22 Tools Every Solo Traveller Needs to Protect Your Mental Health When Travelling
For when anxiety wins the award for worst timing on holiday.
Walking through Rome on a warm evening in June should be bliss.
One minute I revelled in the romance of the city, the next a wash of panic flooded over me for no reason. And in the blink of an eye, my blissful getaway turned from dream to torture.
If you suffer from anxiety or panic disorder, you’ve probably experienced vacation anxiety, too.
It feels like your well-earned break has been hijacked by your mind, and suddenly cracks start to form in your holiday bliss.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Anxiety is inevitable, no matter where you are or what the occasion is. But it doesn’t have to ruin your holiday, either. Instead of dwelling on an anxiety attack, you should prepare for it in advance. That way you can get back on the horse and continue enjoying your holiday as quickly as possible.
As a solo traveller, you have no one to lean on while you travel (at least not physically).
That’s why it’s essential to create your own Travel Mental Health Toolkit.
From my years of solo travelling, I’ve compiled a list of all the items I’ve found essential to help my mental health when travelling.
And hopefully, they’ll help you curate your own personalised mental health toolkit for travelling, too!
Table of Contents
· What science says about vacation anxiety
· What to add to your Travel Mental Health Toolkit
· Your digital travel mental health toolkit
· Your physical travel mental health toolkit
· Anxiety doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying your holidayWhat science says about vacation anxiety
When talking about suffering from anxiety on holiday, it’s important to note that “vacation anxiety” isn’t a diagnosable disorder. However, having GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder) makes you much more likely to get anxiety on holiday. In the UK and USA, approximately 6% of people suffer from GAD, meaning over 1 in 20 people are vulnerable to anxiety on holiday.
And with COVID still around, there are even more catalysts for anxiety when travelling abroad. In fact, according to WHO, the number of people suffering from anxiety or depression has increased by a staggering 25%!
So why do holidays induce anxiety?
According to a study on travel habits by booking.com, the main culprits include:
- Fear of missing transport connections (flights, trains, etc)
- Unfamiliar surroundings
- Language barriers
- Being able to navigate the city
- Being away from loved ones
All of these have the potential to trigger anxiety and cause a panic attack. After all, you’ve spent months planning to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
So, what can you pack to help relieve anxiety when you’re on holiday as a solo traveller?
What to add to your Travel Mental Health Toolkit
From personal experience, the ideal modern travel mental health toolkit comes in two parts: digital and physical. Let’s explore each category!
Your digital travel mental health toolkit
1 — Translator app
As any respectful traveller will tell you. you can’t expect people in other countries to speak English — you need to make the effort!
Translator apps aren’t perfect, but they’ll do the job and you’ll be able to get what you want when you need it with no problem!
2- A list of key phrases
You can’t rely on technology. Your phone might run out of juice or you might not have access to the internet. So you need to keep a piece of paper with key phrases.
It’s always best to have a few set phrases you need to survive. Things like:
- Can you take me to…
- How do you get to/ where is ….
- Can I have…
- How much does it cost?
3 — Your favourite TV show
Everyone has at least one comfort show they watch when they’re down (for me it’s Bob’s Burgers, Abbott Elementary and Schitt’s Creek…weird mix, I know). These shows help us feel at home and take our minds off of bubbling anxious thoughts.
Plan ahead and make sure you’ve got them downloaded on your tablet/phone/laptop so you can watch them whenever without needing Wifi!
4 — A “good vibes” music playlist
When I’m travelling alone, listening to music is non-negotiable. It acts as a buffer, makes me feel safe, calms my brain and keeps me from overthinking. It’s pretty essential for my ADHD brain!
So make your own playlist and use it while you tour the sites. You can even have fun with it and make a playlist of local music that helps immerse you further into the culture as you tour it.
5 — A kindle/ ebook reader
This one is always a bit of a contentious point. I get it. Some people prefer physical books — the feel of the paper between your fingers, the smell of the print.
But kindles are more practical for travelling. You can gather hundreds of titles without compromising on space or weight in your luggage.
So make sure you bring one!
6 — Local map
If your vacation anxiety stems from a fear of getting lost, a map is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Make sure to download a map of the local area to use offline for ease of mind if you get lost without an internet connection.
You can also get a free physical map at the airport or in your hotel.
7 — Pocket tour guide
This is perfect for social anxiety.
If you want to learn the secrets of the city but you don’t want to interact with other people (or you simply can’t afford to take a tour) you can find some brilliant, cost-effective downloadable audio guides to tour at your own pace.
8 — Local transport app
One of the most difficult aspects of travelling abroad is navigating the local transport system. And unless you’ve got taxi money (aka a lot of money!) or you can hire a car, local transport links will be your best friend.
If you’re travelling in Europe or the US, you definitely need to download Citymapper. From easy-to-follow directions to the best transport routes and live timings, they have everything you need. It’s so good I use it in my day-to-day travels at home!
And if you’re looking for a city-specific app, most metro systems have a dedicated app.
Your physical travel mental health toolkit
9 — Your favourite coffee mug
Ok, ok, this one feels extra, but hear me out! Do you usually sit down to have your coffee/tea each morning in the same mug? Thought so. It’s a grounding process most of us take for granted.
