear involves anxiety about being in a car , either as a driver or passenger. The phobia of travelling in a car can stem from past accidents, fear of losing control, or the unpredictability of road conditions. For some, the phobia is linked to the claustrophobia of being in a small, confined space for an extended period.

Fear of Travelling in a Plane :

Often considered one of the most common travel-related phobias, the fear of travelling in a plane encompasses anxiety about flying . This can be due to fear of heights (acrophobia), fear of potential accidents, or even the feeling of not being in control. The phobia of travelling in a plane can severely limit international travel and professional opportunities that require flying.

Fear of Travelling on Buses :

Public transportation, particularly buses, can trigger anxiety for those with social phobia travelling or a general phobia of travelling on public transport. The fear of crowded spaces, reliance on another’s driving, and the potential for social interaction can all contribute to this specific travel phobia.

Phobia of Travelling Alone :

The thought of travelling alone can be particularly daunting for many. This fear often stems from the anxiety of facing unfamiliar situations without support, the risk of getting lost, or encountering dangerous situations without assistance. The phobia of travelling alone can lead to missed personal and professional opportunities, limiting one’s experiences and growth.

Phobia of Travelling Long Distances :

For some, the duration of the journey itself is a source of anxiety. The phobia of travelling long distances encompasses fears related to being far from home, the physical discomfort of long-haul travel, and the anticipation of fatigue or jet lag.

Understanding these common travel phobias is the first step towards addressing and overcoming them. Each specific fear requires a tailored approach, recognizing the unique challenges it presents. For instance, overcoming the fear of travelling in a plane may involve familiarization with the safety measures of air travel, while tackling the phobia of travelling alone might focus on building self-confidence and planning skills.

By acknowledging the diversity of travel phobias, individuals can seek targeted travel phobia treatment and strategies to overcome fear of travelling that address their particular concerns. Whether it involves the fear of travelling in a plane, the anxiety of solo journeys, or the dread of long-distance travel, recognizing and confronting these fears directly is crucial for progress. With patience, understanding, and the right support, overcoming travel phobia and reclaiming the joy of discovery is within reach for those affected by hodophobia.

Symptoms of Travel Phobia

Identifying the symptoms of travel phobia is crucial for understanding and addressing this condition effectively. Individuals grappling with hodophobia might experience a wide range of signs, from physical reactions to psychological and behavioral responses, when faced with the prospect of travel. Recognizing these symptoms can be the first step towards seeking help and finding ways to overcome the fear of travelling.

Physical Symptoms :

The body’s response to the anxiety associated with travel phobia can be intense and varied. Common physical symptoms include panic attacks, characterized by rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Sweating, trembling, and nausea are also frequent signs that someone is experiencing a severe travel phobia, whether it be the fear of travelling in a plane, a phobia of travelling in a car, or anxiety about travelling alone. These reactions are not just uncomfortable but can also be debilitating, making the thought of travel overwhelmingly distressing.

Psychological Symptoms :

Beyond the physical manifestations, travel phobia deeply affects individuals’ mental and emotional states. Sufferers may experience overwhelming anxiety, dread, or even terror at the thought of travelling. This can lead to a persistent worry about upcoming trips, nightmares about travel, and a pervasive sense of doom when considering travel scenarios. The phobia of travelling on buses, for example, might trigger excessive worry about accidents or getting lost, significantly impacting an individual’s mental well-being.

Behavioral Symptoms :

The impact of hodophobia extends into the behavioral realm, with sufferers often going to great lengths to avoid travel. This might include avoiding jobs that require travel, missing out on family events, or refusing to travel alone or by certain modes of transportation like planes or buses. The avoidance behavior is a hallmark of travel phobia, as individuals may require excessive reassurance or engage in extensive checking behaviors (such as repeatedly verifying travel plans) to manage their anxiety.

Understanding these symptoms is a critical component of travel phobia treatment, as it helps both individuals and professionals recognize the scope and impact of the phobia. The physical, psychological, and behavioral signs of travel phobia can vary in intensity but are often interconnected, feeding into the cycle of fear and avoidance that characterizes hodophobia.

