Is it normal to feel this anxious before a holiday

I get pre holiday anxiety.

When I was younger I used to inwardly roll my eyes at people who returned to the same holiday destination.
Now I can understand it as I think it would probably be less stressful.

I get really anxious too and we only afford to go away every other year, and this year is the year. One DC has an autoimmune condition so health is unpredictable and there is always something that pops up health-wise just before a holiday.

Thing is, as soon as I am away, I am worried about a catastrophe occurring back home, like family becoming ill, house being broken into.

I am going away, just me and dd8. My anxiety is through the roof. Have checked passports not out of date approx 1 million times, packed, doubted myself, unpacked and repacked about 20 times…
Ugh, why did I decide this was a good idea?!? Almost just want it to be over now, hate this feeling!!!!!

I lie in bed thinking up every bad scenario, in the superstitious hope that if I’ve covered something, then it can’t happen.

As for illness, I invariably get a cold three days after going on a plane. Twice dh and the dcs were off in Disneyworld parks whilst I was lying in a hotel bed with a temperature and a raging sore throat. Happened on numerous other holidays too. I go a year without being ill and then I enter an airport…

I feel the same. It helps me to write down my worries, the things I can and things I can’t control.
I can’t control if my child gets sick.
I can control whether I have packed a first aid kit with calpol and a thermometer, I can research the closest pharmacy.
I can’t control whether something gets cancelled. But I can make sure I have travel insurance. Etc.

Same here. Christmas is the worst because my parents look forward to it so much and I have a supressed Immune system so if I get sick I know how disappointed they are as well. Bah, humbug.

I get like this before Christmas. December is historically always the worst month for illness, though it was worse when DC were younger. I genuinely live in fear of stomach bugs over Christmas.

Not so bad before we go away but I understand the feeling. It’s because you’re looking forward to it so much and it also costs a lot so serious illness risks ruining it all. I’d say it’s normal.

How old are you? We got on lots of family holidays far and wide - I love holidays. This summer I started getting waves of anxiety literally from nowhere, and unrelated to anything else. It was like someone had injected me with an anxiety shot, it just surged up from nowhere. It was related to feeling vaguely 'unsafe', even though logically I knew I was perfectly safe and in no danger whatsoever. I'm convinced it's hormonal and a peri thing. I rode it out and it passed quickly enough

Could it be a peri thing for you too?

I’m the same. I go away in 3 weeks with my DS. It’s the first time I’ve taken him abroad on my own. I keep checking dates on passports, checking car parking and flight times. Working out what time I need to leave. What if I forget something. I’ve booked excursions but keep checking I’ve got the dates correct. I’ll need another holiday by the time I get back from this one!

Why are you going if you feel like that?

Every time for me. The kids laugh at me because I always say I'll be excited when we get there. It's very common, I know loads of people who say the same!

I think it quite common for people to feel anxious when they step out of their routine. Especially when the plans involve others.

I don't travel; anymore (mobility issues) but when I did they were solo independent trips to non tourist destinations. Think Iran, Syria etc. I always planned like a military operation and felt anxious the day before. Always wondering "where will I be sleeping tomorrow". These trips were not relaxing by any means but they were exciting. The great thing about solo travel is that you only have yourself to organize. The bad thing is that you have no one to depend upon to keep your place in queues, watch your luggage or carry stuff.

I normally get an anxiety attack on the first or second night of being away. My anxiety normally hits ‘after the fact’, so I think once we are there, after all the planning and build up my mind finally lets go and anxiety is allowed in! I’ve got used to it now so I expect it and just ride it out. Anxiety sucks. Hope you have a lovely holiday.

I do. I put so much pressure on myself to make everything perfect and think of every eventuality. Book all the right things etc. I nearly (and secretly) had a complete breakdown on arrival on holiday this year as I had taken the roof box and roof bars off the car thinking we wouldn't need them, only to find that they would be quite useful.

I only ever stress out about my potential mistakes or forgotten things, but not anyone else's.

I have long held that the first day and night of a holiday is always pretty bleh, as everyone is a bit tired, overwhelmed, nit picky, unsettled etc. Once we get past that, we settle a little and are ok.

Yup we are meant to go away in a few days and our cars just been called in for a recall now it’s a will it be back in time or is the entire holiday cancelled.

Hiring a big enough car would cost more than the holiday so tik tok goes the clock.

I’ve lost all excitement and completely stopped holiday prep because I don’t believe we will be going.

Yes, I feel anxious.

Not going away to Autumn and was panicking how my dog woukd cope with home boarding earlier.

I’m post menopausal, but my crippling anxiety started in perimenopause.

Is everyone who answers yes perimenopausal? I was never an anxious person but at 50-ish I’m now a nervous wreck over most things!

I’m going tomorrow and I can hardly breathe. I don’t want to leave my sensitive dog with a sitter. I hate leaving the house empty. My DD in supported accommodation may need help while I’m away.

I’m honestly dreading it 😞

You say you are 'overwhelmed trying to get everyone packed ...'. Who is everyone? If your children are 7/8 or older they can pack themselves and you can just double check it. Your partner should be packing for themself.

This might be partly why you feel anxious, if all the prep and responsibility of remembering everything is put on you.

DD10 fully packs herself

DD7, gets her clothes etc out and I check and help her fold them

DH packs himself and is also responsible for passports, electricals (chargers etc) making arrangements to get to airport such as booking parking, timings, holiday insurance etc

I pack myself plus responsible for meds, first aid kit, sunscreen, toiletries, snacks and bits for the journey, booking any trips/activities for when away

I think the more you do it the easier it gets. Packing light, organised hand luggage and a small airport all help. We pay extra to go from the tiny airport near us for a weeks holiday. We travel extensively and will fly from Madrid for long haul.
hand luggage is essentials only plus one full outfit each and night ware (I pick the lightest)
but yes it is nerve wracking. If kids are poorly I’d still go to airport ans decide at the gate if I was gone not.

have a wonderful holiday and remember you can get most thing on holiday for not too much money.

Same here. Even after all these years, and the fact that I am travelling with DH so not even on my own, I still feel jittery and nervy. Once we've got there I still feel unsettled for a couple of days, so I take a room spray that we use at home (a lavender based one) and spritz it around the room or cabin so that there is a familiar smell of home. It seems to calm me down.

I do find getting sorted for holiday a bit nervy just because I’m trying to get work stuff all tied up, dh is self employed and has logistical handovers to do with his business partner, the house needs sorting etc etc. but I don’t think I’ve ever worried about illness in the lead up to holiday, probably because it’s not happened to us before. Our dc are grown up now, everyone does their own packing, the washing is always as up to date as it can be and we are of the opinion that with the exception of passports, keys, money and DDs medication anything we forget can be bought if required when we get there.
i don’t mind the airport (quite enjoy it actually) but I do hate flying, as soon as we land I can start to enjoy my holiday!
We are last minute packers, done the morning we go or the night before if we have a very early start. Why stretch out a boring job that takes 15 minutes across days?! No way.

I feel exactly the same. I start packing about 2 weeks before we go because I worry about forgetting things. I make DH be in charge of looking after the passports/boarding passes/any other paperwork as the thought of it makes me so anxious. I hate the whole process of flying.

Same
Be it long haul, or Yorkshire Dales

We have had a couple of bad experiences travelling abroad, which has sent my travelling anxiety into overdrive.!