137 - Depression and Travel

The Thoughtful Travel Podcast

If you experience depression, you may have combined this with travel and either found it made things worse, or better. I would love to imagine that travel could cure depression, but from the chats I had with three different people for this episode, it seems (unsurprisingly, really) that experiences of depression and travel vary as much as people vary.

First up today I chat with Justin Watson, who has actually found that travel has been quite helpful in managing his issues with depression. We talk about mindfulness techniques and how practicing these when you travel can be a great way to improve them.

Next I speak with Megan Blandford, who has experienced depression while travelling during a period when she was in denial that she had any depressions issues at all. The link between Megan's depression and her adventurous travel activities is something I found really fascinating to discuss.

Finally, I talk to Ian Oliver who has had some mixed experiences with depression while he is travelling: from finding that moving to a new destination can give him a kind of "fresh start" and feel much better, to the experience of simply needing to go home.

I'm so grateful to each of my guests today for being prepared to open up about such a personal topic - thank you so much Justin, Megan and Ian!

Links:

• Don't forget my next traveljournalschool.com course is the two-week “Start a personal travel blog” course in mid-June - sign up at the link to get more information
• Justin's blog at Justin’s World - http://www.justins.world
• Megan Blandford's website - https://meganblandford.net/
• Her book I’m Fine (And Other Lies) about postnatal depression and motherhood is out now and is a brilliant read!
• Ian’s Barefoot Backpacker blog - https://barefoot-backpacker.com
• Ian’s podcast “Travel Tales from Beyond the Brochure” - https://barefoot-backpacker.com/category/podcast/
• Some resources to get help with depression:
• Australia: Beyond Blue - beyondblue.org.au ; Lifeline - lifeline.org.au
• UK: NHS - Moodzone page - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/ ; Mind - https://www.mind.org.uk/ - the mental health charity
• US: Mental Health America - http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/depression-support-and-advocacy
• Germany: https://www.deutsche-depressionshilfe.de/
• Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers
• Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/137

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