For those struggling with the fear of travelling in a plane, phobia of travelling alone, or any other specific travel-related anxiety, recognizing these symptoms is the first step towards seeking help. Awareness allows individuals to explore travel phobia treatment options and strategies to overcome fear of travelling, paving the way for a more comfortable and fulfilling relationship with travel. With the right support and interventions, managing the symptoms of travel phobia can lead to significant improvements in quality of life and open up a world of opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Causes of Travel Phobia

Understanding the causes behind travel phobia is essential for effective management and treatment. Hodophobia, like other specific phobias, can stem from a variety of sources. These factors may interplay uniquely in every individual, contributing to the development of a fear of travelling in a plane, a phobia of travelling in a car, or anxiety about travelling alone, among others.

Past Negative Experiences :

One of the most common triggers for the development of travel phobia is a past negative or traumatic experience related to travel. This could be a car accident, a turbulent flight, or a distressing incident while travelling on public transport. Such experiences can leave a lasting impact, causing the individual to associate travel with danger and discomfort, leading to a persistent phobia of travelling long distances or specific modes of transportation.

Learned Behaviors from Family or Peers :

Travel phobia can also be learned through observing the reactions and behaviors of others. If a family member or close peer displays intense fear or avoidance of travel, it can influence an individual’s perceptions and attitudes towards travel. This modeling effect can foster a phobia of travelling alone, fear of travelling in a bus, or other travel-related anxieties from a young age.

Lack of Control in Travel Situations :

A significant factor contributing to hodophobia is the feeling of lack of control or unpredictability associated with travel. This is particularly evident in fears related to flying or travelling in areas unfamiliar to the individual. The uncertainty about the outcome of a trip, reliance on others for safety, and inability to escape uncomfortable situations can amplify the phobia of travelling on public transport or other travel fears.

Media Influences and Sensationalized Travel Incidents :

The portrayal of travel incidents in the media can also play a role in the development of travel phobia. Sensationalized coverage of accidents, incidents, and disasters related to various modes of transportation can heighten fear and anxiety about travel. This constant exposure to negative travel stories can reinforce the fear of travelling in a plane or phobia of travelling in a car, making the individual more susceptible to developing a travel phobia.

Addressing the root causes of hodophobia is crucial for overcoming the phobia. Whether it involves tackling a phobia of travelling alone, fear of travelling on buses, or any other specific travel-related fear, understanding the underlying factors is the first step toward effective treatment. Through targeted interventions and support, individuals can work to overcome their travel phobia, gradually reducing the impact of these causes on their lives and enabling them to explore the world with confidence and ease.

Treatment Options for Travel Phobia

The journey to overcoming travel phobia—a multifaceted condition characterized by an intense fear of travelling in a plane, a phobia of travelling in a car, or anxiety about travelling on public transport—requires a personalized and comprehensive approach. Treatment options vary, ranging from professional therapy to self-help strategies, each offering pathways to manage and eventually conquer the fears associated with travel.

Professional Therapy :

One of the most effective treatment options for hodophobia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT focuses on identifying and challenging negative thought patterns and beliefs about travel, replacing them with more rational and positive ones. This approach can be particularly beneficial for individuals with a phobia of travelling alone or a fear of travelling in a plane, as it addresses the underlying thoughts that fuel these fears.

Exposure Therapy, a subset of CBT, is another powerful treatment method. It involves gradual, controlled exposure to the feared object or situation—in this case, travel. Starting with less intimidating travel scenarios and progressively moving to more challenging ones, exposure therapy can help desensitize individuals to the stimuli that trigger their travel phobia, whether it’s a fear of travelling on buses or a phobia of travelling long distances.

Self-Help Strategies :

For many, self-help strategies can provide significant relief from the symptoms of travel phobia. Techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation can help manage the physical and psychological symptoms of anxiety when facing travel. Creating positive travel experiences, even in small steps, can also build confidence and reduce fears over time.

Support Groups :

Joining a support group for individuals with travel phobia or related anxieties can offer emotional support and practical advice. Sharing experiences with others who understand the phobia of travelling on public transport or the anxiety of travelling alone can provide comfort, reduce feelings of isolation, and encourage individuals to face their fears.