If you struggle with anxiety when you’re on holiday, taking your favourite coffee mug will help you continue your morning ritual, and feel calm and ready to take on the day.
10 — A mini notebook and pen
This is essential for solo travellers with anxiety! It might even be the most important tool on this list…the possibilities for its use are endless.
Here’s how a notebook and pen have helped me control my anxiety when on holiday alone:
- Journal anxious thoughts
- Gives me something to do when I’m alone at a restaurant
- Make plans for the rest of the day
- Keep track of fun memories while they’re still fresh in my mind
11 — A massage ball
Muscle tension provokes anxiety and vice versa. So you need to find a way to manage it. Massages are expensive and massage guns take up valuable real estate in your luggage.
Solution? A small massage ball. If you don’t know what they are, they’re small, plastic, tennis ball-sized balls with “spikes” which help relieve knots.
I found this in a Tiger shop (a famous European shop) in Spain for about 3 euros and as someone who suffers from chronic shoulder pain, it has revolutionised my travel experience! I now own four (gotta have one in each room, right?)
12 — Sleep mask
Sleep is vital to good mental health. And when you go on holiday, you never know what the curtain situation is going to be. Travelling around Europe especially, they’re not always that great.
Using a sleep mask ensures you get the sleep you need without sunlight creeping through the curtains and keeping you awake.
13 — Noise-cancelling earphones
Whether you need to block out the stag do screaming on the plane, or you can’t deal with the hustle and bustle of city streets, noise-cancelling earphones are a must if you can afford them.
14 — A mini fan
Did you know that overheating can cause anxiety? Yep, not ideal if you’re headed on a hot, summer’s getaway!
Prepare well by travelling with a mini fan in your bag. You can choose either an electric mini fan or go old school with a Spanish-style abanico.
15— Hotel/ AirBnB door lock
Many people are sceptical about how safe their room is on holiday. There’s many a horror story of rooms being broken into and being spied on.
Take your safety into your own hands by taking a door lock with you. They cost around £12/$15 and are super easy to use.
You essentially place them in the door where the mechanism is to stop anyone from being able to unlock the door, even if they have a key.
A must-have safety feature if you get anxious sleeping alone in a new place.
16— Fidget ring
Who remembers fidget spinners? Well, fidget rings are just like that except better because they are discreet.
Fidgeting is a great way to self-soothe as anxiety rises. And fidgeting with your fingers is a powerful method of subduing panic attacks for a lot of people.
Plus, there are some really stylish fidget rings out there!
17 — Face mask
COVID anxiety is still a thing. Many people worry about the added health risk when they travel.
Carrying a mask around can help make you feel empowered.
There is still a small selection of countries that require face masks in certain settings, too so check the local laws just in case.
18 — Safety backpack
Back when I was living in Spain, my flatmate suffered a horrible encounter. A man in the lift at the metro stood behind her and tried to steal her laptop from her backpack. It wasn’t until the laptop was almost completely out of the bag that she noticed and managed to stop him. He (somehow) tried to make the claim that it was his laptop (what the ****?!) and there was no one around to help. Thankfully, she’s not one to be intimidated and managed to stand her ground.
Luckily the story ended with no theft, but it could have been a very different story.
A safety backpack is one that opens at the back instead of the front (or top). That means the opening to the bag is flush against your back, making it near impossible for muggers to access your belongings.
If you get nervous about being mugged on the street or on transport, do yourself a favour and get a safety backpack. They’re actually stylish, too!
19 — Reusable water bottle
Dehydration is yet another way to provoke your anxiety and trigger a panic attack (honestly, what isn’t these days?). By bringing a reusable water bottle with you, you can refill everywhere you go at local fountains (and at the local restaurant/ café if you ask really nicely!).
And don’t worry, if you don’t have a reusable water bottle, remember, even the plastic bottle you buy at the airport can be reused, so don’t chuck it!
Plus, it’s really hard to find affordable water when you’re out and about in tourist spots. I mean, £5 for a bottle of water? No thanks!
20 — Antibacterial disinfectant products
We all know about the dreaded hotel room remote control (eww). But there are plenty of other places you’ll visit that are …questionable.
So it’s always wise to carry sanitizer wipes and gel with you on your travels.
Plus, you never know when the public toilet doesn’t have any soap left. In fact, you can almost guarantee it won’t!
21— Deodorant wipes
Anxiety = sweat.
Sweat = worrying about smelling.
Worrying = creates more anxiety.
It’s a horrible, never-ending cycle. So, take deodorant wipes with you and it’s one less thing to worry about.
You -1, Anxiety — 0.
22 — Medication
If you take medication for your anxiety or panic attacks, do NOT stop taking them for your holiday. Make sure you have the right amount of pills with you plus a couple extra in case you accidentally drop one.
But, before you go on holiday, you need to make sure you check local medication laws. SSRIs and benzodiazepines are not legal in all countries.
Don’t get caught out, check the laws and make sure you comply!
Anxiety doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying your holiday
Anxiety is inevitable, no matter how much you plan to avoid it. So rather than trying to stop anxiety completely — something that cannot be done — instead plan on how you’ll protect yourself when it does come.
By curating your very own mental health travel toolkit, you’ll know you have the essentials to face anxiety as it comes, so you can enjoy your well-earned break to the fullest!