Secrets for Travelling with Depression, Part I
My husband and I have recently returned from a wonderful road trip to visit my sister in North Carolina. We took a few days to enjoy the scenery along the way.
But...travel is hard on someone with mental illness. For someone with bipolar in particular, the constant stimulation is tiring and taxing. The lack of routine is painful. I could go on and on.
But...travel is hard on someone with mental illness. For someone with bipolar in particular, the constant stimulation is tiring and taxing. The lack of routine is painful. I could go on and on.
Here is a list of what makes travelling a challenge for me: not enough time alone, too much stimulation, sleeping in a different bed every night, eating in restaurants food all the time and pure exhaustion from all of those things. The biggest challenge of all is that the depression does not take a holiday.
One of my worst days on this trip should have been one of our best days as tourists. We drove through the Blue Ridge Mountains where there was one awesome scenic lookout after another. I tried to enjoy it but I was in such bad shape that day. I felt guilty that I was having this amazing experience and not enjoying it!
If I were to live just for me, I would probably not go anywhere, but my husband enjoys travel and I love my husband. We have devised ways to go places and keep me reasonably well along the way.
If I were to live just for me, I would probably not go anywhere, but my husband enjoys travel and I love my husband. We have devised ways to go places and keep me reasonably well along the way.
I would like to share some travelling tips with you this week.
What do you find most difficult about travel? Have you had a travelling experience that you would like to share?
For a dose of laughter medicine click here.
May dipsy doodling around depression
be better than a therapy session!
Don't give up,
I'm praying for you!
Wendy Love
6 comments:
Wendy: Your posts always help me. Thank you for opening your heart and life to us.
Jen
Audience of ONE
Jeanette,
Thanks for that comment. It is always encouraging to think that our words can reach out into someone's heart or life. My posts usually concentrate on hope, solutions and strategies. I prefer not to concentrate on the depression itself, I find that just too depressing! Today has not been a good day, but your positive comment has made it into a better one. Thanks for taking the time....
I'm not a good traveler either, Wendy, not even when I'm not depressed. I like long quiet alone times with a book or my journal. That's why traveling with our motorhome has become my favourite way to go. We always leave me plenty of time to sit on the bed with my feet up, cozy under a blanket with a book. Our motorhome is our little traveling home, a home away from home.
My husband loves traveling to far away places though and usually ends up going without me. I just can't cope with it.
- marja
Oh Marja, thanks for sharing that! Make make me feel a little less crazy just knowing that I am not the only one.
Hi Wendy,
Thanks so much for your comment on my blog, and I hope you can find encouragement through it. I had no idea that the diary I kept during my depression would be something the Lord could use one day.
For myself, when I was severely depressed, I found traveling long distances extremely painful, especially if alone. I sang praise songs and that helped a little.
During the years when I was recovering from depression, I used to listen to music if driving, which proved a great distraction. I also had to fly to the USA once to attend a convention, and it was difficult being in so many different environments. It felt like my associations and perspectives on life were gone because nothing looked familiar - like you mentioned too much stimulation - but I just relaxed and let new associations form, and kept my eyes fixed firmly upon Jesus the whole time. Whether I could feel His presence or not, He was the one constant in the changing environments. (if that makes any sense?!)
Peter,
Thanks for dropping by. And yes, Jesus is always the one constant, even with bipolar, the ever changing mood disorder.
Post a Comment