Traveling with Chronic Pain: Recommendations from a therapist
If you’re living with chronic pain or chronic illness and have ever considered traveling or taken a trip, you probably know the sense of stress, anxiety, and even fear that accompanies the idea of travel.
You live in your bubble of everyday life. Your environment is mostly predictable, and you have found the tools that help keep your pain and symptoms at bay, or at least manageable. You mostly know how to take care of yourself, or recover when you may have pushed too hard. (Or maybe you don’t, which makes the unpredictability of travel even more overwhelming.)
The idea of leaving your bubble and getting out of your comfort zone might feel completely intimidating and overwhelming. Where do you even start?
As a therapist who works with chronic illness/chronic pain (and lives with it myself), here’s what I recommend…
Come prepared, always.
I highly recommend bringing all of the tools in your chronic toolbox. The tools that help you might be different than the tools that help me, but if I had to guess, you might bring medications (both the daily ones and the as-needed ones), a heating pad/ ice pack, a pillow, other holistic tools for pain (patches, creams, etc), electrolytes, supplements, and more. Consider what activities your trip involves and make sure you’re prepared for those specifics- if you’re flying, what do you need to be comfortable on the flight? If you’ll be walking a lot, what shoes do you need?
Your anxiety is going to love this… yes, bring the thing. You’ll really put your mind at ease when you have all of your tools. You won’t have to wonder what to do when pain comes up, because you’ll already have the answers at your finger tips.
Consider your supports
If you’re traveling with people, consider what kind of support you might need during the trip. Can you have a conversation with them in advance and let them know what your needs are? Can you practice asking for help so you’re more comfortable doing it in the moment? Find what works for you! Everyone is different here and it’s okay to really pause and consider how you want to prepare. And, recognize that we can’t always predict every little thing that will happen and what we might need in the moment.
Additionally, consider if there are any other accommodations you might need outside of the individual support, whether on the travel itself, the place you’re staying, on tours, etc. Build in breaks for rest or stretching, or whatever else you might need.
Pacing your energy
Travel can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. You’re probably looking forward to a lot of things, but might also be wondering how you’ll have the energy for all of it. Consider using some pacing here. If you can, try to plan your trip so there is time for rest and recovery between the big things. This will help ensure that you have enough energy remaining to enjoy the next thing and don’t have to miss out. If you over-plan and have a constant, full schedule, you might risk burning out and missing out on things. If you’re not in control of the itinerary, perhaps consider planning which activities are your priority and accept that you might miss out on the lower priority things.
Consider the psychological needs
What is your brain needing to feel good on this trip? We know from modern studies of pain that there is a psychological component involved, so it’s just as important to take care of your mental health, too. Are you feeling a lot of anxiety or overwhelm? Practice grounding skills like mindfulness, visualization exercises, or deep diaphragmatic breathing. If you’re a nervous flyer who’s taking a flight, what do you need to feel mentally comfortable during your travel?
Check in with your mind each step of the way. It’s okay to utilize some accommodations in this area as well! We want you to be able to stay in the moment, be present, and truly enjoy your trip.
These recommendations are just starting points. Consider your specific, individual needs and explore what will be most helpful for your mind and body to be able to have fun. Recognize and accept that it’s not going to be perfect, but you’re going to do the best with what you have in the moment.
If you’re a person living with chronic illness and/or chronic pain and feeling really anxious about upcoming travel, let’s connect! I’m a therapist providing support for anxious chronic illness warriors in Baltimore and throughout Maryland, Colorado, South Carolina, and Vermont. You can schedule a free intro call here to learn more.
Elizabeth Allen, LCPAT, LCPC, LPC, ATR-BC
Creative Pathways Counseling