Medication :

In some cases, medication may be recommended to manage the symptoms of travel phobia, especially if they are severe and significantly impact daily functioning. Anti-anxiety medications or antidepressants can be prescribed by a healthcare professional, often in conjunction with therapy, to help individuals cope with intense anxiety related to travel.

Overcoming travel phobia is a gradual process that requires patience, persistence, and the willingness to face one’s fears. By exploring various treatment options, from professional therapy to self-help strategies, individuals with hodophobia can find the support and tools necessary to navigate their fears. Whether it involves tackling a fear of travelling in a bus, a phobia of travelling in a car, or the challenges of travelling alone, the path to overcoming travel phobia is paved with understanding, support, and targeted interventions. With the right approach, the world becomes a more accessible and less daunting place, opening up endless possibilities for exploration and adventure.

How to Overcome Fear of Travelling

Overcoming the fear of travelling, whether it’s a phobia of travelling in a plane, anxiety about travelling on public transport, or the dread of travelling alone, involves a combination of mental preparation, practical strategies, and sometimes, professional intervention. Here are several approaches to help manage and eventually overcome these fears:

Gradual Exposure :

Gradually exposing oneself to the act of travelling can be an effective method for overcoming travel phobia. Start with short, less intimidating journeys, perhaps by engaging in short drives if you have a phobia of travelling in a car, or taking brief trips on public transport if the idea of travelling on buses fills you with anxiety. Gradually increase the distance and complexity of trips as your confidence grows.

Mental Preparation :

For many, the anticipation of travel can be more daunting than the act itself. Engaging in mental preparation techniques such as visualization can help. Imagine yourself successfully navigating the journey, from boarding a plane without fear if you have a phobia of travelling in a plane, to enjoying a solo trip if you’re anxious about travelling alone. Positive visualization can create a mental framework for success.

Learn About Your Mode of Travel :

Fear often stems from the unknown. Learning more about the specifics of your travel mode can alleviate some anxiety. If you have a fear of travelling in a plane, research how planes work and the safety measures in place. Understanding the realities can demystify the process and reduce fear.

Relaxation Techniques :

Mastering relaxation techniques can be a game-changer for those with travel phobia. Practices such as deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation can help manage anxiety symptoms when they arise, offering a sense of control over one’s emotional state.

Create a Support System :

Travelling with a supportive friend or family member can ease the stress of facing your fears alone. If you’re worried about travelling alone, having a travel companion for initial trips can provide comfort and reassurance. Over time, as your confidence builds, you may find it easier to undertake journeys solo.

Seek Professional Help :

If the fear of travelling significantly impacts your life, seeking professional help can be a crucial step. Therapists specializing in phobias and anxiety can offer tailored strategies and support, including exposure therapy and CBT, to address the root of your travel phobia.

Stay Positive and Patient :

Overcoming travel phobia doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a journey marked by small victories and inevitable setbacks. Celebrate progress, no matter how minor it may seem, and be patient with yourself. The goal is gradual improvement, not immediate perfection.

By adopting these strategies, individuals grappling with hodophobia can make meaningful progress toward overcoming their fears. Whether dealing with a phobia of travelling in a car, fear of travelling in a plane, or anxiety about travelling on public transport, the journey toward freedom from travel phobia begins with understanding, confronting, and gradually dismantling the fears that hold you back. With determination, support, and the right approaches, the world opens up in all its vastness, inviting exploration and adventure.

Special Considerations

When tackling hodophobia, it’s important to recognize that travel phobia can manifest differently across various demographics and situations. These special considerations can influence the approach to overcoming fears associated with travel, whether it’s a phobia of travelling in a car, anxiety about travelling on public transport, or the dread of travelling alone.

Travel Phobia and Children :

Children can develop travel phobia, often influenced by negative experiences or learned behaviors from adults. Addressing travel phobia in children requires a gentle, patient approach, focusing on building trust and confidence. Gradual exposure to travel, accompanied by positive reinforcement and support, can help alleviate their fears. Educational materials and activities that make travel seem like an adventure can also shift their perception from fear to excitement.

Cultural and Social Aspects :

Cultural background and social factors can significantly impact one’s experience with travel phobia. For individuals from cultures with less emphasis on travel or those with social phobia travelling, the idea of venturing into unfamiliar territories can be particularly daunting. Understanding and respecting cultural and social influences is crucial in providing support and devising effective strategies for overcoming travel-related anxieties.

