Fight or flight coping habit causing stress to travelers during COVID-19

Most of us are so caught up in our personal and professional lives that the very idea of a getaway is rejuvenating. It’s an escape from the hustle and bustle. It would also be a good distraction from the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

According to ‘Getting Away from It All’s author, sociologist Karen Stein, “Travel and vacations are a means to reshift and reorganize identities. We can use travel as a way to reexamine our priorities and devote our time and attention to identities and commitments that we, unwillingly, have to put in the background in our daily lives.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced avid travelers to live indoors without any prospect of traveling anytime soon. And this is affecting their mental health. This has made them vulnerable to depression and anxiety in these hard times. The unavailability of their main copying mechanism because of the stay-at-home orders amid the pandemic is making it difficult for them to adjust to their daily routines of being confined inside.

As per several mental health counsellors, not being able to travel is actually a blessing in disguise for travellers. The best way to utilise this time is to self-reflect and work on solving all the issues you might have been avoiding till now.

Some experts recommend switching to the virtual way of using travel escapism. You can indulge yourself in reading travel literature, watching virtual tours and enjoying some of the best travel experiences directly from home. You can also reconnect with people you probably met on your previous travel escapades and relive the moments all over again. Looking at the old photos and remembering the good time gone by is a great way to enjoy your self-isolation period, giving you hope for a bright future to come back soon as well.

As suggested by the Editor in Chief of ‘Travel + Leisure’, -Jacqui Gifford, people can embrace armchair escapism in these times. She says, “You can get lost in reading articles, books, or viewing photos of different destinations. Let yourself be transported to another place altogether for a few minutes in your imagination and take a step back from the overwhelming current news madness.”

It is important to make the most of this time and come back even stronger, both mentally and physically once this pandemic comes to an end.