Technology and Travel Phobia :

In today’s digital age, technology can be a double-edged sword for those with hodophobia. While constant access to news and social media can exacerbate fears by highlighting negative travel incidents, technology also offers valuable tools for managing travel phobia. Apps for meditation and relaxation can help manage anxiety, while online forums and support groups provide a platform for sharing experiences and strategies for overcoming the fear of travelling in a plane or other travel anxieties.

Phobia Travelling on Public Transport :

The fear of travelling on public transport, including buses and trains, can be linked to concerns about safety, cleanliness, or the unpredictability of other passengers. Overcoming this specific fear may involve familiarizing oneself with the public transport system, travelling during off-peak hours to avoid crowds, and using relaxation techniques to manage anxiety during trips.

Social Phobia Travelling :

For those with social anxiety, the prospect of interacting with strangers or being in crowded spaces can make travel particularly stressful. Strategies to manage social phobia while travelling include planning travel during less busy times, seeking quiet spaces during travel, and practicing social scenarios to build confidence.

Addressing these special considerations requires a nuanced understanding of the individual’s experiences and fears. Tailoring approaches to meet these unique needs can significantly enhance the effectiveness of interventions aimed at overcoming travel phobia. Whether it’s supporting a child with a fear of travelling in a bus, leveraging technology to ease travel anxieties, or accommodating cultural sensitivities, recognizing and addressing these special considerations can pave the way for more inclusive and successful strategies in managing hodophobia.

Final Thoughts

In delving into the complexities of hodophobia, from identifying the multifaceted symptoms and underlying causes of travel phobia to exploring a range of treatment options and practical strategies for overcoming fear of travelling, it becomes clear that this condition, though challenging, is not insurmountable. The journey toward conquering a phobia of travelling in a car, the anxiety of travelling on public transport, or the dread of travelling alone requires courage, perseverance, and the willingness to seek help and support.

The significance of addressing hodophobia extends beyond simply facilitating travel; it’s about reclaiming one’s autonomy, expanding personal and professional horizons, and enriching life with new experiences and connections. Overcoming travel phobia opens up a world of possibilities, allowing individuals to explore, learn, and grow in ways that were previously hindered by fear.

For those grappling with the fear of travelling in a plane, phobia of travelling on buses, or any other travel-related anxiety, remember that you are not alone. Countless others have faced and overcome similar fears, and with the right resources—be it professional therapy, self-help strategies, or the support of loved ones—achieving freedom from travel phobia is within reach.

As we conclude our exploration of hodophobia, let this be a starting point for anyone seeking to overcome their travel phobia. The path may not always be smooth, and setbacks may occur, but each step forward is a step towards a more open, adventurous, and fulfilling life. Whether it’s taking a short drive, booking a flight, or planning a solo trip, the journey towards overcoming travel phobia is one of the most rewarding travels one can undertake.

In closing, the challenge of hodophobia, with its many facets from the phobia of travelling alone to the anxiety of travelling in large groups, is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience. By confronting and working through these fears, individuals can not only enhance their quality of life but also discover a newfound sense of freedom and joy in the adventures that await. The world is vast and filled with wonders, and overcoming travel phobia is the key to unlocking these treasures.

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Hello! I'm Professor D, and I've been teaching at Nexus Nursing Institute for several years. My passion is helping students understand complex nursing topics, from heart disorders to mental health. I always aim to break down challenging subjects so they're easy for everyone to understand. I genuinely care about each student's success and often go the extra mile to ensure they grasp the concepts. As you browse through this blog, you'll come across many articles I've written, sharing my knowledge and insights. I'm thrilled to be a part of this community and to help guide your learning journey!

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Tips For Traveling With Panic Disorder and Anxiety

Travel can trigger panic and anxiety symptoms

If you have panic disorder , panic attacks and anxiety-related symptoms might keep you from traveling. Being in new and strange places, away from the safety of your home, can make you feel insecure. You may also be afraid of others witnessing your fear and nervousness. Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to manage your symptoms while traveling so you can enjoy your trip.

Tips for Managing Travel Anxiety

Try any of these tips or combine several of them to make your next trip more manageable.

Be Prepared

When making your travel plans, also put some effort into planning and preparing how you're going to deal with your symptoms. The anticipation of uneasy travel will often bring on more stress and anxiety about your upcoming trip. Be ready to face your panic attacks by having a plan of coping skills ready beforehand.

For example, deep breathing techniques , visualization , or meditation may be all you need to counter your fears. There is even some research that suggests playing a difficult game of chess on your cell phone may be an effective way to successfully treat panic attacks.  

Practice these relaxation techniques and self-help strategies in the weeks before you travel. Regular practice is key to learning to sit with uncomfortable thoughts. As a result, you may find your symptoms stay under control on your next trip.

Use Distractions

When traveling, it's not uncommon to focus more on your symptoms. One way to manage them is to put your focus elsewhere. Instead of concentrating on the sensations in your body, try to bring your attention to other activities. For example, you can bring along a good book, favorite magazines, or enjoyable games.

Turn your negative thoughts around by diverting your attention to happier thoughts or visualize yourself in a serene scene. Use affirmations to center on more calming thoughts, such as repeating to yourself “I am safe” or “These feelings will pass.” You can also bring awareness to your breath. Focusing on your breath can have a calming effect.

Calming Breath Exercise

Start by breathing slowly and purposefully. You can become even more focused by counting each of your breaths, counting on each refreshing inhalation and again on each deep exhalation. Once your breath has steadied, you can also relax your body.

Intense feelings of panic and anxiety can bring tension and tightness throughout your body. To relieve these sensations, try doing some stretches, moving through a few yoga postures, or practicing progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) .

It can also be beneficial to focus on what you're looking forward to on your trip. Have an itinerary that will include activities you enjoy. If you’re traveling for business, see if you can schedule some time to check out a new restaurant, get a massage , or fit some exercise in at the hotel or outdoors. By concentrating on fun activities, your excitement for your trip may take over your worry.

Accept Your Symptoms

If your symptoms become too overwhelming to distract yourself from, try to simply allow them to run their course. Panic attacks often heighten within a few minutes and then gradually taper off.

If you resist your panic attacks, you may actually experience increased anxiety and panic-related fears, such as feeling that you're having a medical emergency, losing control of yourself, or going insane.

If you have panic and anxiety while traveling, try to surrender to your symptoms, reminding yourself that they will soon pass. Consistently conceding to your symptoms may reduce your fears around them and strengthen your sense of control.

Go With a Buddy

Many people with panic disorder have one or more loved ones with whom they feel comfortable and safe. If possible, try to enlist a trusted friend or family member to travel with you.

Make sure that your companion is aware of your fears and anxiety. Your loved one may be able to assist you in coping with your symptoms and boost your sense of security while traveling. For some, just having that person there is all that is needed to have a much more relaxing trip.

Consult Your Doctor

Discuss your travel concerns with your doctor or healthcare provider. It's possible you're experiencing other underlying issues or conditions, such as agoraphobia or a fear of flying ( aerophobia ). Your doctor will be able to determine if a co-occurring condition is contributing to your travel anxiety.

Your health provider may also recommend medication to treat your symptoms. Benzodiazepines are a type of anti-anxiety medication that can quickly reduce panic symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe a benzodiazepine, such as Xanax (alprazolam), Ativan (lorazepam), or Klonopin (clonazepam), to ease the intensity of your panic attacks.

A Word From Verywell

Living with panic disorder can be challenging, but your diagnosis shouldn't hold you back from having a fulfilling life. Follow these easy tips to help you manage your symptoms on your next trip. With practice and preparation, you may be able to travel without taking your panic and anxiety with you.

If you or a loved one are struggling with panic disorder, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. 

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database .

Barzegar K, Barzegar S. Chess therapy: A new approach to curing panic attack. Asian J Psychiatr. 2017;30:118-119. doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2017.08.019

National Institute of Mental Health. When Fear Overwhelms .

National Institute of Mental Health. Mental Health Medications .

By Katharina Star, PhD Katharina Star, PhD, is an expert on anxiety and panic disorder. Dr. Star is a professional counselor, and she is trained in creative art therapies and mindfulness.